Fluid volume-based evaluation of induction heating effects in a channel-type tundish

A three-dimensional coupled model was developed for a channel-type tundish equipped with induction heating (IH). To quantitatively evaluate IH performance and to complement conventional comparisons based on contour plots and residence time distribution, a volume-distribution statistics and uniformity evaluation (VDS-UE) methodology was proposed. The results show that the VDS-UE methodology enables a quantitative, comparable, and zone-resolved assessment of IH performance. VDS-UE quantifies steel volume across velocity and temperature intervals, as well as quantifies uniformity within functional zones. IH induces a swirling flow within the channel, which entrains molten steel from the receiving chamber and strengthens circulation in the discharging chamber. In the receiving chamber, the entrainment leads to a localized, incomplete circulation. The volume-distribution statistics (VDS) indicate that IH primarily activates low-velocity molten steel, increasing the volume in the intermediate-velocity intervals, while causing limited changes in the small-volume, high-velocity region. For heat transfer, IH shifts the temperature volume distribution toward higher temperature intervals, and the high-temperature molten steel is concentrated in the channel and its adjacent region. The uniformity evaluation (UE) reveals that IH enhances the overall uniformity of both velocity and temperature, the uniformity varies by zone, with opposite trends in the receiving chamber, channel, and discharging chamber.