Conditions for formation of a double-recirculation flow pattern in a slab continuous casting mold with argon gas blowing

The formed conditions of a double-recirculation flow pattern (DRFP) in a slab continuous casting mold with blowing argon gas were quantitive described using the Lagrange multi-phase flow model, and the prediction was validated by the water model. The influences of argon gas flowrate, fluid steel mass flowrate, mold width, submergence depth of submerged entry nozzle (SEN) and port downward angle on the DRFP were numerically investigated. The results show that it is important for ensuring the DRFP that the argon gas flowrate matches the other casting conditions. The critical argon gas flowrate increases with increasing fluid steel mass flowrate, and the range of argon gas flowrate for keeping the DRFP will be enlarged by decreasing the mold width and increasing the submergence depth of SEN as the fluid steel mass flowrate is more than 2.5 t/min, nevertheless, the port downward angle of SEN has little effect on it. However, the operation parameters have no significant influence on it as the fluid steel mass flowrate is below 2.5 t/min.