Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements and Numerical Simulation of the Flow and Vortex in a Hydraulic Mountain‐Bottom Submerged Entry Nozzle

The submerged entry nozzle (SEN) is a critical component in the continuous casting process, facilitating the transfer of molten steel from the tundish to the mold. The internal flow dynamics within the SEN are crucial as they influence several key aspects of casting, such as mold flow characteristics, inclusion transport, susceptibility to nozzle clogging, and the ultimate quality of the produced steel. In this study, a hydraulic nozzle model is established, and particle image velocimetry (PIV) is employed to measure velocity magnitudes inside the nozzle. Computational fluid dynamics simulations of the flow within the hydraulic nozzle model are conducted using the Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes model and large eddy simulation (LES) with varying mesh sizes. The time‐averaged velocity magnitude calculated by the shear stress transport model using a medium mesh and the LES model with finer mesh resolution exhibits good agreement with the PIV measurements. Vortices are predominantly observed near the nozzle bottom and in close proximity to the nozzle wall. Notably, a pair of counter‐rotating vortices are identified at the nozzle bottom. Furthermore, transient fluctuations in velocity magnitude are effectively captured by LES employing finer mesh resolutions.