Abstract: A series of simulations by mathematical and physical modeling on fluid flow, mass and heat transfer in continuous casting tundishes have been carried out. It was found by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation that in most cases tundish flow must be treated as a non-isothermal reactor due to the existence of temperature difference between the transport ladle and the tundish.The critical conditions when the non-isothermal flow in the tundish can not be neglected have been found by CFD simulation and water modeling. A direct measurement in a 40 t tundish has confirmed the simulation results.