ISIJ International. Vol. 36 (1996), No. 6, pp.

667-672

Melt Flow Characterization in Continuous Casting Tundishes

YogeshwarSAHAIand Toshihiko EM11)

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2041 College Rd.. Columbus, OH, 4321 OUSA.
1) Base Metal Research Station, Institute for AdvancedMaterials Processing, Tohoku University. Katahira. Aoba-ku, Sendai,
980-77 Japan.
(Received on December5, l995, accepted in final form on January 18. 1996)

Melt flow in continuous casting tundishes is normal[y characterized by a combined model. The model is
used to analyze the residence time disttibution of fluid in a tundish, In this model, the fluid volume in tundish
is considered to be consisting of the plug flow, well-mixed flow, and dead volumes. Although this model
was proposed over 20 years ago, most researchers have either used incorrectly or madean assumption
it

in analyzing melt flow in tundishes. Both approaches may lead to incorrect and misleading calculations
of the dead volume. In this paper, the combined model has been discussed and its correct application to
tundish melt flow has been outlined,

KEYWORDS:
continuous casting; tundish; modeling; combinedmodel; plug flow; mixed flow, dead volume;
clean steel; inclusions.

surnptions and the boundary conditions used in solving

1. Introduction
The tundish a continuous casting operation is an
in
important linkbetween the ladle, a batch vessel, and
the casting mold with a continuous operation. It has
traditionally served as a reservoir and distributor of
molten steel but now, its role has considerably expanded
to deliver metal of desired cleanness and composition.
With the increasing emphasis on the stringent quality
control and reduced cost of production, in future, it may
be required to take up on someadditional responsibilities,
such as refining and processing. Thus, the inclusion flota-
tion and separation, and the composition adjustment
have nowbecomeimportant functions of a tundish. The
efficiency and optimization of these processes require a
close control of the molten steel flow characteristics
within the tundish. If the flow of metal in the tundish
is not properly controlled, it
mayeven deteriorate the
'quality' of steel produced in the ladle. Thus, tundishes,
in terms of their shape and use of the flow control devices
(dams, weirs, baffles, pour pads, etc.), are designed to
provide optimumflow characteristics.
To assess the effectiveness of a given tundish design,
researchers have simulated the metal flow either mathe-
matically or physically, before actually using the design
in actual industrial production. Mathematical modeling
has been used by manyresearchers for fiow predictions.
There are several commercial software packages which
can be used for predicting melt flow and residence time
distribution in tundishes. In spite of all claims for their
user friendliness, these codes are not very simple to use,
and can only be used by highly trained professionals.
The results obtained by these computer programs, Iike
any other computer program, are dependent on the as-
them. Thus, any inappropriate boundary condition may
lead to erroneous and misleading results. Even now, the
use of these codes to treat free surface or multi-phase
flow which mayexist in a tundish is relatively difficult
and cumbersometask. It is therefore recommended that
the results of a mathematical model must be verified by
actual experiments, such as water modeling.
Water modeling, on the other hand, is relatively straight
forward experimentation and can be madeby relatively
less experienced personnel. A carefully planned experi-
ment maygive very useful results, and the correct inter-
pretation of these results mayprovide an insight into the
tundish design. Water modeling in full or reduced scale
model of a tundish has been a very popular meansof
physical simulation of melt flow in tundishes. It is a rel-
atively quick and less expensive method of qualitative
and semi-quantitative study of the melt flow and hence,
the design assessment of a tundish. In such studies, a
tracer (e.g, dye, acid, or salt) is injected in the incoming
water stream and its concentration at the exit is record-
ed as a function of time. The plot of the exit concen-
tration against time is known as the Residence Time
Distribution (RTD) curve. The RTDof the fluid in
a tundish is analyzed to characterize the flow which,
normally, includes the determination of the extent of
mixing (plug and mixed volumes) and dead volume in
the tundish. The choice of dye as a tracer also provides
fiow visualization which mayput the results obtained by
the RTD analysis in proper perspective,
One of the models which has been extensively used
for the analysis of the RTDcurve is a combined or
mixed model for the calculation of the plug fiow, mixed
flow, and dead volumes in tundish. In the plug fiow
a

