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The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows for reconstructing the mean flow structure of liquid metals by measuring the flow induced perturbations of one or more applied magnetic fields, and subsequently inferring the flow field by solving a linear inverse problem. We will give an overview of the application of CIFT to two models of continuous casting available at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf. These include a 1:8 cold model of a slab casting mould under the influence of an electromagnetic brake, and a 1:2 model of a slab mould operating at 250 °C.

Contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) can reconstruct the complex 3-dimensional flow structure of the large scale circulation in liquid metal filled Rayleigh-Bénard (RB) convection cells. The method relies on the precise measurement of weak magnetic fields induced by currents in the conducting liquid arising from the fluid motion in combination with primary excitation fields. The velocity distribution is reconstructed from the magnetic field measurements by solving a linear inverse problem using the Tikhonov regularization and L-curve method. A number of technical challenges have to be overcome to reach the desired accuracy of the measurement signals. In this paper we will describe our design of a new CIFT set-up for a large RB vessel with a diameter of 320 mm and a height of 640 mm. We outline the major factors perturbing the measurement signal of several tens of nanoteslas and describe solutions to decrease mechanical drifts by thermal expansion to a sub-critical level to enable CIFT measurements for high-Rayleigh number flows.

The time dependent behaviour of the large-scale circulation in a Rayleigh-Bénard convection cell exhibits a rich set of different three-dimensional flow features like rotations or torsional modes. In this paper, the applicability of the contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) to visualise these flow features in a cylindrical cell filled with GaInSn is investigated numerically. The simulated flow in the cylinder with a diameter of 320 mm and a height of 640 mm serves as a basis to investigate the quality of the reconstructed velocity field by CIFT.

In metallurgy, gas-liquid two-phase flows are relevant for mixing, degassing and refinement. The reliable prediction of the hydrodynamic performance in gas-stirred ladles is of utmost relevance for optimization and process control. A new experimental facility has been designed and constructed for systematic investigations of gas bubbles rising inside the alloy SnBi, its thermophysical properties are very similar to those of steel. Low operating temperatures (T~200°C) allow the use of powerful measuring techniques. The cylindrical fluid vessel represents a 1:5.25 model of an industrial 185 t ladle and is equipped with a vacuum pump to achieve low-pressure conditions for VOD (Vacuum Oxygen Decarburization) applications as well. The experiments provide a copious data base about the flow regimes, void fraction, liquid and bubble velocities, and bubble properties, which can be used to provide so far unknown boundary conditions for CFD simulations of various metallurgical reactors such as steelmaking converters or steelmaking ladles.

To achieve an optimal flow pattern in the mould of a continuous caster, it is desirable to use a tailored control of the flow using electromagnetic actuators (e.g. electromagnetic brakes or stirrers) based on the current flow condition in the mould. However, the rough environment provides a challenge. Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography (CIFT) is a technique that can provide information about the flow structure by visualizing the full velocity field in the mould. In order to reconstruct the flow, the perturbation of an applied magnetic field by the flow is measured. It is obvious that every change of the strength of the magnetic field of an electromagnetic brake influences the measured values. In this paper we cover the challenges of measuring the flow induced magnetic field in the range of nT in the presence of varying magnetic field of the electromagnetic actuators in the range of 100 mT.

The Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography is a procedure that enables the reconstruction of the global flow structure of an electrically conducting fluid by measuring the flow induced magnetic field outside the melt and subsequently solving the associated linear inverse problem. The accuracy of the reconstruction depends on the number and the distribution of the sensors around the vessel. The aim of this investigation is to find an optimal sensor configuration for a temperature driven flow of a liquid metal in a cylindrical vessel.

