Mathematical Modeling of Heat Transfer Behavior for Single‐ and Double‐Strand Double‐Purpose Tundish Heated by Plasma

This study focuses on the flow and heat transfer behavior of molten steel under plasma heating during single‐strand casting in a tundish originally designed for double‐strand casting. To meet the requirements of flow control, temperature uniformity, and industrial operation, three‐dimensional steady‐state and transient CFD models were developed to optimize the flow and temperature fields in the tundish. The results showed that the combination of the newly designed turbulence inhibitor and the modification wall significantly improved molten steel flow and heat transfer in the tundish. Specifically, the volume of the low‐velocity region decreased from 1.37 to 0.32 m ³ , while the volume of the low‐temperature region decreased from 1.54 to 0.01 m ³ , indicating enhanced molten steel circulation and heat transfer. When plasma heating was applied, the outlet temperature under the optimized scheme increased remarkably and exceeded 1582.5 °C, demonstrating more efficient heat transfer. These findings provide valuable guidance for the single‐strand transformation of double‐strand tundishes and the application of plasma heating technology.