Experimental Validation and Industrial A

Swerea MEFOS has worked intensively on the development of numerical models for Continuous Casting (CC) through a long list of projects co-funded by Scandinavian and other European steel producers over the past 25 years. Recently, MEFOS has accumulated critical mass in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), enabling the development of a novel numerical model for the casting process. This model's main feature is the prediction of slag infiltration (lubrication) due to the addition of casting powder phase to simulations. The modeling methodology is presented in both 2D and 3D, capable of predicting metal/slag flow, heat transfer, solidification, and mold oscillation within the CC mold. Validation of this model is supported by plant trials and the recent revamping of an experimental metal model of industrial scale, the Continuous Casting Simulator (CCS-1), which realistically replicates the flow conditions in the caster. Continuous Casting modeling has seen profound changes from its beginnings in the 1980s, transitioning from 1D models for heat transfer to today's advanced methodologies that incorporate turbulent metal flow and shell solidification.