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 ISIJ International. 36 (1996), No.
Vol. 6
region, the longitudinal mixing is non-existent, however, Deadregion.
there
may be transverse mixing to any extent. In the
plug flow, all fluid elements have equa] residence times 3 Actrve Volume
in the tundish. The mixed flow is the other
extreme
where the mixing in a tundish is maximumpossible. Anycombination of the plug flow and well-mixed flow
The dead volumel) the fluid that movesslowly in the
is volumes maybe termed as an active volume. Consider
that fluid fiowing in
tundish and stays for longer than two times the
mean a vessel maybe represented by a
residence time (see definition* combination of the plug flow and well mixed regions as
below). review of the A shownin Figs. l(a) and 1(b). Theorder of the two regions
tundish modeling literature shows that the combined is reversed in the
mode] has been misinterpreted and used incorrectly. The two models. The two models give an
identical tracer response to
assumption used in the calculation of the dead volume a pulse or any other type of
input for a linear system. A Iinear system is
maylead to a significant error in the dead volume. The one in which
authors are not aware of any publication in the open any change in the input or stimulus signal results in
literature where this model has been correctly applied a corresponding proportional change in the output or
(without the assumption) to the tundish flow. The pur- response signal. The residence time distribution curve is
shownin Fig. 2. As shownin this figure, the minimum
pose of this paper is to discuss the combined model and
outline its application to the tundish melt flow character- residence time (O*i.) corresponds to the plug volume
ization. Basedon the authors' experience of dealing with
fraction (Vp/V), and maximum concentration (C~..) is
the researchers in steel and related (ceramic flow control equal to the inverse of the well mixed volume fraction
device manufactures) industries, especially in the North (V/V*). Where Vp, V*, and V are the plug, mixed, and
total volumes, respectively. The equation of the expo-
America, the purpose is clearly worthwhile. Most of the
theoretical framework and definitions nential decay curve is given in the figure.
presented in this
paper are taken from Levenspiel's book.1)
4. DeadRegion
2. CombinedModel For the simplicity of discussion, the dead volume
may
be divided into two types. In the first type, the liquid in
The simplest type of a combined model and the one
the dead region is considered to be completely stagnant
most frequently used for the flow characterization in
such that the incoming fluid does not
tundishes assumesthat the following three kinds of flow even enter this
region. Figure 3 schematically represents
regions are present in the total volume of the fluid in a a system with
this type of dead volume. In the second
tundish. type, the fiuid
in this region movevery slowly, and as
Plug fiow region, a result sorne
Mixed region,
fluid stays muchlonger in the vessel. In fact, the fluid
and
in the dead region continually exchanges with the fluid

(a)

fl MIXED
~.Y_~{:.~
INPUT
FLOW
c C '
PLUGFLOW
o e--> vp/V e=> Vp/V o•->
VP
Vm

(b)

c Lll
f IPr"~Ul'~~Us_rE

INPUT
MIXED
FLOW
c c
PLUGFLOW Fig, l.
o e--~ o e•-~ v !V e'-~'
VP A combined model representing plug volume and
mixed volume.
Vm

Cmax ::-LVm
lv"'p
[- (e-l~v_'v )J
vl~ ACTIVE
Q=Q REGION
1, Va

C DEAD
REGION Qd= O
Vd
Omin = =y Time , e
V Frg. 3. Flow through active and dead (stagnant) regions of a
Fig. 2. C-curve for a combined model presented in Fig, l.
combined model.
* Meanresidence time is the ratio of the volume of liquid to the volumetric flow rate.

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 36 (1996), No. 6

1.2
ACTIVE Q
Q REGION
Qa V,

0.8 Total Area up to e= 2

Qd DEAD Q*
REGION 0.6
Q
Vd
C 0.4
Q-d
ACTIVE Area
Q REGION Q 0.2 Q
Va
O
Qd O 1 2 3 4
DEAD
REGION
Vd
~.=Jy
v
.~Q. e
Fig. 4. Flow through active and dead (slow moving) regions
Fig. 5. A typical residence time distribution curve for flow in
a tundish
of a combined model.

e~c
tc V./Qa V.
Q ,.......,.(2)
in the active Thus, the fluid which stays in the
region. ~ ~~ V/Q _
~ V
.

