The modeling of pool profiles, temperature profiles and velocity fields in ESR systems

Through the simultaneous statement of Maxwell’s equations, the turbulent Navier-Stokes equations and the differential thermal energy balance equations a mathematical model has been developed to represent the pool profiles, the velocity fields and the temperature profiles in an ESR system. The major advance over earlier modeling efforts is the fact that the model is capable of predicting the pool profiles from first principles. The theoretically predicted pool profiles and temperature fields were found to be in reasonable agreement with experimental measurements reported by Mellberg for a laboratory scale system. The model is used to investigate the interdependence of key process parameters, with the power input, fill ratio, amount of slag used and the position of the electrode as the independent variables and the casting rate, pool depth, velocity and temperature fields as the dependent variables.