Bubble plumes play an important role in metallurgical applications in order to stir and refine melts. Static electromagnetic fields allow a contactless control of those bubble plumes. However, for a tailored control the effects of the magnetic field to the bubble motion are important. It is well known, that a bubble plume rising in a bulk of liquid metal has an axially symmetric shape. But the motion becomes asymmetric, when a static magnetic field (B) is applied in horizontal direction to the liquid metal. The direction of the flow parallel to B is upward, while the direction of the flow perpendicular to B is downward close to the plume. Measurements of Zhang et al. of a bubble plume in the liquid metal GaInSn, emerging from a single orifice in a cylindrical vessel by the usage of the ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV), confirmed this asymmetric motion. They observed traveling vortex structures in the direction perpendicular to B for moderate Hartmann numbers (Ha). This vortex structure became frozen, when high Ha were reached. The focal point of this paper is the measurement of the bubble features in a similar container instead of measuring the flow of the liquid metal. The ultrasound transit time technique (UTTT) is employed, which was previously utilized to detect and analyze the motion of single bubbles rising in GaInSn. In comparison to the previous setup, a square vessel instead of round one is used and a sharp injection needle instead of a polished one was placed at the bottom of the vessel. During these new measurements, almost contradictory results are obtained: for small Ha numbers static vortex structures, which were deduced from the bubble motion, were observed, while traveling vortices were measured, when higher Ha were reached. The cause of this discrepancy is presumably the sharp orifice in the new setup, because the different cross section of the tank would rarely influence the motion. We want to analyze the influence of the orifice type, by the comparison of two different shaped orifices, on the flow behavior in a new measurement campaign, where the bubble motion and the flow structure are detected by UTTT and UDV.

This talk gives an overview about resistive and inductive methods for bubble detection in liquid metals.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows the reconstruction of the three-dimensional flow field in liquid metals by applying one or more primary magnetic fields to the melt and measuring the flow induced perturbation of those fields outside the melt. From these measurements, the flow is then reconstructed by solving a linear inverse problem using Tikhonov regularisation technique [1]. In recent experiments, CIFT was able to reconstruct the dynamics of the large scale circulation (LSC) in a small modified Rayleigh-Bénard convection cell which was filled with the eutectic alloy GaInSn and consists of a cylindrical vessel with a diameter and a height of 87 mm [2]. Typical time dependent features of the LSC like azimuthal rotations, cessations as well as torsional modes could be visualised by CIFT. Numerical simulations suggest that a sensor arrangement of 8 sensors in azimuthal direction in 3 planes equally spaced over the height of the vessel is a good choice [3]. The developed CIFT configuration allows for measurement times longer than 12 hours with an accuracy of about 20 nT. Encouraged by these promising results, the measurement system will be adapted to a larger cylindrical Rayleigh-Bénard cell with diameter of 320 mm and height of 640 mm. It is planned to use simultaneously CIFT and UDV in order to reconstruct the global flow while selected flow components are measured in high temporal and spatial resolution with UDV. In this paper we will present the first design of the arrangement of the excitation coils and the magnetic field sensors. Based on this new setup first reconstructions will be shown. Figure 1 shows a preliminary simulation of the flow in the cylindrical vessel as well as the flow induced magnetic field outside the vessel for a constant primary field in vertical direction with the strength of 1mT.

Lorentz force velocimetry (LFV) is a contactless velocity measurement technique for electrically conducting fluids. When a liquid metal or a molten glass flows through an externally applied magnetic field, eddy currents and a flow-braking force are generated inside the liquid. This force is proportional to the velocity or flow rate of the fluid and, due to Newton's third law, a force of the same magnitude but in opposite direction acts on the source of the applied magnetic field which in our case are permanent magnets. According to Ohm's law for moving conductors at low magnetic Reynolds numbers, an electric potential is induced which ensures charge conservation. In this paper, we analyze the contribution of the induced electric potential to the total Lorentz force by considering two different scenarios: conducting walls of finite thickness and aspect ratio variation of the cross-section of the flow. In both the cases, the force component generated by the electric potential is always in the opposite direction to the total Lorentz force. This force component is sensitive to the electric boundary conditions of the flow of which insulating and perfectly conducting walls are the two limiting cases. In the latter case, the overall electric resistance of the system is minimized, resulting in a considerable increase in the measured Lorentz force. Additionally, this force originating from the electric potential also decays when the aspect ratio of the cross-section of the flow is changed. Hence, the sensitivity of the measurement technique is enhanced by either increasing wall conductivity or optimizing the aspect ratio of the cross-section of the flow.

