In slab continuous casting, the internal hydrodynamics of the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) play a determining role in mold flow stability and product quality, particularly when external electromagnetic flow-control technologies are not employed. This study analyzes a novel bifurcated SEN design intended to promote stable, highly symmetric outlet jets under asymmetric inlet flow conditions produced by typical flow-control devices. The proposed configuration combines three geometric modifications: a square-section bore, a flow-divider bottom wall derived from a rotated mountain-type geometry, and two bell-shaped protrusions that act as flow modulators positioned immediately above the outlet ports. The hydrodynamic behavior inside the nozzle was investigated using complementary experimental and numerical approaches. Physical modeling was conducted in a scaled water model using particle image velocimetry (PIV) to characterize time-averaged velocity fields and flow fluctuations. In parallel, three-dimensional large-eddy simulations (LESs) were performed to resolve transient flow structures and quantify jet characteristics at the nozzle exits. Both approaches show consistent results. The combined action of the flow modulators and the flow-divider bottom wall robustly induces the formation of two nearly identical counter-rotating vortices in the lower region of the SEN. This flow structure suppresses stagnation and recirculation zones near the outlet ports, mitigates inlet-induced asymmetries, and enhances flow evacuation efficiency. Quantitative analysis of the outlet jets indicates a significant reduction in angular dispersion and a flow-rate imbalance below 0.2%, markedly lower than that observed in conventional SEN configurations. The results demonstrate that appropriate internal geometric design can effectively stabilize SEN hydrodynamics without active control systems, offering a feasible and scalable strategy for improving mold flow stability in industrial continuous casting operations.
Gonzalez-Trejo et al. (Sat,) studied this question.