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. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.