The flow structure of liquid silicon in the crucible for Czochralski (Cz) crystal growth is important for the quality of the silicon crystal. However, the high temperature and the required cleanliness of the melt represent a challenge for any flow measurement device. A promising technique to reconstruct the flow of a conducting liquid is contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT). The procedure relies on the measurement of the flow induced perturbation of a primary magnetic field and the inversion of the corresponding integral equation system. In this paper, the numerical challenges for the application of CIFT to Cz crystal growth will be investigated. This includes the treatment of the singularities of the integral equation system as well as the selection of appropriate integration techniques. The paper concludes with numerical investigation of the expected flow induced magnetic field for a reversal of the rotation in simple model of a typical crucible.

Flows driven by temperature differences play an important role in geo- and astrophysics as well as in many metallurgical applications. The dynamics of the large scale circulation (LSC) of Rayleigh-Bénard (RB) convection include azimuthal reorientations, cessations, torsional and sloshing modes. In this presentation we will show that the contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) is able to visualise these features. This will be shown using numerical simulations as well as measurements at a small model filled with GaInSn.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows for reconstructing the mean flow structure of liquid metals by measuring the flow induced perturbations of one or more applied magnetic fields. These measurements are utilized to infer the flow field by solving a linear inverse problem using an appropriate regularization technique. We will give an overview of the application of CIFT to three models of continuous casting available at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf. These include a 1:8 and a 1:2 model of a slab casting mould as well as a 1:3 model of a cylindrical mould.

The Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography is a procedure that enables the reconstruction of the global three-dimensional flow structure of an electrically conducting fluid by measuring the flow induced magnetic flux density outside the melt and by subsequently solving the associated linear inverse problem. The accurate computation of the forward problem which is essential for the inversion represents the focal point of this investigation. The tomography procedure is described by a system of coupled integral equations where the integrals contain a singularity when a source point coincides with a field point. The contribution of a singular point to the value of the surface and volume integrals in the system is considered in detail. A significant improvement of the accuracy is achieved by applying higher order elements and by attributing special attention to the singularities inherent in the integral equations. The treatment of the singularities described in this investigation is similar to the procedure applied in the boundary element method. It represents a novelty in the Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography.

Rayleigh-Bénard (RB) convection is not only a classical problem in fluid dynamics, but also plays an important role in many metallurgical applications, like Czochralski crystal growth. The measurement of the flow field and of the dynamics of the emerging large-scale circulation (LSC) in liquid metals is a challenging task due to the opaqueness and the high temperature of the melt. The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) is able to visualize the mean three dimensional flow structure in liquid metals by measuring the flow induced magnetic field perturbations under the influence of one, or several, applied magnetic fields. In this paper, the first measurements of the flow induced magnetic field in a RB setup, which can be used to investigate the dynamics of the LSC, will be presented. Additionally, the quality of the reconstruction of the three dimensional flow field, for such a configuration, will be investigated numerically.

The steel quality in continuous casting is greatly affected by the flow in the mould. Therefore, big efforts are made to adjust and control the flow in the mould. The tools for flow control are mainly the plant design and the use of contactless and flexible electromagnetic fields. Those electromagnetic actuators are already in use for decades in industry. Furthermore, for steel quality reasons argon can be added in the submerged entry nozzle to prevent nozzle clogging and to remove inclusions. But for both issues – electromagnetic fields and two-phase flow - an actual and detailed understanding about their action on the flow remained unclear due to inappropriate measuring techniques for liquid steel and the inadequate portability of water models for these special cases. To get an insight into the effects of electromagnetic fields and argon bubbles on the mould flow, three experimental facilities were built up, operating with low melting liquid metals. The advantage of using these low melting metals is the availability of appropriate measurement techniques. First results already showed a strong influence of a static magnetic field on the spatial and temporal flow structure, where the conductivity of the walls plays an important role. Experiments with Argon injection revealed a complex flow and a complicated bubble creation mechanism. All the measurements provide valuable data for the validation of numerical models, which aimed to reproduce the continuous casting process of steel. The numerical models validated at model experiments can than simulate real casting machines more accurate. This paper will present the three experimental setups operating with liquid metals as model fluid and some measurement results. The three setups have slightly different scopes of investigation.

