from the conferences organized by TANGER Ltd.
In the last 20 years the continuous casting has become a modern production technology of metals including steel, aluminum, and copper. Since cooling patterns and the temperature distribution of cast metal significantly influence quality and productivity of final products, metallurgists utilize computer solidification models which allow them for thermal analysis, monitoring and optimization of cast products. Most of models are based on so-called interface capturing methods, e.g. on the enthalpy method which is rather simple and straightforward. The paper presents a solidification model for continuously cast aluminum which is based on another approach. The applied front tracking method offers benefits such as a higher order of accuracy and a possibility to simulate the growth of dendrites. The model allows for 3D simulations and it is based on the slice approach in which a 2D calculation slice moves through the solidifying strand. Results of the slice model are compared to results gained with the use of the enthalpy-based 3D model and a comparison of methods is presented and discussed.
Keywords: Continuous casting, aluminum, front tracking method, slice model, enthalpy method© This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.