Efficiency of a DC magnetic field used for braking the flow within a continuous casting mould

The continuous casting technology provides about 90 percent of the world steel production. The application of DC magnetic fields in form of so-called electromagnetic brakes is considered for an effective flow control with substantial capabilities to improve the product quality or to enhance the productivity of the process. The main effect of the DC magnetic field is supposed to result in a uniform reduction of the maximum velocities in the discharging jet from the submerged entry nozzle and to damp violent turbulent fluctuations. However, the electromagnetic braking of such highly turbulent and complex flows is complicated phenomenon and has not been understood fully until now. We present numerical and experimental investigations focusing on the fluid flow in the continuous casting mould under the influence of a transverse magnetic field. Numerical calculations were performed using the software package CFX with an implemented RANS-SST turbulence model. the non-isotropic nature of the MHD turbulence was taken into account by specific modifications of the turbulence model. Corresponding experimental investigations were carried out at the mock-up LIMMCAST at HZDR. The comparison between our numerical calculations and the experimental results display a very well agreement. An important outcome of this study is the feature that the magnetic field does not provide a continuous reduction of the velocity fluctuations at the nozzle port. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Oscillation of Confined Jets in Continuous Casting Mold Flow

In continuous slab casting, the liquid steel is introduced into the mould via a submergered entry nozzle. This nozzle usually has two opposed orifices on its side walls, generating two diametrically opposed turbulent jets that are declined about 20° to the horizontal axis. These jets interact with the surrounding walls of the mould, which leads to an unstable flow situation and a self induced oscillation of the jets. Although both mould and nozzle geometry have two perpendicular symmetry planes, the oscillations are asymmetric. The fluid flow inside the mold is calculated with a 3D finite volume solver using turbulence models based on Reynolds-averaging. The massflow of the jets and the mould extensions are varied, and the numerical results are partially compared with PIV-measurements at a 1:1 scaled watermodel of the mould. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the role of radiative heat transfer in air gaps in vertical continuous casting

A recent asymptotic thermomechanical model for the formation and evolution of air gaps in vertical continuous casting in round moulds is used as the basis for understanding the importance of radiative heat transfer between the mould wall and the solidified shell. Asymptotic analysis is used to systematically reduce the model to a moving boundary problem with a boundary condition in integro-differential form. In addition, a dimensionless parameter is found which determines whether radiation is significant or not for prescribed process operating conditions. Sample computations are carried out using parameters relevant to the continuous casting of copper, and the results are used to interpret earlier findings in the literature on the interaction between air-gap width and thermal radiation.     

MHD analysis in hydromagnetic casting process of clad steel slabs

A novel continuous casting process for clad steel slabs has been developed by suppressing the mixing of molten steels in the mold pool of continuous casting strand with a level DC magnetic field (LMF) installed in the mold. In this process, two molten steels of different chemical composition are discharged by two nozzles into the upper and the lower pools respectively to solidify in the outer and the inner layers as a clad steel slabs. The mechanism of separation into two layers has been elucidated by using a three dimensional MHD analysis. The numerical prediction employing Maxwell's equation, Ohm's law, and the turbulent flow model shows that the mixing of the different type of steels is suppressed by the electromagnetic dividing of the upper and the lower recirculating flows. The principle of the new process has also been verified by steel casting trials of the stainless-steel clad steel slabs with an 8-ton scale pilot continuous casting machine.     

Thermally coupled,stationary, incompressible MHD flow; existence,uniqueness, and finite element approximation

This article addresses the questions of existence, uniqueness, and finite element approximation (including some computational aspects) of solutions to the equations of steady-state magnetohy-drodynamic (MHD) when buoyancy effects due to temperature differences in the flow cannot be neglected. We couple the MHD equations to the heat equation and employ the well-known Boussinesq approximation. We consider the equations posed on a bounded three-dimensional domain. The boundary conditions for the velocity are of Dirichlet type; the boundary conditions for the temperature are mixed (of Dirichlet type and of Neumann type); we also specify the normal component of the magnetic field and tangential component of the electric field on the boundary. We point out that these problems are relevant to many physical phenomena such as the cooling of nuclear reactors by electrically conducting fluids, continuous metal casting, crystal growth, and semi-conductor manufacture. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An approximation of the thermal field in a continuous casting process of a thin metal layer

We consider the problem of a phase change in a continuous casting process: molten bronze is poured on to a moving steel strip cooled from below, in order to solidify the bronze. An estimate of the width of the solidification zone, depending on the thickness of the strip and on the casting velocity, is obtained, neglecting conduction in the direction of the strip motion.     

Strand straightening in the continuous casting of steel

In the continuous casting of steel, a strand with a solidifiededge is produced by pouring molten steel through a water-cooledmould. The strand is curved below the mould to travel horizontallyby a series of roll pairs. In this paper, the forces actingon these rolls and the stress and strain/strain rates withinthe steel are predicted. The mathematical model considers rigid-plasticand elastoplastic behaviour. A numerical solution procedurebased on computational fluid dynamics has been adapted to solvethe equations governing the material deformation. Algorithmsfor determining the location of the strand free surface andthe contact or noncontact of rolls are described.     

