Abstract: During the unsteady teeming, it is easy to form vortex in ladle which leads to a large amount of slag and air entrapment resulting in deteriorating the quality of steel. To research the formation of vortex, the numerical simulation of free surface vortex on teeming process in ladle using κ-ε and RNG κ-ε turbulent models are carried out with the commercial software of ANSYS CFX. The process of free surface vortex, which is from rotation of free surface to vortex through the nozzle, is numerically simulated. The calculation results of two kind of turbulent models show no difference between the two of the evolution process of vortex and critical heights. The two velocity profiles are consistent with the relevant literature, but RNG κ-ε demonstrates the shear flow of vortex more authentically. By comparing the two tangential velocity distributions with Burgers vortex model, it is found that RNG κ-ε calculation result is much better consistent with theoretical model than κ-ε model. As a consequence, RNG κ-ε turbulent model is better in calculation of free surface vortex.