ABSTRACT
A three-dimensional magnetic-flow-heat coupling model was established to study the metallurgical behaviour under different flow control devices in the channel-typed induction heating (IH) tundish. As compared to the prototype tundish, the results suggested that the maximum temperature difference between each strand and the tundish dead zone ratio are decreased by 0.75 K and 5.24% while with a kind of double-port channel even without IH. With an additional setup of dam in the IH tundish, the values mentioned above will drop furtherly by 0.52 K and 0.63%, respectively. The inclined wall of the prototype IH-tundish and its single-side installation of the induction coils, however, produce a downward electromagnetic force (EMF) at the channel exit eccentrically, which will make molten steel at the exit of the channel to flow downward and aggravate the short-circuit flow tendency at strand 2 (S2). The eccentric downward EMF at the exit of channel port-1 drives the molten steel to flow downward, but which can be depressed by the newly designed dam. In contrast, the eccentric upward EMF at the exit of channel port-2 drives the molten steel to flow upward. With IH turning on, the double-port channel plus dam device can reduce the dead zone ratio by 5.05% compared to the prototype tundish. Meanwhile, both the maximum temperature difference between each strand and the time exceeding the harmful temperature difference (3 K) can be decreased together accordingly.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).