Flow fields in electromagnetic stirring of rectangular strands with linear inductors: Part I. theory and experiments with cold models

A model is presented to compute the electromagnetic force fields and fluid flow fields in electromagnetic stirring of continuously cast strands with rectangular cross-section. The model involves the solution of the Maxwell equations, the Navier-Stokes equations, and the transport equations for the turbulence characteristicsk and e. The procedure of depth-averaging is applied in the treatment of several three-dimensional flows. Experiments were performed to check the computations using mercury as fluid. The spatial distribution of the magnetic induction and of the force density was determined for the laboratory inductor used in the stirring experiments. The flow velocity was measured photographically or with a drag probe, respectively. The agreement between experimental and theoretical data was found to be within 25 pct. It is concluded that the theory is sufficiently reliable to predict the flow fields in electromagnetic stirring of steel strands. In Part II of this paper the model is applied to analyze stirring situations in continuous casting of steel. Formerly with Institut für Allgemeine Metallurgie, Technische Universit?t Clausthal