This master’s thesis addresses two key points for improving the simulation of a continuous casting plant operated by steel manufacturer Ternium Brasil.

In the first part of the thesis, simulations are performed using the in-house developed simulation software m²CAST. After evaluating and analyzing the simulation results under the current and actual conditions in the plant, thermal boundary conditions should be controlled and improved. The main objective of the first section is to investigate the effect of changing the nozzle type in the middle and rear areas of the plant. For this purpose, water distribution and heat transfer coefficient measurements of the new nozzles are to be carried out on the internal nozzle measuring stand. The measurement results for the new nozzle type will then be compared with existing measurements for the already used nozzles in terms of spray distribution and heat flux. Finally, all newly generated data must be fed into the software in order to perform simulations of the plant under the adjusted conditions. The focus here is on the effect of the changed water distribution due to the nozzle change on the formation of center segregation. In the course of this, the improvement of the solidification front and the associated facilitation of soft reduction should ultimately be proven. 

The second part focuses on the investigation of pocket water, which is accumulated water between the support rolls and the strand in the vertical and bent areas of a continuous casting machine due to gravitational forces. To this end, the nozzle measuring stand is to be expanded to include a test setup that enables the water distribution between two rows of rolls to be recorded using a high-speed camera. By adjusting various operating parameters such as water flow and air pressure according to actual cooling programs and considering different adjustment angles, a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the water flow is to be carried out. Finally, the findings obtained from this are to be transferred as boundary conditions to the m²CAST simulation software.