Abstract: To reduce the impact of slag entrapment due to vortex on the strip quality at the end of teeming from refining ladle, some main influencing factors on vortex during liquid steel draining operation from ladle were studied via hydraulic simulation test, such as resting time, initial liquid level, nozzle diameter and eccentricity. It can be concluded that the rotary direction of vortex is uncertain with no resting time, but the vortex rotates anticlockwise with the resting time prolonged and it tends to rotate anticlockwise with rising initial liquid level. The nozzle diameter has no obvious effect on the rotary direction of vortex. With the increasing nozzle eccentricity, the vortex is found right above the nozzle and its rotary direction becomes indefinite. The Coriolis force is the basic factor causing the vortex if there are no other external influencing factors.