AISTech 2019 — Proceedings of the Iron & Steel Technology Conference

6–9 May 2019, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA

DOI 10.1000.377.140

Influence of Electromagnetic Stirring Position on Liquid Level Fluctuation in Billet Mold

Jiang Qi 1, Guifang Zhang 1,3 *, Yang Yindong 2,3, Yan Peng 1, Zheng Wei 1, Shi Benhui 1
1
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering
Kunming University of Science and Technology
650093 Kunming, China
2
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Toronto
M5S 3E4 Toronto, Canada
3
Kunming University of Science and Technology
State Key Lab Complex Nonferrous Met Resources
650093 Kunming, China

*Corresponding author

Keywords: Continuous casting, EMS position, Numerical modeling

INTRODUCTION
EMS is one of the key technologies to improve the quality and purity of steel. Therefore, EMS is being widely applied to
continuous casting as a method for improving the billet quality all around the world [1-2]. The installation location of EMS,
such as in the billet mold, is the basis for optimizing the steelmaking process. If the installation location of EMS is
unreasonable, the optimal effect of steelmaking process may not be achieved, which cannot meet the needs required for the
billet quality and even increase the cost of the product. There are a few researches in this field, but many technological
studies are still in the stage of experience exploration [3]. Therefore, it is of great significance to carry out research on EMS
technology. On the Base of the billet of Kunming Iron and Steel Co., the paper focus on the installation location of EMS in
billet mold by numerical simulation, and explore the influence of EMS Position on liquid level fluctuation in billet mold.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION MODEL

In order to study the flow field in the continuous casting mold, the mathematical model of the flow field is established and
the numerical simulation is carried out by computer. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is widely used because of its full
information of characteristic parameters and good repeatability. This paper introduces the mathematical model and solution
method used by Visual Cast (a software for simulation and analysis of continuous casting process). The flow field in the
mold was calculated by using the segmented nozzle of billet, which provides the basis for understanding and mastering the
characteristics of the flow field of billet.

2.1 Model Hypothesis Conditions and Flow Field Control Equations

The model assumes that the liquid is an incompressible viscous fluid, that all physical parameters are constants, only the flow
in the liquid region is considered.
Visual Cast uses the improved SIMPLER method. Considering the characteristics of the flow field in the mold, a steady-state
model is adopted.

© 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. 1383

For turbulent flow field, the following governing equations are mainly followed:
1. Mass conservation equation (continuity equation) [4]

  ( U )  0 (1)

Where  is density. U is speed.

2. Momentum equation
For Newtonian fluids, the differential equation governing the conservation of momentum in a given direction can be written
in a linear form. Considering the effects of viscous and volumetric forces, the function can be written as [5-6]:

( u i )    ( Uu i )    ((  0   t )  u i )  S i
t (2)

(u i  u , v, w)

Where  is density. 𝑈 𝑢, 𝑣, 𝑤 is speed. 𝜇 is turbulent viscosity. 𝜇 is molecular viscosity. s is the source term
including electromagnetic force.
3. Electromagnetic control equation
According to magnetohydrodynamics, under the condition of electromagnetic braking, the volume force F in the momentum
equation of flow field is expressed as the induced current J and the magnetic induction intensity B. The calculation formula
is [7-8]:

F  JB (3)

According to the theory of magnetohydrodynamics, the induced current J obeys the following functions [9]:
J  0 (4)

J   (E  U  B) (5)

E    (6)

By substituting formula (5) and formula (6) into formula (4), Poisson's equation on potential can be obtained [10]:

  ()     (U  B) (7)

Where F is volume force. J is induced current. B is magnetic induction strength.  is conductivity. Φ is potential. E is
electric field strength.

2.2 Calculating conditions of liquid level fluctuation at different EMS positions

The model assumes that the drawing speed (𝑣 2.5𝑚/𝑚𝑖𝑛) remains stable, the nozzle is located in the center of the mold,
and the insertion depth (ℎ 125𝑚𝑚) remains unchanged. The effect of different current and position on meniscus was
studied by numerical analysis of the fluctuation of mold liquid level under electromagnetic stirring with a given sectional
nozzle. The mold is 800 mms long with 150×150 mm2 cross section in the computation. The main calculation parameters
and details computation scheme are shown in Table 1.

