Prediction of Inclusions Distribution in a Steel Continuous Casting Slab Cast with FC-Mold

Three-dimensional models coupling fluid flow, heat transfer, magnetic field and solidification for steel continuous casting process with FC-Mold were developed to calculate the growth of the solidification shell, which considered the washing effect of fluid flow on the solidified shell and proposed an entrapment criterion for inclusions. The results show that the FC-Mold decreases the flow velocity in the center of the mold and the area of solidification front with a flow velocity larger than 0.07m/s. The inflow jet from the outport nozzle of the submerged entry nozzle suppresses the growth of shell near the impinging point. The predicted distribution of inclusions within surface layer considering the washing effect of fluid flow is in good agreement with the experimental results. The FC-Mold improves the removal of inclusions on the top surface from 2.5% to 3.5% under the same casting conditions.