The mapping of the fluid flow and the detection of bubbles is very important for opaque fluids, like liquid metals. In these cases ultrasound techniques can be used. Especially the ultrasound transit time technique (UTTT) possesses advantages for studying the bubble distribution or the contour dynamics. In order to validate UTTT with standard optical methods, we started with experiments of single Argon bubbles rising in water. The trajectory, the diameter, the terminal velocity and the tilting of the bubbles were measured simultaneously with UTTT and with a high speed camera. The results of both measurements techniques showed a good agreement. After these calibration measurements first experiments of Ar bubbles rising in GaInSn were performed. In these experiments the bubble behavior was investigated for different magnitudes of a DC magnetic field in horizontal direction. The parameters of the bubble as well as the velocity of the bubble and of the wake were recorded simultaneously by UTTT and Ultrasound Doppler Velocimetry (UDV), respectively. The results of these measurements were compared with independent measurements using X-ray radiography, which visualized the entire trajectory of the bubble without an applied magnetic field. The results of the UTTT measurements are shown in Figure 1). The measured bubble position xB and bubble diameter dB of one bubble are shown without (left) and with an applied magnetic field of 500 mT (right). Without magnetic _eld the bubble shows a zig-zag trajectory with an amplitude larger than 4 mm and the measured bubble diameter alternates during the rise between values of 3.4 mm up to 4.9 mm, which is inflicted by the tilting of the bubble during the zig-zag rise. For an applied magnetic field of 500 mT is the bubble trajectory straightened and the diameters show regular behavior around 5.3 mm. The shapes of the diameter curves without applied field are more irregular, indicating the tilting of an ellipsoidal bubble. The diameter curves with 500 mT have a near parabolic shape, so we can assume that there is nearly no tilting. Independent x-ray measurements on the same vessel visualized also the zigzag rise and a tilting of the bubble. These results are in good agreement with the UTTT data.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) is a measurement technique that reconstructs the global flow structure of an electrically conducting fluid. This works by applying a magnetic field, measuring the flow-induced perturbations of that field outside the vessel and solving the underlying inverse problem. A promising candidate for the application of CIFT is continuous casting of steel, for which online information of the mould flow could be vitally important to control the casting process with electromagnetic brakes (EMBr). We demonstrate that CIFT magnetic field measurements in the presence of EMBr's are possible in the laboratory scale using gradiometric induction coil sensors and choosing an appropriate excitation frequency.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows reconstructing the mean 3-dimensional flow structure of liquid melts by measuring the flow induced perturbations of one or more applied magnetic fields. These measurements are utilized to infer the flow field by solving a linear inverse problem using an appropriate regularization. We will give an overview of the application of CIFT to two models of continuous casting available at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and report recent developments towards an implementation in industry. Additionally, we present preliminary results of CIFT applied to a thermally driven flow with some similarity to Czochralski silicon crystal growth. Due to the low velocities in the order of 1 cm/s, the dynamic range of the measurement system has to be enhanced by about one order of magnitude in comparison with the continuous casting application.

In the Czochralski crystal growth the poloidal flow structure in the melt just below the meniscus plays a key role for the quality of the crystal. In order to investigate the applicability of the contactless inductive flow tomography to such a configuration, we equipped a modified Rayleigh-Benard setup with an axial excitation magnetic field and 20 magnetic field sensors. In this paper we present measurements of the flow induced magnetic field perturbations for several temperature gradients between the cooled top and the heated bottom. Typical features of the thermally driven turbulent flow could be detected in the magnetic field measured around the fluid vessel. Additionally, we will show first reconstructions of the flow.

