Coupled electromechanical and electrothermal problems in continuous casting

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This research is concerned with the design and development of next-generation electromagnetic stirring equipment for the continuous casting of very high quality steel. This will require the development of a sophisticated mathematical model since the proposed equipment does not, and cannot, completely exist on the laboratory scale. The proposed equipment will consist of multiple, high power, coils designed to produce a rotating magnetic field that interacts with high velocity molten steel that is continuously poured into a water cooled, open bottom, copper mold. The purpose of the magnetic field is to exert forces on the molten steel and cause it to rotate within and below the mold. The motion of the molten metal, particularly along the solid/liquid solidification front, will act to significantly improve the quality of the solidified product. This specific modeling goal is challenging in that it encompasses state-of-the-art methodologies taken from widely disparate fields Specifically, the electromagnetic fields are 3-dimensional, time varying in a complex fashion, and are modified by the motion of the molten metal. Additionally, the flow of the molten metal in the casting system is highly turbulent and prone to pulsations that cause instabilities at the free surface of the molten steel in the casting mold. The first objective of this research is to understand, describe and electromagnetically control the flow pulsations so that the molten steel free surface can be stabilized. The second objective is to develop electromagnetic means of increasing the amount of turbulence in certain critical regions such that the quality of the solidified steel will be significantly improved.