Modelling of fluid flow and free surface characteristics of the melt puddle in planar flow casting

摘要

Concurrent analyses of heat and fluid flow within the melt puddle in planar flow casting (PFC) werecarried out in order to investigate the effects of process variables on fluid dynamics and puddleformation. The free surface of the melt puddle was determined by the Volume of Fluid (VOF)method. A comparison between the puddle shape in documented experimentation and numericalsimulation was performed in order to validate the present modelling. The sequences of the puddleformation were assumed to be at a steady state during ribbon formation. The effects of the processparameters, such as wheel speed, gap size, melt flow rate, and superheat of the melt on the fluid flowpattern and temperature distribution in the melt puddle were investigated. The resultant solidifiedribbon thickness was predicted by the simulation, and compared to the experimentation.