1384 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.

 Table 1 Main calculation parameters and computation scheme

Scheme Current /A Frequency /Hz EMS position /mm

290-710

1 200 3 300-720

310-730

290-710

2 250 3 300-720

310-730

290-710

3 300 2 300-720

310-730

290-710

4 300 3 300-720

310-730

290-710

5 300 4 300-720

310-730

CALCULATION RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

(a)290-710mm (b)300-720mm (c)310-730mm

Fig. 1 Mold level fluctuation at different EMS positions when I = 200A and f = 3Hz

© 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. 1385

 (a)290-710mm (b)300-720mm (c)310-730mm

Fig 2 Mold level fluctuation at different EMS positions when I = 250A and f = 3Hz

(a)290-710mm (b)300-720mm (c)310-730mm

Fig. 3 Mold level fluctuation at different EMS positions when I = 300A and f = 2Hz

(a)290-710mm (b)300-720mm (c)310-730mm

Fig. 4 Mold level fluctuation at different EMS positions when I = 300A and f = 3Hz

(a)290-710mm (b)300-720mm (c)310-730mm

Fig. 5 Mold level fluctuation at different EMS positions when I = 300A and f = 4Hz

1386 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.

From Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, it is clear that the fluctuation of the liquid level in the mold fade and the wave height reduce with the
EMS position (from the meniscus) moving downward. Table 2 shows the wave heights at the EMS positions corresponding
to different frequencies when the current is 300A.

Table 2 Wave heights of EMS positions at different frequencies at 300 A

Frequency/Hz EMS Position/mm Wave Heights /mm

2 290~710 3.1

2 300~720 2.3

2 310~730 1.8

3 290~710 3.4

3 300~720 2.7

3 310~730 2.1

4 290~710 2.5

4 300~720 1.9

4 310~730 1.6

From Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, it can be seen that with current increasing from 200A to 300A, the fluctuation of mold liquid level
becomes more severe and the wave height under the same position increases by 2.2mm. Table 3 can be deduced from Fig. 1,
Fig. 2 and Fig.3, it shows the wave heights at different EMS positions at 3 Hz frequency.

Table 3 Wave heights at different EMS positions at 3 Hz

Current/A EMS Position/mm Wave Height/mm

200 290~710 1.2

200 300~720 1.0

200 310~730 0.8

250 290~710 2.0

250 300~720 1.5

250 310~730 1.3

300 290~710 3.4

300 300~720 2.7

300 310~730 2.1

© 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. 1387

For the actual continuous casting production, the optimal position should correlate to actual production demand to make sure
the liquid surface wave height reaches the specifications.

Table 4 Wave heights of EMS position at 300-720mm

Current/A Frequency/Hz Wave Height/mm

200 3 1.0

250 3 1.5

300 2 2.3

300 3 2.7

300 4 1.9

Table 4 illustrates that when the built-in mold electromagnetic stirrer is installed at 300-720 mm away from the meniscus,
the maximum wave height is 2.7 mm under 300 A current and 3 Hz frequency.
Therefore, from computer simulation, an estimated result of EMS operation parameters is established as table 2, table3 and
table 4 show. Sample with wave heights of EMS position at 300-720mm is expected to have good steel cleanliness and less,
or more evenly distributed, inclusions. Our group work has indicated [1] that the fit wave heights of EMS position is
300-720 mm away from the meniscus.

CONCLUSION
In this paper, the mathematical model of electromagnetic stirring in billet mold of Kunming Iron and Steel Co. was
established, then simulated and calculated the influence of EMS positions on liquid level fluctuation. The results show that
when the EMS position down from 290-710mm to 310-730mm (away from the meniscus), the fluctuation and the liquid
levels decrease; when the position is stable, they increase with the amplify of current; when the frequency is 3 Hz, mold
liquid level fluctuation is most volatile.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Financial support for this study was supplied from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No.
51664036), China Scholarship Council (Project No. 2018[3058]), and the Analysis and Testing Foundation of Kunming
University of Science and Technology.

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1388 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.