A Numerical Study of 3D Turbulent Melt Flow and Solidification in a Direct Chill Slab Caster with an Open-Top Melt Feeding System

Abstract

A 3D control-volume based finite-difference model has been developed to simulate coupled turbulent melt flow and solidification phenomena for a semi-continuous direct chill slab casting of an aluminum alloy (AA-1050). The model considered an open-top melt delivery system for a hot-top mold. The model was verified with the experimental solidification front measurements and a reasonable agreement was found. The computations were carried out by varying important process parameters such as casting speed, inlet melt superheat, and mold–metal contact effective heat transfer coefficient in order to understand their effects on the solidification and cooling behavior of AA-1050.