Development of a sensor for visualisation of steel flow in the continuous casting nozzle

Good control of steel flow through the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) during the continuous casting process is essential for improving surface quality and reducing cleanliness defects. Argon bubbles, biased flow and alumina deposits may all contribute to actual flow differing from the ideal case. The steel flow visualization project aims to penetrate the "black box", which is the SEN, using electromagnetic techniques. A sensor array consisting of transmitter and receiver coils is positioned around an SEN and the resultant signals are compared to those from pilot plant measurements designed to simulate known continuous casting conditions.