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Abstract
Ultrathick continuous slab casting is a growing technology, especially in developing countries due to the vast market demand of thick rolled plate. The structure of the submerged entry nozzle is regarded as the crucial factor to determine flow related phenomena in the mould. This article conducts a 0·55 scale water model and a three-dimensional numerical model to investigate the influences of submerged entry nozzle on flow behaviour, temperature field and solidified shell distribution in a 420 mm ultrathick slab mould. Physical and numerical finite volume methods with K–ϵ turbulence model simulations verify that the flow pattern in ultrathick mould is similar with that in conventional slab mould. The diffuse type nozzle fails to increase the surface velocity while easily causing slag entrainment. The four-spout nozzle gives a detrimental effect on shell distribution. The tunnel bottom nozzle is optimal, because it shows a lively surface behaviour and a favourable heat transfer between mould flux and surface flow, and the shell thickness is uniform and thick enough at the mould exit to avoid breakout.
The authors would like to express their thanks to the financial support from the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (grant no. 50774105).