Continuous steel slab caster and methods using same

Abstract

A steel slab caster having a mold with movable opposing mold faces, and methods of using the steel slab caster for casting steel slabs. The movable opposing mold faces may be laterally positioned with respect to each other in a predefined configuration. Molten steel may be introduced into the mold of the slab caster. The lateral positions and/or pressures of the opposing mold faces are monitored at two vertically spaced locations on at least one of the movable mold faces of the opposing mold faces as casting proceeds, and data is generated in response to the monitoring. The opposing movable mold faces may be adjusted in response to the generated data.

1 . A method of continuously casting steel slabs comprising the steps of:
 assembling a casting mold for continuous casting of melt slabs with at least one set of laterally movable opposing mold faces;   introducing molten melt into the casting mold having said movable opposing mold faces;   monitoring lateral positions of said opposing mold faces in at least two vertically spaced locations along at least one mold face of said opposing movable mold faces as casting proceeds;   generating data indicating the lateral positions of the opposing mold faces at the vertically spaced locations in response to the monitoring; and   adjusting the opposed movable mold faces in response to the generated data indicating the lateral positions of the opposing mold faces at the vertically spaced locations.   
   
   
       2 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising adjusting said lateral positions of said opposing mold faces in response to said generated data to maintain a distance set point, a taper set point, or both between said opposing mold faces as casting proceeds. 
   
   
       3 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 2  where the adjusting of said lateral positions of said opposing mold faces is performed automatically or manually. 
   
   
       4 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 1  where the monitoring of the lateral positions of said opposing mold faces is accomplished for at least two vertically spaced locations along both mold faces of said opposing mold faces as casting proceeds, and further comprising adjusting said lateral positions of said opposing mold faces in response to said generated data to maintain distance set points between corresponding laterally positioned locations on opposing mold faces or to maintain a taper set point of each of said opposing mold faces, or both, as casting proceeds. 
   
   
       5 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 4  where the adjusting of said lateral positions of said opposing mold faces is performed automatically or manually. 
   
   
       6 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 1  where said monitoring is accomplished using at least one of temposonic transducers, magnetostrictive position sensors, and linear position sensors. 
   
   
       7 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 2  where said adjusting is accomplished using at least one of hydraulic drives, pneumatic drives, electrical drives, and mechanical drives. 
   
   
       8 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 4  where said adjusting is accomplished using at least one of hydraulic drives, pneumatic drives, electrical drives, and mechanical drives. 
   
   
       9 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 1  where said opposing movable mold faces are narrow faces or broad faces of said mold. 
   
   
       10 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising directing said molten melt to exit said mold into a support roller assembly, said molten melt continuing to harden into a solid metal strand having a width dimension substantially defined by said opposing mold faces. 
   
   
       11 . The method of continuously casting steel slabs as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising cutting said solid metal strand across said width dimension to form a solid steel slab having a predetermined length. 
   
   
       12 . A continuous steel slab caster comprising:
 an oscillatable slab caster mold capable of receiving molten steel and having at least one set of opposing movable mold faces;   at least two sensors adjacent at least one face of said opposing moveable mold faces at vertically spaced locations along the mold face, with each sensor capable of monitoring a lateral position of the adjacent mold face and/or the pressure exerted by the molten metal against the adjacent mold face at the locations, and generating corresponding position and/or pressure data as casting proceeds; and   positioning devices capable of adjusting the opposed movable mold faces in response to the generated data from the vertically spaced locations.   
   
   
       13 . The steel slab caster of  claim 12  further comprising a feedback controller and drive assembly capable of actuating the positioning devices to automatically adjust said lateral position of said opposing moveable mold faces in response to said data to maintain a relative distance set point between said opposing mold faces or to maintain a taper set point of each of said opposing mold faces, or both, as casting proceeds. 
   
   
       14 . The steel slab caster of  claim 12  wherein said at least two sensors comprise at least one of temposonic transducers, magnetostrictive position sensors, and linear position sensors. 
   
   
       15 . The steel slab caster of  claim 12  wherein said positioning devices include hydraulic drives, pneumatic drives, electrical drives, or mechanical drives. 
   
   
       16 . The steel slab caster of  claim 12  wherein said at least one set of opposing mold faces are narrow faces or broad faces of said mold. 
   
   
       17 . A method of continuously casting steel slabs comprising the steps of:
 laterally positioning at least one set of movable opposing mold faces of a slab caster mold with respect to each other in a predefined lateral configuration;   introducing molten steel into said slab caster mold having said at least one set of opposing mold faces;   monitoring the lateral positions of said opposing mold faces and/or pressures exerted by the molten steel against the mold faces at at least two vertically spaced locations on each movable mold face of said opposing mold faces as casting proceeds;   generating data in response to said monitoring; and   adjusting the opposed movable mold faces in response to the generated data at the vertically spaced locations.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising automatically adjusting at least one of said lateral positions of said opposing mold faces in response to said generated data to maintain said predefined lateral configuration. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  where said predefined lateral configuration includes a predefined relative distance set point between said opposing mold faces and a taper angle set point of each of said opposing mold faces. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  where said monitoring is accomplished using at least one of temposonic transducers, magnetostrictive position sensors, and linear position sensors. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17  where said adjusting is accomplished using hydraulic drives, pneumatic drives, electrical drives, or mechanical drives. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17  where said opposing mold faces are narrow faces or broad faces of said mold. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising directing said molten steel to exit said mold into a support roller assembly, said molten steel hardening into a solid metal strand having a width dimension substantially defined by a distance between said opposing mold faces at an exit of said mold. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising cutting said solid metal strand across said width dimension to form a solid steel stab having a predetermined length.