Finite element simulation of heat flow in continuous casting

This article presents a non-linear transient thermal analysis finite element program which is developed based on the goal in simulating the casting process with the phenomena of solidification and changes of latent heat.

The continuous casting problem was experimentally investigated in 1953 by Brandt, Bishop and Pellini¹, who used thermocouples in the mold and mold cavity. The experimentally measured isochronal solidification profiles for low carbon steel cast in simple ‘T’ shaped sand molds were matched by calculations from the finite element program, with appropriate physical assumptions. The computations from the heat transfer model agreed with the experimental results with respect to the shape of the isochronal solidification profiles, time of solidification, thermal gradients and temperature profiles.