Method for continuous casting of two or more long products using a single continuous casting strand

Abstract

There is provided a method of continuous casting two or more long products using a single continuous twin casting strand (CCM) comprising two sub-strands. The process control of the method is automatic and comprises master/slave logic. wherein one sub-strand of the twin casting strand is a master sub-strand and remaining sub-strand(s) are slave sub-strand(s). The master strand has non-controlled metal flow and liquid metal level in the master sub-strand is regulated by adjusting casting speed. The liquid metal level in said slave strand(s) is regulated by adjusting the liquid metal pouring rate.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of continuous casting two or more long products using a single continuous casting machine's strand, said method comprising:
 providing at least one continuous, twin-casting strand comprising two or more sub-strands, wherein each of said sub-strands comprises a sub-mold which casts a long product;   pouring liquid metal into each of said sub-molds and allowing said metal to partially solidify; and   withdrawing long product from each of said two or more sub-strands, and   said withdrawing being done by means of a single withdrawal system, shared by all of the sub-strands of said single strand, and   wherein process control of said method is automatic and comprises master/slave logic, wherein one sub-strand of said twin casting strand is a master sub-strand and remaining sub-strand(s) are slave sub-strand(s), wherein said master strand has non-controlled metal flow and liquid metal level in said master sub-strand is regulated by adjusting casting speed; and wherein liquid metal level in said slave sub-strand(s) is regulated by adjusting the liquid metal pouring rate at each slave sub-strand.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said sub-molds comprises a tubular crystallizer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each of said tubular crystallizer is cooled with a water-jacket cooling system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein said twin casting strand was converted from a single casting strand using an internal mold adapter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said twin casting stand comprises a twin casting mold comprising the sub-molds of said sub-strands. 
     
     
         6 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein each sub-strand is automatically lubricated. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein casting oil is used as a lubricant. 
     
     
         9 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein said long products are billets. 
     
     
         10 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein said strand forms two long products. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the liquid metal flow in the slave sub-strands is regulated by adjusting the opening of a slide-gate system installed in the tundish 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the liquid metal flow in the slave sub-strands is regulated by adjusting the vertical position of a tundish stopper-rod. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , in which all of the sub-molds are installed, all at the same time, in the same mold-oscillation system of the strand.