Abstract:
The high-temperature molten metal multiphase flow in a continuous casting mold directly governs the cleanliness, homogeneity, and refinement of the strand, and is therefore one of the core factors determining the final quality of the strand. This system is dominated by highly unsteady turbulence, in which multiple phases including molten steel, gas bubbles, slag, and non-metallic inclusions coexist and interact with each other. It is simultaneously coupled with complex physicochemical processes such as heat transfer, mass transfer, phase transformation, and the electromagnetic fields, forming a typical nonlinear and non-equilibrium multiphysics coupling system that exhibits high complexity and significant uncertainty. Owing to the characteristics inside the mold such as large variations in thermophysical properties of the high-temperature molten metal, complex constitutive relationships, numerous factors affecting the phase interface, and steep gradients of boundary physical quantities, real-time and accurate monitoring of key parameters related to the multiphase flow structures and solidification behavior of the high-temperature molten metal remains extremely challenging. Thus, traditional experimental studies have obvious limitations in the depth of mechanistic analysis and the completeness of parameter acquisition. In this context, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with its significant advantages in revealing complex flow mechanisms and internal evolution processes has gradually become a key technical method for studying high-temperature molten metal multiphase flow in continuous casting mold. This paper systematically reviews the application progress and research status of CFD in continuous casting mold from the perspectives of multiphase flow models, turbulence models, population balance models, multiphase volume-averaged solidification models, and electromagnetic external field regulation models. It focuses on analyzing the advantages and limitations of different models in describing complex multiphase flow and solidification processes. Finally, combined with the development trend of high-quality continuous casting strand production, the future development directions in terms of refined modeling, multiscale coupling and engineering applicability are prospected.