Numerical study of thermal driven buoyancy flow effect on solidification process of continuous slab caster

The main aim of the present research is to study the role of thermal driven buoyancy flow in solidification process of continues slab caster. A 3-D fluid flow, heat transfer and solidification model was developed. The result from the model combined with nondimensional number to study the effect of thermal driven buoyancy flow on fluid flow and temperature distribution. For mushy region Kozeny-Carman is applicable. Observations show the relative strength between thermal driven buoyancy flow and forced flow and steel flow through mushy region. It is observed that buoyancy force in mould and sub mould region depend on the characteristic flow velocity, temperature difference and porosity of mushy zone. The most effect zone of thermal driven buoyancy flow is mushy zone and centre of mould where inertial flow is inferior. The convection flow creates by thermal buoyancy cause appearance of local turbulence. (paper)