The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations
The behavior of molten steel within a tundish plays a crucial role in achieving uniform temperature and chemical composition, enhancing the removal efficiency of non-metallic inclusions, and reducing the wear of refractory linings. These aspects are key for ensuring the production of steel with supe...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Peter Demeter Branislav Buľko Róbert Dzurňák Ivan Priesol Slavomír Hubatka Lukáš Fogaraš Martina Hrubovčáková Jaroslav Demeter |
| author_facet | Peter Demeter Branislav Buľko Róbert Dzurňák Ivan Priesol Slavomír Hubatka Lukáš Fogaraš Martina Hrubovčáková Jaroslav Demeter |
| author_sort | Peter Demeter |
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| description | The behavior of molten steel within a tundish plays a crucial role in achieving uniform temperature and chemical composition, enhancing the removal efficiency of non-metallic inclusions, and reducing the wear of refractory linings. These aspects are key for ensuring the production of steel with superior quality. In multi-strand delta-type tundishes, such as the six-strand configuration, flow dynamics become particularly challenging. Key considerations include strand-specific residence times, the uniform distribution of steel flow, and the mitigation of refractory degradation. This paper presents a detailed numerical analysis aimed at designing an optimally shaped impact pad. The effectiveness of each proposed design was assessed through a tracer-based visualization of flow behavior and the evaluation of residence time distribution (RTD) curves. RTD curves were created in isothermal conditions, while the calculations of the temperature fields of steel in the tundish were made in non-isothermal conditions. The results of the simulations were verified by a real plant trial test and indicate that the use of the “SPHERIC-K4” impact pad can greatly enhance the flow characteristics of liquid steel during the continuous casting process. These improvements include preventing the erosion of the tundish refractory lining, improving the distribution of residence times between individual casting strands, and adjusting the proportions of the mixing zones. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-69fbdee5770d46c78b2c75d240a45b3f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-69fbdee5770d46c78b2c75d240a45b3f2025-08-20T03:47:50ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-05-011510545010.3390/app15105450The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD SimulationsPeter Demeter0Branislav Buľko1Róbert Dzurňák2Ivan Priesol3Slavomír Hubatka4Lukáš Fogaraš5Martina Hrubovčáková6Jaroslav Demeter7Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaFaculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaFaculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaIPC REFRACTORIES a.s., Magnezitárska 11, 040 13 Košice, SlovakiaFaculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaFaculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaFaculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaFaculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Institute of Metallurgical Technologies and Digital Transformation, Technical University of Košice, Letná 1/9, 042 00 Košice, SlovakiaThe behavior of molten steel within a tundish plays a crucial role in achieving uniform temperature and chemical composition, enhancing the removal efficiency of non-metallic inclusions, and reducing the wear of refractory linings. These aspects are key for ensuring the production of steel with superior quality. In multi-strand delta-type tundishes, such as the six-strand configuration, flow dynamics become particularly challenging. Key considerations include strand-specific residence times, the uniform distribution of steel flow, and the mitigation of refractory degradation. This paper presents a detailed numerical analysis aimed at designing an optimally shaped impact pad. The effectiveness of each proposed design was assessed through a tracer-based visualization of flow behavior and the evaluation of residence time distribution (RTD) curves. RTD curves were created in isothermal conditions, while the calculations of the temperature fields of steel in the tundish were made in non-isothermal conditions. The results of the simulations were verified by a real plant trial test and indicate that the use of the “SPHERIC-K4” impact pad can greatly enhance the flow characteristics of liquid steel during the continuous casting process. These improvements include preventing the erosion of the tundish refractory lining, improving the distribution of residence times between individual casting strands, and adjusting the proportions of the mixing zones.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5450steelmakingtundishnumerical modelingnon-isothermal flowsCFDimpact pad |
| spellingShingle | Peter Demeter Branislav Buľko Róbert Dzurňák Ivan Priesol Slavomír Hubatka Lukáš Fogaraš Martina Hrubovčáková Jaroslav Demeter The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations Applied Sciences steelmaking tundish numerical modeling non-isothermal flows CFD impact pad |
| title | The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations |
| title_full | The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations |
| title_fullStr | The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations |
| title_short | The Development of an Optimized Impact Pad for a Six-Strand Tundish Using CFD Simulations |
| title_sort | development of an optimized impact pad for a six strand tundish using cfd simulations |
| topic | steelmaking tundish numerical modeling non-isothermal flows CFD impact pad |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5450 |
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