Field Synergy Analysis for Inclusion Removal in the Continuous Casting Tundish
The field synergy principle has been successfully used for optimization design of heat transfer exchanger. In this subject, the field synergy between the molten steel flow field and the inclusion concentration distribution is analyzed based on the mass transfer equations and removal mechanisms of inclusions. Then, inclusions removals of different particle sizes are numerically calculated for a two-strand tundish. The results show the large particle size inclusions are removed mainly by Stokes floatation and the removal efficiency has no obvious relationship on flow field. The small size inclusions removal efficiency is influenced by the synergy between the velocity vectors and the inclusion concentration gradients. So, changing the flow field mainly promotes the removal efficiency of small size inclusions. For the selected two-strand tundish, flow controls should be set for removing those inclusions which particle sizes are less than 100μm,. When the inclusion particle size is less than 10μm, the overall maximum removal efficiency is no more than 25%. So some new metallurgy techniques should be developed to improve the removal efficiency of small size inclusions. Keywords: Continuous tundish; Inclusion removal; Field synergy