Numerical study of influence of mould width on freestanding adjustable combination electromagnetic brake in continuous casting mould

Abstract

A mathematical model was developed to describe the behavior of liquid steel flow and the steel/slag interface at a constant casting throughput in moulds of different widths. The impact of mould width (MW) on the liquid steel flow and the steel/slag interface was analyzed. Further it was examined whether a freestanding adjustable combination electromagnetic brake (FAC-EMBr) was conducive to controlling and improving the liquid steel flow. The results indicate that increasing MW decreased impact strength of the jet, upward backflow, and surface velocity––this was beneficial for reducing the meniscus height. Adjustment of the current intensity would enable the control of the behaviour of the liquid steel flow and meniscus, as well as reduce the dependence on matching the electromagnetic parameters and process parameters. This simplifies the operational process. As the MW increased to 1600 mm, an excessive input current of the vertical pole (IV = 250 A) significantly decreased the upward backflow velocity; this was not conducive to melting the mould powder.