In many industrial applications dealing with liquid metals even a rough knowledge of the flow field of the melt would be of high value. For instance, in continuous casting of steel the flow of the melt in the upper region of the mold is very important for the quality of the produced steel, regarding surface defects or the number of inclusions. The high temperatures and the chemical aggressiveness of liquid melts recommend contactless measuring techniques. Well-established optical methods like particle image velocimetry are not applicable, because of the opaqueness of the melt. Due to the high electrical conductivity of liquid metals, inductive methods can be used. One of them is the Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography (CIFT) which allows the reconstruction of the mean three-dimensional flow structure of conducting liquids. CIFT works by applying one or more magnetic fields to the melt and measuring the flow induced perturbation of those fields outside the fluid volume. From these measurements the mean three dimensional velocity field can be reconstructed by solving a linear inverse problem similar to magnetoencephalography. In order to handle the non-uniqueness, Tikhonov regularization in combination with the L-curve method is used. In this paper we will give an overview about the mathematical foundation of CIFT and delineate the linear inverse problem. In order to illustrate the numerical model and the regularization, we will show numerical and physical results of a model of a continuous caster and of a Rayleigh-B ́enard convection setup. Complementary Ultrasound Doppler Velocimetry measurements will be shown to be in good agreement with the reconstructed flow using CIFT. We will conclude with a short overview of the challenges to measure the flow induced magnetic field perturbations, which are usually about 3 to 4 magnitudes smaller than the applied magnetic field.

This study presents ultrasound transit time technique (UTTT) measurements of single Ar bubbles rising in Galinstan under an applied magnetic field. Two setups were used to analyze the bubble rise, which led to different bubble trajectories. UTTT was able to visualize the bubble trajectory and to measure the bubble diameters. Due to the straightening of the bubble trajectories with increasing magnetic field, variation of the apparent bubble diameter were detected.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows to visualize the mean flow structure in liquid metals by measuring the flow induced magnetic field perturbations under the influence of one, or several, applied magnetic fields. The reliable measurement of these very small field changes, and the involved mathematics to solve the inverse problem, are the main challenges for this flow inference method. We demonstrate the applicability of CIFT for various model experiments devoted to the continuous casting process, by employing a new measurement system using induction coils and AC excitation. This enables the determination of the flow structure even in the presence of a strong static magnetic brake field which is often used in continuous casting for controlling the flow in the mold. Additionally, we present preliminary results of CIFT applied to a thermally driven flow with some similarity to Czochralski silicon crystal growth. Due to the low velocities in the order of 1 cm/s, the dynamic range of the measurement system has to be enhanced by about one order of magnitude in comparison with the continuous casting application.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows to visualize the mean flow structure in liquid metals by measuring the flow induced magnetic field perturbations under the influence of one, or several, applied magnetic fields. The reliable measurement of these very small field changes, and the involved mathematics to solve the inverse problem, are the main challenges for this flow diagnostic method. We present preliminary results of CIFT applied to a thermally driven flow within a setup showing some similarity to Czochralski silicon crystal growth. As working fluid GaInSn was used. Due to the low velocities in the order of 1 cm/s, the dynamic range of the measurement system has to be enhanced to 5 orders of magnitude which set high demands on the stability of the installation and the current source. Large efforts were made to adapt CIFT to the experimental setup in order to compensate thermal expansion during the measurement. Typical features of the thermally driven turbulent flow could be detected in the magnetic field measurements and were verified by simultaneous temperature measurements recorded by thermocouples placed in the vicinity of the rim of the heat sink.

Model experiments with low melting point liquid metals are an important tool to investigate the flow structure and related transport processes in melt flows relevant for metallurgical applications. We present recent results from the three LIMMCAST facilities working either with room-temperature alloy GaInSn or with the alloy SnBi at temperatures of 200-350°C. The main value of cold metal laboratory experiments consists in the capabilities to obtain quantitative flow measurements with a reasonable spatial and temporal resolution, which is essential for code validation. Experimental results are presented covering the following phenomena: contactless electromagnetic tomography of the flow in the mold, flow monitoring by ultrasonic sensors, mold flow under the influence of an electromagnetic brake, injection of argon bubbles through the stopper rod, X-ray visualization of gas bubble two-phase flow in the nozzle and in the mold.

