Imaging molten steel flow profiles

Control of delivery of molten steel in continuous casting is critical in order to ensure stability of the meniscus and satisfactory mould flow patterns, which in turn are determinants of cleanness and surface quality of steel. Considerable effort has been expended over the last ten years on optimizing the design of the metal delivery system, particularly the pouring nozzle, in order to allow the consistent production of high quality steel at a high throughput. This paper looks forward to possible systems that are capable of tomographically 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; an overview of the applied image reconstruction process will also be included. The paper will conclude with a discussion of possible future developments, such as the use of a tomographic or multi-frequency approach, future research on the reconstruction image procedures and the potential for visualization and flow measurement. There is a need for further research in this area and some priority areas for future work will be suggested.