Qa """
vessel for a period longer than two times the meanresi-
dence time is considered as the dead volume. Twoalter- Va Qa
V~Q ~c
..........(3)
native ways of schematically representing a system with _ .

slow moving dead volume are shownin Fig. 4. The dead

Thus, the dead volume fraction
volurne in most of the normally operating tundishes falls
in the second type, and is characterized by a long tail Vd Qa
extending beyondthe two times the meanresidence time. I .
O~c """""(4)
The average residence time of the fluid for any given
V Q
tundish at a constant volumetric flow rate remains con- The term Q./Q is the area under the C-curve from e=0
stant. Thus, the slower moving fluid or dead volume stays to 2, and represents the fractional volumetric flow rate
10nger in the tundish at the expense of other fluid. In through the active region. With the presence of dead
other words, if somefluid assumesmuchlonger residence region(s), the measuredaverage dimensionless residence
time in the tundish, an equivalent amountof other fluid time,
has, accordingly, a shorter residence time in the tundish.
ec ......
..........(5)
This faster moving melt maynot spend sufficient time
to separate and fioat out the non-metallic inclusions. If the dead region
is completely stagnant (as in Fig.

Also, molten metal in the dead (slow moving) regions 3) so that the fiowing fluid does not enter or leave the
and maystart region, the volume of the system through which the fluid
mayloose sufficient heat, to solidify metal.
Thus, tundishes are designed to have dead volume as flows in the system is effectively reduced to Va (or QalQ
small as possible. is
one in Eq. (4)). Thus, the dead volume fraction will be
Consider a combined model consisting of an active
V
(plug fiow and well-mixed fiow) and a dead regions. As
= I -ec """""(6)
depicted in Figs. 3
and 4, Iet the total volume of the
system be which V
is divided into an active volume of The dead volume fraction with stagnant volume is

V* and a dead volume of Vd. Let the total volumetric given by Eq. a(6), which is special case of Eq. (4). The
flow rate through the system be
Q
which is also divided
in Q* through the active region and Qdthrough the dead
dead volume with the slowly moving fluid
Eq. (4).
is given by

region. For completely stagnant dead volume (represent-

ed in Fig.3). QdWill be
Q
zero and will be equal to Q*.
For a dead region with slowly moving fluid, a typical
5. Application
Tundishes
of the CombinedModel to Melt Flow in

experimentally obtained RTD is shownin Fig. 5.

A RTD
corresponding to pulse input is known as the
As stated earlier, a typical experimental C-curve ob-
curve a tained in water model studies or in an actual tundish
C-curve. Let the dimensionless meantime of the C-curve
shows an extended tail beyond the time, 0=2. This in-
upto the cutoff point of dimensionless time, O= 2be ~c, dicates the existence of a slow moving flow through the
then
dead regions. As shown schematically in Fig. 6, there
e~c
measuredmeantime upto e= 2 measuredt~c mayexist dead regions on the downstreamside of the
= time damsand weirs, or near the end wall. Figures and 7 8
meanresidence ~
t
.(1) are taken from literatures where detailed flow patterns
in different tundishes are predicted by the solution of
the Navier Stokes' equation. Figure is taken from the
7

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 36 (1996), No. 6
Table l. Estimated error in dead volume calculation by
DeadVolume
ignoring the QdlQ.

Qd/Q Correct Vd/V (Eq. (4)) Elrol In V IV

.\~..x\",r* '//..
O O,
l O
"'//. 0.01 O,
I09 90/0
0.05 1
O, 45 450/0
O.
1 0,19 900/0

Frg. 6. Representation of melt flow in a tundish having dead

volume and exchangeof liquid with the active volume. from the time, 0=2 to co in Fig. is zero. This area rep-
5
resents the fraction of the volumetric flow rate through
Inlet End the dead regions (QdlQ)• Onecan visualize in any water
modeling experiments of a typical tundish design that
there is always an exchange of liquid between the main
flow (active volume) and the so called dead voiume re-
O.OS M/S gions. This assumption
maylead to someerror in the
=-~> ca]culation.
In the second approach (e.g. Ref. 7)), the dead volume
~ \L
-- l\ fraction has been considered to be equal to the area
li '/'L'~~._*. ~'
'I-
under the curve from the time 0=2 to co. Both ap-
!T ff'- -
: 1"
L
i:~
"
.,~~
' ,,('

