Mathematical Model and Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow, Heat Transfer and Solidification in a Crystallizor of Inverse Casting

A steady state, two-dimensional numerical model is undertaken to describe coupled liquid steel's turbulent flow and heat transfer with solidification for the Fe-C binary alloy in a crystallizor of inverse casting. The solid-liquid phase change phenomena are modeled by using the continuum formulations and considering the mush zone as porous media. The turbulence flow in the crystallizor is accounted for, using a modified version of the low-Reynolds-number κ-ε turbulence model. The flow pattern in liquid zones and the temperature distribution in solid, mushy and liquid regions are predicted. The numerical analysis indicates that the residence time of the mother sheet in the crystallizor is one of the key parameters. The effects of some other main parameters on the solidification behavior are also studied, such as the thickness and the initial temperature of the mother sheet, the superheat degree of liquid steel, etc.