Investigation on the Flow and Heat Transfer Behavior of Molten Steel During Continuous Casting

The flow and heat transfer inside the mold play an important role in the quality of the casting billet during continuous casting. In this work, a three-dimensional coupled model of flow and heat transfer was established, and the flow field and temperature distribution characteristics of molten steel were explored in depth. The results indicated that the narrow impact position is 315 mm away from the meniscus. The maximum turbulence kinetic energy of the centerline reached 0.00284 m2∙s−2, 108 mm from the narrow surface. The temperature of the steel liquid on the path of the two splitting strands located in the upper and lower circulation zones was above 1781 K. The temperature range from the center of the billet to the narrow 1/4 section, which was enclosed by the upper annular flow zone and 400 mm below the liquid level, was relatively low and lower than the liquidus temperature. The model can provide guidance for improving and optimizing the quality of continuous casting billets.