proaches normally lead to incorrect determination of the

\\\- - /
I
dead volume. Table gives someestimates of error in
Fig. 7. Predicted low pattern in a selected plane ofthe Armco the dead volume calculation by using Eq. (6). In these
Kansas City bloom caster tundish (Ref. 2)). calculations, it is assumedthat the dead volume without
any flow through the dead region is lO"/o of the total
Continuous temperature measurement
measl volume. With the fractional flow through the dead re-
gions (Qd/Q) of l, 5, and 10 */o, the correct dead volume
l
calculated from Eq. (4) and the error by using Eq. (6)
/ ~ //////
t
~
/
/ ~///~/
////ll / //
,
~
/ '

~
\
~
are given in the table. It can be seen that the error may
be as high as 90 o/o with the 10 o/. exchange or cross flow
~ );
~ (/// ,
/ between the dead and active regions.
~// ~/~/'7/__ \~~ /
f
,
-"~~:P(///_ __ / /
Channel
'~~///
_ - / - //'
___ '
~_ ; 6. Calculation of the Plug and Mixed Volumes
;
Strand After calculation of the dead volume, it remains to
Predicted velocity profile in an induction heated tun-
evaluate the plug flow and well-mixed flow volumes in
Fig. 8.
dish at the Muroran works of the Nippon Steel Cor- the tundish. For this, two approaches, based on elther
poration (Ref. 3)). the use of the combined model or the use of dlspersion
model,1) are suggested here. The choice of the approach
work of Lowry and Sahai2) and showsflow pattern in a should depend upon the shape of the experimental C-
selected plane of the ArmcoKansas City bloom caster curve. Ideally, a plug flow and a mixed flow in series give
tundish. The figure clearly depicts the slow moving dead a C-curve as shownin Fig. 2. In such a RTD
curve, the
volumes behind the damand weir. Figure
al.3)
8 shows ve- concentration rises vertically which is followed by an
locity profile predicted by Suzuki et in an induc- exponential decay of concentration. If the experimental
tion heated tundish at the Muroran works of the Nippon C-curve has a general shape of this type, a combined
Steel Corporation. In these figures, the velocity vectors model maybe used. The combined model approach has
are proportional to the magnitude of velocity at that normally been used by manyresearchers, in which the
Iocation. These figures show regions of very high ve- dimensionless time of the first appearance of dye at the
locity and thus, high turbulence and regions of good tundish exit, e~i* is equal to the fractional plug flow
mixing, and regions with very slow moving fluid causing volume. The difference provides the well-mixed volume
dead volumes. fraction. Thus, the following equations maybe used:
The fiuid in these dead regions is constantly inter-
Vp
changedwith the main flow (in active volume) of the tun- =0~i* ..........(7)

V
'

dish. These regions should not be considered as stagnant

dead volume regions. Thus, the dead volume fraction in V~ Vp V
tundishes is given by Eq. (4). There are two approaches _1- ""
..........(8)

used by researchers in the analysis and modeling of the V V V

melt flow in tundishes. The first one, which has been The second approach may be used when there is

most widely used (e.g. Refs. 4)-6)), is the use of Eq. (6). significantdeviation in the shape of the experimental
Thus, the model assumesthat the area under the curve C-curve from that shown in Fig. 2. In this approach,

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 36 (1996), No. 6
the dispersion model for the closed system should be
*
employed.
curve,
(T2,
should
suggested that the variance of the RTD
It is

be calculated using Eqs. (9) through

~=
~ 0=0
Ciei

(12). From the C-curve, the dimensionless

=1 ,.........(15)
meanof the
.....,
"
RTDcan be calculated directly by ~ 0=0
Ci

ocdo Meanresidence time upto e=2,

~= .
(9)
Ciei
Cde e~c= e=0 =0.857 ..........(16)
....,.
Ci
and the dimensionless variance is given by
e=0

(o-e)2cdo Area under the curve upto e=2,

a2= Q•
.
(IO) = CiA0=0.9134 ..........(17)

Cde Q 0=0
.......

