Numeric simulations of a liquid metal model of a bloom caster under the effect of rotary electromagnetic stirring

At the voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH the continuous casting of round steel blooms is commonly supported by electromagnetically induced stirring of the liquid steel flow. A number of beneficial effects are attributed to electromagnetic stirring in the mould region (M-EMS), e.g. the enhanced transition from columnar to equiaxed solidification, the homogenization of the liquid steel flow or the reduction of surface and subsurface defects. Although the positive effects of M-EMS can be seen on the blooms (e.g. in etchings), the link between electromagnetic stirring of the steel melt and the quality of the solidified bloom is not sufficiently understood. Theoretical considerations are often limited to general cases and their results are therefore not directly applicable to real continuous casting geometries. On the other hand, plant measurements can only be performed to a limited extent due to the harsh conditions and other restrictions (e.g. safety regulations). In this work an alternative approach is used to investigate the steel flow in a round bloom caster under the influence of M-EMS. In a 1:3 scale Perspex model of a round bloom strand, measurements of the flow under the influence of a rotating magnetic field can be conducted. These measurements provide a validation benchmark for the numeric simulations. A numeric model of the before mentioned 1:3 scale model is implemented, encompassing the strand, the submerged entry nozzle as well as the M-EMS device. In the modelling approach, the bidirectional coupling between liquid steel flow and the electromagnetic field/forces has to be considered because otherwise the resulting tangential velocities will be overestimated. With the validated modelling approach, simulations of real casting machines can then be conducted, stirring parameter influences can be shown and conclusions for the real casting process can be drawn.