Local velocity measurement of liquid metals continues to be an unsolved issue. Contact or even contactless measurement techniques cannot be used due to the fact that metal melts, like liquid steel, are usually at high temperatures, aggressive and opaque. Fortunately, there is a contactless velocity measurement technique called Lorentz force velocimetry in which a static magnetic field is applied on the electrically conductive metal stream. This static magnetic field is produced by permanent magnets, and if their size is smaller in comparison with the cross-section of the flow, a localized magnetic field distribution on the liquid metal is achieved. As a result and according to the principles of magnetohydrodynamics, eddy currents are generated within the liquid giving rise to a localized flow-breaking Lorentz force. Additionally and owing to Newtons third law, a force of the same magnitude but in the streamwise direction acts on the permanent magnet system which is connected to an optical interference force measurement device, giving access to local velocity information. This paper presents the results of local Lorentz force velocimetry at the mini-Limmcast facility at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rosendorf using a 10mm cubic magnet and having as test fluid Galinstan in eutectic composition. In addition, partial results of Lorentz LFV using a multi-degree-of-freedom force/torque sensor are presented.

The Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography (CIFT) allows the reconstruction of the mean three dimensional flow structure in conducting liquids [1]. Exposing the liquid to one or multiple applied magnetic fields and measuring the flow induced magnetic field around the fluid volume, it is possible to infer the velocity field by solving a linear inverse problem with appropriate regularization techniques. One challenge is the reliable detection of the tiny flow induced perturbation of the applied magnetic field. Typically, the flow induced magnetic field is about 3 to 5 orders of magnitude smaller than the applied magnetic field, so that a measurement system with a high dynamic range is required. We start with a short overview of the first demonstration experiment of CIFT [1]. In a cylindrical vessel filled with GaInSn a propeller generates a three dimensional flow structure with a maximum velocity of 1 m/s. The flow induced magnetic field is about 3 orders of magnitude smaller than the applied magnetic field. One promising application for CIFT is the continuous casting of steel in which the flow structure in the mould is very important for the quality of the produced steel. For a model of a continuous slab caster operated with GaInSn we developed a measurement system consisting of one excitation coil around the mould and 14 magnetic field sensors [2]. In this industrially relevant setup the flow induced magnetic field is about 4 orders of magnitude smaller than the applied magnetic field. We were able to reconstruct different flow transitions in the mould in case that Argon was injected into the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) [3], and various effects of an electromagnetic stirrer at the SEN on the flow in the mould [3]. Recent developments concerned the reconstruction of the flow in the mould in the presence of a strong static magnetic field. Additionally, we show preliminary measurements at a modified Rayleigh-Bénard setup operated with GaInSn demonstrating the applicability of CIFT for thermally driven convection systems with velocities in the order of 0.01 m/s. Typical features of the thermally driven turbulent flow could be detected in the magnetic field measurements and were verified by simultaneous temperature measurements recorded by small thermocouples. References 1. F. Stefani et al., Physical Review E, 70 (2004), 056306 2. T. Wondrak et al., Measurement Science & Technology 21 (2010), 045402 3. T. Wondrak et al., Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B 42 (2011), 1201-1210

The detection of bubbles in liquid metals is important for many technical applications like for continuous casting and for liquid metal cooled reactors. The opaqueness and the high temperature of liquid metals set high demands on the measurement system. Exploiting the high electrical conductivity contactless electromagnetic methods can be used. For instance, Mutual Inductance Tomography is able to visualize the distribution of gas and liquid metal in one cross section of a pipe using a sensor array of 8 induction coils.

