Comparison of CFD Simulations with Experimental Measurements of Nozzle Clogging in Continuous Casting of Steels

Measurements of clog deposit thickness on the interior surfaces of a commercial continuous casting nozzle are compared with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions of melt flow patterns and particle–wall interactions to identify the mechanisms of nozzle clogging. A submerged entry nozzle received from industry was encased in epoxy and carefully sectioned to allow measurement of the deposit thickness on the internal surfaces of the nozzle. CFD simulations of melt flow patterns and particle behavior inside the nozzle were performed by combining the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach and detached eddy simulation turbulent model, matching the geometry and operating conditions of the industrial test. The CFD results indicated that convergent areas of the interior cross section of the nozzle increased the velocity and turbulence of the flowing steel inside the nozzle and decreased the clog deposit thickness locally in these areas. CFD simulations also predicted a higher rate of attachment of particles in the divergent area between two convergent sections of the nozzle, which matched the observations made in the industrial nozzle measurements.