Electromagnetic stirring is utilized worldwide today as a means of quality improvement in the production of steel by continuous casting. Electromagnetic stirrers may be located within the mold, below the mold, or near the final solidification zone. The stirrer is basically a large air gap AC electrical motor in a rotary, linear, or helicoidal configuration.

Computed electromagentic flux lines (left) and fluid flow vectors (right) for mold stirrer with copper mold tube at 4 Hz.

CEG personnel have participated in the design and construction of mold stirrers for a billet caster. Using finite element magnetic and fluid codes, performance of the stirrer was modeled and optimized as a function of frequency. As shown above, because of the presence of the copper mold tube, peak stirring force is achieved at a frequency of about 4 Hz.

“Design of Electromagnetic Stirrers for Continuous Casting.” Iron and Steel Engineer. Volume 63. Number 9. September, 1986

“Applications of Magnetofluidynamics in Metallurgy.” IEEE Industrial Applications Society. Toronto, Canada. October, 1985