A multiphase numerical analysis focused on flow dynamics and particle trajectories during steel tapping operations was developed. The numerical results indicate that lighter additions than steel (ferrosilicon and aluminum) are independent from bath level, fall height and flow dynamics of the melt. Neutral buoyant additions (Fe-Mn) are strongly dependent on fluid dynamics of the melt and bath height. Denser additions (like Fe-Nb) yields long residence time inside the melt before first emerging to the bath surface. However, when this ferroalloy is added at high bath levels, close to the end of tapping, the particles remain in the corner formed by the bottom and the wall of the ladle during long times prolonging their melting rates.

Changes of unsteady multiphase fluid flow patterns of liquid steel during electric arc furnace-ladle tapping operations, with simultaneous argon bottom injection, are simulated using interfacial tracking computing techniques. The impinging steel jet interacts with the argon bubbling plume, suffering mutual bending effects, and imparting non-symmetric flows of liquid steel during the whole ladle filling time. At low bath levels, radial recirculating flows are generated and at high bath levels, these flows are substituted by vertical long flows generated by the permanent interaction between the impinging jet and the argon plume. Turbulence intensity increases as the bath level rises. Low bath levels are suitable for pre-melting and preheating ferroalloy particles. High bath levels of steel in the ladle, close to total ladle filling, are the most suitable conditions for thermal and chemical homogenizations. Argon gas forms an intermittent blanket over the air–liquid steel mix due to its higher density than air during the whole ladle filling time.

Molten steel is alloyed during tapping from the melting furnace to the argon-bottom stirred ladle. The metallic additions thrown to the ladle during the ladle filling time are at room temperature. The melting rates or kinetics of sinking-metals, like nickel, are simulated through a multiphase Euler–Lagrangian mathematical model during this operation. The melting rate of a metallic particle depends on its trajectory within regions of the melt with high or low turbulence levels, delaying or speeding up their melting process. At low steel levels in the ladle, the melting rates are higher on the opposite side of the plume zone induced by the bottom gas stirring. This effect is due to its deviation after the impact of the impinging jet on the ladle bottom. The higher melting kinetics are located on both sides at high steel levels due to the more extensive recirculation flows formed in taller baths. Making the additions above the eye of the argon plume spout increases the melting rate of nickel particles. The increase of the superheat makes the heat flux more significant from the melt to the particle, increasing its melting rate. At higher superheats, the melting kinetics become less dependent on the fluid dynamics of the melt.

Effects of mold powder chemistry on shell growth and thinning have been studied using Computer Fluid Dynamic techniques under conditions of constant casting speed and steel superheat for a peritectic steel in a billet caster. Two mold powders were considered; a basic powder suitable for peritectic steels and an acid powder not recommendable for this steel in order to emphasize the importance of chemistry on shell stability. Numerical results indicate a strong interaction between powder composition and steel flow‐heat transfer phenomena. The acid powder creates recirculating flows at both sides of the entry jet that transport sensible heat to the shell inducing its remelting and thinning leading, eventually, to a strand breakout. Meanwhile, the basic powder induces a single recirculating flow in the internal radius side of the mold without severe shell thinning. A colder meniscus is predicted using the acid powder which is in agreement with the casting practice experience. Powder infiltration of the basic powder in between the mold hot wall and the strand provides a powder shell with a macroscopically smooth surface while the acid powder yields irregular infiltration. Buoyancy forces along the mold working height and mold curvature play a fundamental role on the generation of the recirculating flows. Interaction between powder chemistry and fluid flow‐heat transfer are two‐way coupled phenomena that must be considered for powder design purposes.

Slab molds receive liquid steel from the tundish through bifurcated submerged entry nozzles (SEN) using a slide valve as throughput control. Due to the off-centering position of the three plates’ orifices that conform to the valve to control the steel passage, the flow inside the nozzle and mold is inherently biased toward the valve opening side. In the practical casting, a biased flow induces inhomogeneous heat fluxes through the mold copper plates. The nozzle design itself is also a challenge, and has direct consequences on the quality of the product. A diagnosis of the casting process regarding the internal and external flows, performed through experimental and mathematical simulation tools, made it possible to reach concrete results. The mathematical simulations predicted the flow dynamics, and the topography and levels variations of the meniscus characterized through a full-scale water model. The flows are biased, and the meniscus level fluctuations indicated that the current nozzle is not reliable to cast at the two extremes of the casting speeds of 0.9 m/min and 1.65 m/min, due to the danger of mold flux entrainment. A redesign of the nozzle is recommended, based on the experimental and mathematical results presented here.