Dynamic Modeling of Thin Slab Caster Mould Cooling System

This paper presents the development of a model for thin slab caster mould cooling water pumping station. This station is responsible for initiating product's solidification in the mould, resulting in a strong steel shell to be formed around the mould's inner periphery. In a continuous process, motor driven rolls pull the shell out of the mould through a “roller apron”, where the secondary cooling system completes the solidification of the product's liquid core. This model includes three parallel centrifugal pumps, where each one is coupled to a three-phase induction motor and connected to a cooling water application running under flow control strategy. Each pump is driven with a variable frequency drive that utilizes frequency control method for adjusting the rotational speed, in order to match system operational point with the consumption point for saving energy. MATLAB/SIMULINK software, utilizing SIMSCAPE library and variable step size, simulates this model. The model's validation is done through comparing the simulation's results in different operating conditions with the actual behavior of the system.