Numerical study of an application of a divergent reverse TurboSwirl nozzle in the billet continuous casting process

The swirling flow has widely been investigated for liquid steel flowing in the continuous casting process. In this paper, a new design of the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) is applied by using a reverse TurboSwirl device with a divergent nozzle. This divergent reverse TurboSwirl nozzle (DRTSN) is shown to gain a more beneficial flow pattern compared to the straight nozzle. A stronger swirling flow can be obtained at the SEN outlet, which leads to a calmer flow field and an appropriately active meniscus flow that could improve the heat and mass transfer near the meniscus. The swirl number in the SEN is independent of the casting speed, while a lower casting speed yields a lower maximum wall shear stress. The DRTSN is connected to the tundish by an elbow and a horizontal runner. A longer horizontal runner supplies a more uniform velocity profile and a more symmetrical flow pattern.