From Eq. (4), the dead volume fraction,

If the concentration measurementsare taken at equal
time intervals Vd Q'
I • ec=0 217 ..........(18)
V Q
~=
~ i
Ciei
..........(ll)
In this example, the flow rate through the dead region
"""" is
9
estimated to be about o/o, and the calculated dead
~ Ci
volume by neglecting this volumetric flow rate through
the dead region (i.e, from Eq. (6)) is 14.3 o/o. The correct
and dead volume is 21.70/0 which
about 520/0 more than is

~, e~Ci that predicted by Eq. should be mentioned here

(6). It
that any change in the tundish configuration such as, use
a2= -~2 ..........(12)
of different flow control devices, change of total flow
~
.....
Ci
rate, depth of liquid in the tundish, could change both
the value of ~c and the Q.lQ-
Equation (13) gives the relationship between the vari-
ance and the dispersion number (DC/UL) for a closed 8. Conclusions
system. De is longitudinal
the effective
dispersion, U A combinedmodel which is commonlyused to char-
is the longitudinal velocity, and is the length of the L acterize the fluid flow in tundishes is discussed. Most
tundish. Thus, the dispersion number for a given con-
researchers have madean assumption in the dead volume
figuration can be calculated. The value of the dispersion
calculation that the volumetric fiow rate through the
numberprovides the deviation from the plug flow. Dis- dead volume is negligible. This
persion numberis zero for the plug flow and infinity for may result in a sig-
nificant error in the calculated value. Others have con-
the well-mixed flow system. Thus, a higher dispersion
sidered the dead volume as the area under the C-curve
numberindicates more mixed region and a smaller plug after two times the
fiow region. meanresidence time. Both approaches
are incorrect and may lead to misleading results. The
De De )[2 UL)J correct procedure for the dead volume calculation is
= 2 UL - 2 UL
a2 l -exp - (1 3)
outlined, and an example illustrating the use of the cor-
De rect formulation is presented.
7. An Exampleof the DeadVolumeCalculation Nomenclature
Consider a typical RTDexperiment for melt flow in a C: Dimensionless concentration
tundish, whose result It shows
is plotted
a in Fig. 5. C~** : Maximum
concentration in a C-curve
typical RTDcurve which extends well beyond the di- D. : Effective longitudinal diffusivity in a tundish
mensionless time of e= 2. L : Length of a tundish
This C-curve has been analyzed by the combined Q : Total volumetric flow rate in through a tundish
Q* : Volumetric flow rate through the active region
model for the dead volume in the system.
of a tundish
Area under the entire curve,
Qd: Volumetric flow rate through the dead region of
" a tundish
~ CiAe
0=0
I ..........(14)
t : Meanresidence time = VIQ) (
: Measuredmeanresidence time upto two times
t~c

Meanresidence time for the entire curve, the f

U: Longitudinal velocity of liquid in a tundish
V: Volumeof liquid in a tundish

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 36 (1 996), No. 6
V.: Volumeof active region in a tundish REFERENCES
Vd: Volumeof dead region in a tundish l) O. Levenspiel:Chemical Reaction Engineering, John Wiley &
V*: Volumeof mixed flow region in a tundish Sons, Inc., NewYork, (1972).
Vp: Volumeof plug flow region in a tundish 2) M. L. Lowry and Y. Sahai: Steelmaking Conf. Proc.. ISS
a2 : Dimensionless variance of the RTD
curve
Publication, (1989), 71
.

3) I. Suzuki, S. Noguchi, Y. Kashiwakura, T. Horie and M. Saito:

e:
O:
Dimensionless
Dimensionless
time
(= time tlT)
Tundish Metallurgy, Vol, 1, ISS Publication, (1990), 201.
average meanresidence time 4) L. J. Heaslip and A. McLean: Continuous Casting, Vol. 1, ISS
e~c: Dimensionless average meanresidence time up Publication, (1983), 93.
to 0=2 5) J. Knoepke and J. Mastervich: Steelmaking Conf. Proc., ISS
emin : Dimensionless time of first
appearance of tracer 6)
Publication, (1986), 777.
H. Chen and R. D. Phelke: Steelmaking Conf. Proc., ISS
at the tundish exit
Publication, (1 994), 695,
7) L. K. Chiang: Steelmaking Conf. Proc., ISS Publication, (1992),
437.

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