The detection of bubbles in liquid metals flow is important for many technical applications. The opaqueness and the high temperature of liquid metals set high demands on the measurement system. The electrical conductivity of the liquid metal is relatively high, which can be exploited with contactless methods based on electromagnetic induction. We will present a measurement system which consists of one transmitting coil and a planar gradiometric coil on opposite sides of the pipe. With this sensor we were able to detect bubbles in a Sodium flow inside a stainless steel pipe.

The Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography (CIFT) allows for determining flow structures in conducting liquids which are exposed to one or more external magnetic fields. Measuring the induced fields around the fluid volume for each of the applied fields, it is possible to infer the velocity field by solving an inverse problem with appropriate regularization techniques. We will give an overview of the CIFT method and present the measurement system for the model of a continuous caster at the HZDR. We will conclude with new developments towards a robust measurement of the very small induced magnetic fields.

Model experiments with low melting point liquid metals are an important tool to investigate the flow structure and related transport processes in melt flows relevant for metallurgical applications.We present the new experimental facility LIMMCAST for modelling the continuous casting process of steel using the alloy SnBi at temperatures of 200-400°C. The parameters of the facility and the dimensions of the test sections will be given, and the possibilities for flow investigations in tundish, submerged entry nozzle and mould will be discussed. In addition, the smaller set-up Mini-LIMMCAST will be presented, which works with the room-temperature liquid alloy GaInSn. The main value of cold metal laboratory experiments consists in the capabilities to obtain quantitative flow measurements with a reasonable spatial and temporal resolution. New ultrasonic and electromagnetic techniques for measuring the velocity in liquid metal flows came up during the last decade allowing for a satisfying characterisation of flow quantities in the considered temperature range up to 400°C. First results from LIMMCAST and Mini-LIMMCAST will be presented covering the following phenomena: fully contactless electromagnetic tomography of the flow in the mould, flow monitoring by a multitude of ultrasonic sensors, and analysis of the flow in the mould under the influence of an electromagnetic brake: intensification of the flow turbulence contrary to the expected flow damping, injection of argon bubbles through the stopper rod: occurrence of pressure oscillations.

The safe and reliable operation of liquid metal systems requires corresponding measuring systems and control units, both for the liquid metal single-phase flow as well as for bubble-laden liquid metal two-phase flows. However, velocity measurements in opaque liquid metal flows still represent a challenging task as commercial measuring systems are not available for such fluids. The paper reports on established methods and new developments in the field of measuring techniques for liquid metal flows. The presentation is focussed on measurements of the flow rate and the local velocity field as well as on the characterization of liquid metal two-phase flows. During the last two decades considerable effort was spent by miscellaneous researcher groups to provide new solutions for measurements of flow fields in liquid metals. This paper intends to summarize different approaches and tempts to account on perspectives, particularly in view of some recent developments (ultrasonic techniques, magnetic tomography).

This paper describes experimental investigations of flow structures and related transport processes in the continuous casting mould under the influence of an external DC magnetic field at laboratory scale. Experimental results will be presented here which have been obtained using a physical model (mini-LIMMCAST) operating with the low melting point alloy GaInSn. According to the concept of the electromagnetic brake the impact of a DC magnetic field on the outlet flow from the Submerged Entry Nozzle (SEN) has been studied up to Hartmann numbers of about 400. The Ultrasound-Doppler-Velocimetry (UDV) was applied for measurements of the flow pattern in the mould. Local conductivity anemometers were used to measure the turbulent quantities of the flow. The effect of the magnetic field on the flow structure turned out to be manifold and rather complex. The magnetic field causes a deflection of the jet, at which the respective exit angle from the nozzle ports becomes more flat. Thus, both the penetration depth of the discharging flow into the lower part of the mould and the impinging velocity of the jet onto the side wall are reduced. A significant return flow occurs in the adjacent regions of the jet. Specific vortices are formed with axes being aligned with the magnetic field direction. Such vortical structures are typical for quasi-two-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) flows. The flow measurements do not manifest a general braking effect which would be expected as an overall damping of the flow velocity and the related fluctuations all-over the mould volume. Variations of the wall conductivity showed a striking impact on the resulting flow structures.

