Modelling of Meniscus Behavior and Slag Consumption During Initial Casting Stage of Continuous Casting Process

The behavior of the meniscus region is crucial to the surface quality of continuous cast steel. A two-dimensional model was developed to study the evolution of the meniscus region during the initial casting stage of continuous casting process. The flow of multiphase fluids, transient heat transfer, melting and re-solidification of slag, and the solidification process of the steel shell were also considered in the model. The calculated results show a good agreement with experimental data of previous literature, which demonstrates the reliability of the model in predicting the behavior of the meniscus region. After the start of withdrawal, liquid slag infiltrates into the gaps, forming a slag layer structure composed of liquid slag films and solid slag films between the shell and the mold. As the distribution of each phase approaches stability, the initial shape of the meniscus was established. During the initial casting stage, as the casting speed increases, the curvature of the meniscus increases, accompanied by an elevated level of heat transfer within the meniscus region. Furthermore, from the perspective of the associated heat transfer and fluid flow variations during the increase in casting speed, the reasons for the decrease of the depth of the oscillation mark and the slag consumption are explained. This study provides new insights into the continuous and complex flow and heat transfer behavior within the meniscus region during the initial casting stage of continuous casting process.