Coupling of Multi-physics Continuous Casting modelling to Stress-Strain models

Abstract: A multi-physics continuous casting CFD model has been successfully coupled to a structural FEA model. An approach to couple and compute stresses and strains in the solidified shell in three dimensions is presented.
The approach consists of a Lagrangian solution of the solidified shell given by a snapshot of the fluid simulation. Here, the shell is defined as a function of temperature (Zero Strength Temperature: 1532.15 K) and phase fraction (Volume of Fluid: 0.5).

The approach is a one-way coupling where the solution from the fluid simulation is used as an input to the mechanical stress-strain calculation. The temperature distribution within the solidifying steel is causing shrinkage and thermal bending of the shell, which is the source of stresses and strains. The temperatures simulated in the CFD model are used as one load step where each node has an initial pouring temperature of 1800.15 K.

It is shown that a CAD representation of the shell can be meshed independently and used as input for the mechanical simulation. Results show reasonable stress levels of 40.3 MPa (von Mises) concentrated in regions where the shell is thin and have large temperature gradients. Additionally, they indicated a tendency to compression at the exterior face of the shell and tensile at the interior.