Imaging molten steel flow profiles

Control of molten steel delivery in continuous casting is critical to ensure stability of the meniscus and satisfactory mould flow patterns, which in turn are determinants of steel cleanness and surface quality. Considerable effort has been expended the last 10 years in optimizing the design of the metal delivery system, particularly the pouring nozzle, to enable the consistent production of high quality steel at high throughput. This paper looks forward to possible systems that are capable of topographically imaging the distribution of molten steel flows in these applications. The paper will concentrate on the feasibility of using electromagnetic methods. The paper will present some initial results and an overview of the image reconstruction process used will also be included. The paper will conclude with a discussion of possible future developments, such as the use of a tomographic or multifrequency approach, future research on the reconstruction image procedures and the potential for visualisation and flow measurement. There is a need for further research in this area and some priority areas for future work will be suggested.