Numerical analysis of solid phase growing in a continous steel caster

A mathematical and numerical models of growing of solid metal phase within a continuous steel caster are presented in the paper. The aim of the paper is to estimate, by numerical simulation method, the effect of the casting rate and temperature on the solid phase growing kinetics, the thermal field and velocity field within a continuous casting mould starting from the pouring moment until the stationary state is achieved. The continuous steel caster of rectangular cross-sections is analysed. The velocity field is obtained from the solution on Navier-Stokes equations whereas the thermal field is calculated from the solution of Fourier-Kirchhoff equation with the convection term in which there were considered the changes of thermophysical parameters depending on the temperature and the solid phase volume fractions in the mushy zone. It was assumed that the solidification front is mushy, i.e. the liquid metal solidifies within the range of liquidus/solidus temperature. The problem was solved by finite element method [1,4].