Hydraulics and Mathematics Simulation on the Weir and Gas Curtain in Tundish of Ultrathick Slab Continuous Casting

The molten steel flow pattern in continuous casting tundish could be improved if the flow control devices were properly used. With reasonable application of weir and air curtain, the disturbance at injection zone of the tundish was reduced. The flow path of the molten steel was changed, and the short-circuit flow was eliminated. Therefore, the residence time was lengthened. An air curtain with bubbles floating could promote the surface flow and improve inclusions removal. The application of weir and air curtain in an ultrathick slab continuous casting tundish was investigated with hydraulics and mathematics simulation. The residence time and dead volume fraction were studied through orthogonal experiments with different positions of the flow control devices. The efficiency of three factors was analyzed, and the optimum positions of the weir and air curtain were obtained. Besides, the discrete phase model was suitable for simulation of the interaction between gas bubbles and molten steel, and the mathematics results shown the optimum one got larger inclusion flotation rate.