Numerical modelling of melt-conditioned direct-chill casting

Melt conditioned direct-chill (MC-DC) casting is a novel technology which combines direct-chill (DC) casting with a high shear device directly immersed in the sump for in situ microstructural control. A numerical model of melt-conditioned direct-chill casting (MC-DC) is presented in this paper. This model is based on a finite volume continuum model using a moving reference frame (MRF) to enforce fluid rotation inside the rotor-stator region and is numerically stable within the range of processing conditions. The boundary conditions for the heat transfer include the effects of the hot-top, the aluminium mould, and the direct chill. This model is applied to the casting of two alloys: aluminium-based A6060 and magnesium-based AZ31. Results show that MC-DC casting modifies the temperature profile in the sump, resulting in a larger temperature gradient at the solidification front and a shorter local solidification time. The increased heat extraction rate due to forced convection in the sump is expected to contribute to a finer, more uniform grain structure in the as-cast billet.     

Parameters optimization of selected casting processes using teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm

In the present work, mathematical models of three important casting processes are considered namely squeeze casting, continuous casting and die casting for the parameters optimization of respective processes. A recently developed advanced optimization algorithm named as teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) is used for the parameters optimization of these casting processes. Each process is described with a suitable example which involves respective process parameters. The mathematical model related to the squeeze casting is a multi-objective problem whereas the model related to the continuous casting is multi-objective multi-constrained problem and the problem related to the die casting is a single objective problem. The mathematical models which are considered in the present work were previously attempted by genetic algorithm and simulated annealing algorithms. However, attempt is made in the present work to minimize the computational efforts using the TLBO algorithm. Considerable improvements in results are obtained in all the cases and it is believed that a global optimum solution is achieved in the case of die casting process.     

Application of a heuristic search technique for the improvement of spray zones cooling conditions in continuously cast steel billets

The process of casting occupies an important place in the metallurgical industry, and the entire world of the metal user. In the past, the ingot casting–rolling (slabbing, blooming, or billeting) process was commonly used. The continuous casting process has largely replaced this earlier method because of the inherent advantages of energy savings, enhanced productivity, higher yield and reduced costs. However, continuous casting process is not without of its problems. Considerable effort has been made by many researches to establish adequate design, operation and maintenance of continuous casting machine to ensure metallurgical quality of the final product. One of the most severe defects in continuous casting products is concerned with the cracks provoked by improper design of the spray cooling system. The aim of this work is to develop a two dimensional heat transfer model based on the finite difference method in order to calculate the strand temperatures and the solid shell profile along the machine. An Artificial Intelligence heuristic search procedure interacts with the numerical model to determine the improved cooling conditions for the sprays zones of a real continuous caster for the production of quality billets.     

The modelling of oxide film entrainment in casting systems using computational modelling

As Campbell stated in 2006, “the use of entrainment models to optimise filling systems designs for castings has huge commercial potential that has so far being neglected by modellers”. In this paper a methodology using computational modelling to define entraining events and track the entrained oxide films is presented. Research has shown that these oxide films present within the casting volume are highly detrimental to casting integrity, thus their entrainment during mould filling is especially undesirable.The method developed for the modelling of oxide entrainment has been validated against previously published data by Green and Campbell (1994) [31]. The validation shows good quantitative correlation with experimental data. However there is scope for further development which has the potential to both improve the accuracy and further validate the technique.     

Approximation of a Two-phase Continuous Casting Stefan Problem

The continuous casting Stefan problem is a mathematical model describing the solidification with convection of a material being cast continuously with a prescribed velocity. We propose a practical piecewise linear finite element scheme motivated by the characteristic finite element method and derive an error estimate for the scheme which is of the same convergence order as that proved for Stefan problem without convection.     

Influence of technological processing parameters on the properties of carbon filled thermoplastics

The effect of processing parameters of injection molding on the mechanical and tribotechnical properties of carbon plastics based on polyacetals is investigated. The copolymer of 1,3,5-trioxane with 1,3-dioxolane is used as the polymer matrix. Hydrated cellulose Ural LO-24 carbon fibers are used as the reinforcing filler. The effect of molding temperature, pressing time, and temperature of the casting mould on the properties of carbon plastics is investigated. It has been found that for improving the mechanical properties of carbon plastics it is necessary to raise the molding temperature up to 200–210°C. Prolongation of the technological cycle leads to thermal degradation of the polymer in the cylinder of a casting machine. The mould temperature only slightly affects the composite strength properties, but lower temperatures create better conditions for polymer crystallization. As a result of our investigations, the optimal processing parameters of the above carbon plastics are determined.Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 385–392, 1999.     

