Transient Analysis of Fluid Flow, Solidification, and Inclusion Behavior in Electromagnetically Stirred Bloom Caster Mold Using Bifurcated Submerged Entry Nozzle

Abstract

Herein, the effect of bifurcated submerged entry nozzle (SEN) port angles on transient flow, solidification, and inclusion behavior in a bloom caster mold with electromagnetic stirring (EMS) is investigated. A 3D numerical model is developed to simulate the process, including time‐varying electromagnetic field and Lagrangian inclusion tracking approach, by varying inclusion density and size. The inclusion is modeled to be entrapped in the solidified shell when primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS) is greater than inclusion size. As compared to the case without use of EMS, the percentage of shell thickness at the strand outlet is seen to increase by 22.18%, 9.45%, 8.03%, 9.31%, and 13.40% for different port angle values of 0°, 15°, 20°, 25°, and 30°, respectively, with EMS. The results show that EMS significantly influences the flow behavior by generating the swirl flow pattern that hinders the movement of inclusion downward in the domain. The bifurcated SEN with 30° port angle (without EMS) is seen to reduce inclusion entrapment and hence enhance inclusion removal. The outcome of present research may provide useful insights for optimizing the parameters of bloom caster mold to improve product quality, reduce production costs, and increase overall efficiency.