Application of Mean Age Theory in Multi-strand Tundish

The mean age theory has recently been used to analyze the mixing efficiency in a single- strand tundish. The spatial distribution of the mean age was obtained by using a steady-state calculation. By applying the new theory of mean age, the computing cost was two orders of magnitude lower than when using the conventional theory of residence time distribution (RTD). This study aimed at extending the application of the mean age theory to a multi-strand tundish. Theoretical relations between the mean age and RTD were analyzed and compared for the tundish applications. A new criterion, the standard deviation of flowweighted mean age at the multiple outlets, was applied focusing on the consistency of the flow in the multi- strand tundish. A five-strand tundish was selected as a benchmark case. The feasibility of applying the mean age theory in the multi-strand tundish was confirmed through the benchmarking results. Thus, the proposed method can be adopted as an effective tool in finding the optimal geometry of multi-strand tundish equipped with flow control devices (FCD).