Error analysis of a fully discrete projection method for magnetohydrodynamic system

In this paper, we develop and analyze a finite element projection method for magnetohydrodynamics equations in Lipschitz domain. A fully discrete scheme based on Euler semi-implicit method is proposed, in which continuous elements are used to approximate the Navier–Stokes equations and H ( curl ) conforming Nédélec edge elements are used to approximate the magnetic equation. One key point of the projection method is to be compatible with two different spaces for calculating velocity, which leads one to obtain the pressure by solving a Poisson equation. The results show that the proposed projection scheme meets a discrete energy stability. In addition, with the help of a proper regularity hypothesis for the exact solution, this paper provides a rigorous optimal error analysis of velocity, pressure and magnetic induction. Finally, several numerical examples are performed to demonstrate both accuracy and efficiency of our proposed scheme.     

On the exact solutions of laminar MHD flow over a stretching flat plate

The magnetohydrodynamic steady-state laminar flow of a viscous incompressible and electrically conducting fluid over a continuous permeable stretching surface is considered. It is shown that in the presence of a vertical inverse-linear magnetic field, we establish a sufficient condition for the existence of exact solutions of this problem with respect to the three parameters: the magnetic parameter M, the suction/injection parameter γ, and the stretching parameter ξ. Numerical results are also obtained and give the effect of the suction parameter and the magnetic parameter on the velocity.     

The boundary elements method for magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) channel flows at high Hartmann numbers

In this article the constant and the continuous linear boundary elements methods (BEMs) are given to obtain the numerical solution of the coupled equations in velocity and induced magnetic field for the steady magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) flow through a pipe of rectangular and circular sections having arbitrary conducting walls. In recent decades, the MHD problem has been solved using some variations of BEM for some special boundary conditions at moderate Hartmann numbers up to 300. In this paper we develop this technique for a general boundary condition (arbitrary wall conductivity) at Hartmann numbers up to 10⁵${10}^5$ by applying some new ideas. Numerical examples show the behavior of velocity and induced magnetic field across the sections. Results are also compared with the exact values and the results of some other numerical methods.     

The use of artificial intelligence technique for the optimisation of process parameters used in the continuous casting of steel

The productivity and quality of a continuous caster depend mainly on process parameters, i.e. casting speed, casting temperature, steel composition and cleanliness of the melt, water flow rates in the different cooling zones, etc. This work presents the development of an algorithm, which incorporates heuristic search techniques for direct application in metallurgical industries, particularly those using continuous casting process for the production of steel billets and slabs. This is done to determine the casting objectives of maximum casting rate as a function of casting constraints. These constraints are evaluated with the aid of a heat transfer and solidification model based on the finite difference technique, which has been developed and integrated with a genetic algorithm. The essential parts of continuous casting equipment, which must be subjected to monitoring, as well as a methodology of mathematical model and physical settlements in each cooling region, are presented. The efficiency of the intelligent system is assured by the optimisation of the continuous casting operation by maximum casting rate and defect-free products. This approach is applied to the real dimension of a steel continuous caster, in real conditions of operation, demonstrating that good results can be attained by using heuristic search, such as: smaller temperature gradients between sprays zones, reduction in water consumption and an increase in casting speed.     

Two variants of magnetic diffusivity stabilized finite element methods for the magnetic induction equation

We consider the time‐dependent magnetic induction model where the sought magnetic field interacts with a prescribed velocity field. This coupling results in an additional force term and time dependence in Maxwell's equation. We propose two different magnetic diffusivity stabilized continuous nodal‐based finite element methods for this problem. The first formulation simply adds artificial magnetic diffusivity to the partial differential equation, whereas the second one uses a local projected magnetic diffusivity as stabilization. We describe those methods and analyze them semi‐discretized in space to get bounds on stabilization parameters where we distinguish equal‐order elements and Taylor‐Hood elements. Different numerical experiments are performed to illustrate our theoretical findings.     

On MHD flow along an infinite flat wall with constant suction

Exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations are derived by a Laplace-transform technique for two-dimensional, incompressible flow of an electrically conducting fluid past an infinite porous plate under the action of a transverse magnetic field subject to the conditions: (i) the magnetic Prandtl number P_m is unity, and (ii) the Alfven velocity is less than the suction velocity. It is assumed that the flow is independent of the distance parallel to the plate and that the velocity component normal to the plate is constant. General formulae are derived for the velocity distribution and the magnetic field in terms of the given external velocity. The skin-friction is obtained and some special cases are considered.     

Exploration of probabilistic mould growth assessment

A sufficiently long continuous duration of favourable conditions, particularly the availability of water and nutrients, is necessary for the mould growth on the surface of a building component. The availability of water is commonly quantified by the relative humidity on the building component surface. Some parameters, substantially affecting the relative humidity randomly fluctuate in time. Therefore, considering continuous duration of favourable conditions as a basic characteristic for mould growth assessment, its occurrence in time is represented by a stochastic process. Exploration and comparison of current methods for probabilistic assessment of mould growth resulted in emphasising the application of the theory of extreme values. Exceedance probabilities of practically important duration levels are estimated by the classical block maxima model for extremes and the point process model. As a quantification of potential mould risk the mean return period of a considered duration of favourable mould growth conditions is suggested. This quantification may be used for comparison of different designs, assessment of retrofitting effectiveness or as an input for cost–benefit analysis.