Optimization of the Flow Behavior of Molten Steel in Ultrahigh-Speed Billet Continuous Casting Mold

Ultrahigh casting speed is an important tendency to improve the efficiency of continuous casting. A three-dimensional mathematical model and a hydraulic physical model on the billet mold with 160x160 mm cross section were established to investigate the flow behavior of molten steel with different SEN conditions and optimize the parameters of SEN at the casting speed of 6.0 m/min. Results indicate that when the immersion depth and the inner diameter of the SEN are 180 and 50 mm, respectively, the flow field and the surface velocity distribution in the mold are the most appropriate that the penetration depth of the stream is about 700 mm and the maximum surface velocity is 0.05 m/s. With the optimum parameters of SEN, the slag covers uniformly and keeps appropriately active, and no slag entrainment happens. Moreover, the differences are very slight between the results of the numerical and physical simulation, which can verify each other.