Solidification apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a solidification apparatus that makes variations in the surface height of a molten metal relatively non-affected by the proceeding speed of a metal sheet to significantly increase the proceeding speed of the metal sheet and to increase the productivity of the metal sheet. The solidification apparatus for producing a metal sheet by solidifying molten metal includes rows of rollers arranged in a proceeding direction of the metal sheet, wherein when the rows of rollers are grouped into a plurality of sections, an average of roller pitches each being a distance between centers of rollers adjacent in the proceeding direction of the metal sheet is smaller in a given section than in a preceding section.

1 . A solidification apparatus for producing a metal sheet by solidifying molten metal, the solidification apparatus comprising rows of rollers arranged in a proceeding direction of the metal sheet,
 wherein when the rows of rollers are grouped into a plurality of sections, an average of roller pitches each being a distance between centers of rollers adjacent in the proceeding direction of the metal sheet is smaller in a given section than in a preceding section.   
     
     
         2 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the average of roller pitches is smaller in the given section than in a subsequent section. 
     
     
         3 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sections is a space comprising at least four roller pitches. 
     
     
         4 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sections is a space comprising rollers arranged within a length of 1 m or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sections are physically defined. 
     
     
         6 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the sections are physically defined on a segment basis. 
     
     
         7 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sections is a space between a driving roll and a next driving roll. 
     
     
         8 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a difference between the average of roller pitches in the given section and the average of roller pitches in the preceding section is 10 mm or greater. 
     
     
         9 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the difference in the average of roller pitches is 20 mm or greater. 
     
     
         10 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a proceeding speed of the metal sheet is 4 m/min or greater. 
     
     
         11 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sections comprise:
 a horizontal section transferring the metal sheet horizontally;   a curved section having a predetermined curvature and located between an exit through which the molten metal is discharged and the horizontal section; and   a curvature variation section provided in at least one of a region between the exit and the curved section and a region between the curved section and the horizontal section, the curvature variation section having a different curvature.   
     
     
         12 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a vertical section connected to the exit perpendicularly so as to transfer the metal sheet vertically, the vertical section also being connected to the curved section. 
     
     
         13 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the average of roller pitches in each of the sections is defined by Equation 1 below:
     Pa ( k )=Σ i   P ( k,i )/ N   Equation 1
   where N is the number of roller pitches in a given section, k is a section number, and i is a serial number of a roller pitch in a section k.   
     
     
         14 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the given section having the average of roller pitches smaller than that of the preceding section is within a solidification length in which the metal sheet solidifies, and
 the solidification length of the metal sheet is defined by Equation 2 below:   
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     L 
                     = 
                     
                       V 
                       × 
                       
                         
                           ( 
                           
                             H 
                             
                               2 
                               × 
                               K 
                             
                           
                           ) 
                         
                         2 
                       
                     
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     Equation 
                      
                     
                         
                     
                      
                     2 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
         where L is a length in millimeters (mm) required to complete solidification of the metal sheet, V is a proceeding speed of the metal sheet in mm/min, H is the thickness of the metal sheet in mm, and K is a solidification constant ranging from 20 mm/min 1/2  to 30 mm/min 1/2 . 
       
     
     
         15 . The solidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the given section having the average of roller pitches smaller than that of the preceding section is repeated at least twice.