Effect of Electromagnetic Stirring on Continuous Casting of a Steel
Billet using 2D Magnetohydrodynamic Analysis
Abstract
The molten liquid in the mold of continuous casting is churned using
electromagnetic field to produce homogeneous and defect-free billets. In
this investigation a two-dimensional computational model to simulate the
effect of electromagnetic stirring on continuous casting of steel
billets is developed using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) module present in
ANSYS-FLUENT 18.1 software. A solidified shell of the billet is formed
in the vertical water-cooled copper mold in the primary stage of
cooling. The primary stage cooling is investigated in this work with and
without employing electromagnetic stirring. A moving electromagnetic
field of intensity 0.1 T and frequency 10 Hz is applied in horizontal
and vertical directions separately for electromagnetic stirring. The
electromagnetic stirrer is of length 100 mm and it is placed at various
locations of the vertical mold of 1 m height. The stirrer is placed at
locations 100, 300, 500 and 700 mm from the meniscus. The velocity field
and porosity of the solidifying liquid within the mold are computed and
compared with and without electromagnetic stirrer. A dense mushy zone is
formed at the center of the mold and recirculation loops are formed near
the electromagnetic stirrer.