An experimental and numerical study on the modelling of fluid flow, heat transfer and solidification in a copper continuous strip casting process

Abstract

An experimental and “numerical study (first part of this study study) was carried out to investigate the solidification process in a copper continuous strip casting process. The model has been tuned by experimental results (i.e. cooling water flow measurements, temperature measurements and metallographic analysis). Further, the results have been used to study the possibility of improved productivity. In this report (second of the study) the flow pattern of the molten copper during a strip casting process as a manufacturing method has been studied using a full-scale water model. The dynamic similarity between model and real system has been studied. Six different types of inlet system to the mould have been studied: inlet nozzle jets with free stream, submerged nozzle jets, slot-submerged inlet system, semi slot-submerged inlet system, submerged-slot inlet nozzle jets and finally submerged-slot inlet nozzle jets with jet killer. Moreover, the effects of nozzle angle, nozzle diameter, casting speed, tundish adjustment and misalignment of the inlet nozzle jets on the flow pattern have been investigated. The vortex formation and bubble entrainment, depending upon the nozzle configuration, immersion depth and the fluid level in the mould have also been studied. It was found that the slot-submerged inlet nozzle jets with jet killer arrangement showed an obvious improvement of the fluid flow characteristics, yielding better tracer distribution in the flow pattern, lower values of back mixing flow, lower turbulence and lower vortex and recirculation flow.