Modeling Study of the Influence of Subflux Controller of Turbulence on the Molten Steel Flow in Tundish

The objective of the study is to diagnose the current condition of the two-strand tundish. The investigated object is a "T"-type tundish. The nominal capacity of the tundish is 7.5 tonne of liquid steel. By the mathematical simulation, fluid flow and heat transfer of molten-steel in a tundish of a billet caster under different conditions (bare tundish and tundish with flow control device) are analyzed. Three variants of subflux controller of turbulence configurations in the tundish are tested. Numerical simulations of are carried out with the finite-volume commercial code FLUENT using the realizable k-epsilon turbulence model. Liquid steel velocity, temperature, turbulent kinetic energy and Residence Time Distribution (RTD) characteristic have been obtained as a result of mathematical calculations. The RTD curve is used to estimate the different volumes such as plug volume, dead volume and mixed volume inside the tundish. The ratio of mixed to dead volume, which indicates the mixing capability of a tundish, is estimated.