MATHEMATICAL-MODELING AND EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS ON THE HORIZONTALOHNO CONTINUOUS-CASTING PROCESS FOR PURE TIN

A three-dimensional mathematical model has been developed to simulate the horizontal Ohno continuous casting of pure tin rods of 8.5x10(-3) m diameter; this process is used to grow single crystals and to produc e ingots with unidirectional crystal structure. In addition, temperatu re measurements were conducted in order to provide the thermal boundar y conditions for the model, and to estimate the heat transfer coeffici ents of the cooling device. A three-dimensional numerical analysis was used to solve the fluid flow and heat transfer equations. This was ba sed on a control-volume finite difference approach, a semi-implicit me thod for pressure-linked equations algorithm (SIMPLE), and an enthalpy transforming model. The shape and position of the solid-liquid interf ace as well as the fluid flow patterns were calculated for cases simil ar to the experimental measurements. Results from the model were compa red with the experimental measurements, and revealed excellent agreeme nt.