For a physical model of a continuous caster, we present results on the simultaneous measurements of the flow in the mould by the Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography (CIFT), and of the conductivity distribution in the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) by Mutual Inductance Tomography (MIT) for a two phase flow setup. Depending on the gas flow rate, various flow regimes in the SEN and in the mould are identified, among them pressure oscillations in the gas feeding system, transitions between double and single vortex flows, and transient single port ejections. In addition we give a summary of an experimental campaign with a magnetic stirrer around the SEN and its effects on the flow in the mould. As expected and desired, the swirling flow leads to a stronger upward fluid motion along the walls. At the same time, however, the oscillatory character of the flow becomes stronger. The paper concludes with some new developments for CIFT towards a robust measurement of the very small induced magnetic field using pickup coils which allow the application of CIFT in environments with high DC magnetic fields and strong noise.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) allows the reconstruction of the full three- dimensional mean velocity field in electrically conducting melts from externally measured induced magnetic fields. One of its possible applications is the velocity reconstruction in the continuous casting process. We present CIFT measurements performed at the small-scale liquid metal facility Mini-LIMMCAST which uses the room-temperature liquid alloy GaInSn for modelling of the thin-slab casting process. It will be shown that the flow structure, in general, and the jet position and intensity, in particular, can be reliably determined from magnetic field data using only a modest number (in the order of 5) of sensors. Even the very asymmetric flow in case of artificially closing one of the two nozzle outlets is reproduced by CIFT. The CIFT measurements are partly validated by comparison with ultrasonic velocity measurements.

Model experiments with low melting point liquid metals are an important tool to investigate the flow structure and related transport processes in melt flows relevant for metallurgical applications. Water model experiments are of limited value, particularly in the cases of strong temperature gradients, two-phase flows or flows exposed to electromagnetic fields. We present the new experimental facility LIMMCAST for modelling the continuous casting process of steel using the alloy SnBi at temperatures of 200-400°C. The parameters of the facility and the dimensions of the test sections will be given, and the possibilities for flow investigations in tundish, submerged entry nozzle and mould will be discussed. In addition, the smaller set-up Mini-LIMMCAST will be presented, which works with the room-temperature liquid alloy GaInSn. The main value of cold metal laboratory experiments consists in the capabilities to obtain quantitative flow measurements with a reasonable spatial and temporal resolution. New ultrasonic and electromagnetic techniques for measuring the velocity in liquid metal flows came up during the last decade allowing for a satisfying characterisation of flow quantities in the considered temperature range up to 400°C. First results from LIMMCAST and Mini-LIMMCAST will be presented covering the following phenomena: fully contactless electromagnetic tomography of the flow in the mould, mould flow monitoring by a multitude of ultrasonic sensors and analysis of the flow in the mould under the influence of an electromagnetic brake: intensification of the flow turbulence contrary to the expected flow damping, injection of argon bubbles through the stopper rod: occurrence of pressure oscillations. In addition, numerical simulations using ANSYS-CFX will be presented which basically confirm the measuring results.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) is a method for reconstructing the velocity field in electrically conducting melts from externally measured induced magnetic fields. One of its possible applications is the velocity reconstruction in the continuous casting process. In this paper, we apply this method to the flow field in a small model of a continuous casting mould. It is shown that the flow structure in general, and the jet position and the intensity in particular, can be reliably determined.

The contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) is able to reconstruct the velocity field in electrically conducting melts by measuring the induced magnetic field outside the melt. In this paper, we apply this method to the flow field in a small model of a continuous casting mould. It is shown that the flow structure in general, and the jet position and the intensity in particular, can be reliably determined, using a moderate number of sensors.

The velocity field of a propeller-driven liquid metal flow is reconstructed by a contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT). A robust reconstruction of large scale velocity fields is already achieved by applying the external magnetic field in two orthogonal directions. The results of this technique are shown to be in satisfactory agreement with ultrasonic measurements.