Continuous casting ingot mold for metals, and system and method for break-out detection in a continuous metal-casting machine

Abstract

Disclosed is a continuous casting ingot mold for metals, of the type made of an assembly of metal plates mounted against cooling devices configured to allow cooling of the metal plates by the circulation of a liquid coolant. Said ingot mold comprises an optical fiber with a diameter greater than 1.6 mm, having a plurality of fiber Bragg grating filters and extending in a wall of at least one of said plates in a direction that is not parallel to the axis of casting of the ingot mold.

1 . An ingot mold ( 12 ) for continuous metal casting, of the type formed by an assembly of metal plates ( 22 ) bearing on cooling devices ( 14 ) configured to allow the cooling of the metal plates ( 22 ) by the circulation of a coolant, comprising an optical fiber ( 28 ), having a plurality of Bragg filters ( 34 ), extending in a wall of at least one of said plates ( 22 ), the optical fiber ( 28 ) extending in a direction that is not parallel to the casting axis of the ingot mold ( 12 ), wherein the optical fiber ( 28 ) has a diameter greater than 1.6 mm. 
     
     
         2 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein the optical fiber ( 28 ) is provided with a coating or with a tube. 
     
     
         3 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein the direction exhibits an angle of between 75° and 105° with the casting axis. 
     
     
         4 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in the preceding claim, which has a square or rectangular cross section and comprises optical fibers ( 28 ) in at least two mutually opposite plates ( 22 ), preferably in four plates ( 22 ). 
     
     
         5 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein the optical fiber ( 28 ) has at least ten Bragg filters per meter, preferably at least twenty Bragg filters per meter, preferentially at least thirty Bragg filters per meter, and even more preferentially at least forty Bragg filters per meter. 
     
     
         6 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in the preceding claim, which comprises at least two optical fibers ( 28 ) that extend parallel to one another and are preferably spaced apart by between 10 and 25 centimeters, more preferentially spaced apart by between 15 and 22 centimeters. 
     
     
         7 . An ingot mold ( 12 ) for continuous metal casting, of the type formed by an assembly of metal plates ( 22 ) bearing on cooling devices ( 14 ) configured to allow the cooling of the metal plates ( 22 ) by the circulation of a coolant, the ingot mold having at least one duct ( 24 ) extending in a direction that is not parallel to a casting axis of the ingot mold ( 12 ), in a wall of at least one of said plates ( 22 ), wherein the duct has a diameter greater than or equal to 1.6 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The ingot mold as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the duct has a diameter greater than or equal to 2 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 2.5 mm, preferentially equal to 3 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the duct leads out at only one lateral end of the plate. 
     
     
         10 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 7 , which has two ducts that are parallel but not coaxial, each of the ducts extending along at least half the length of the plate and leading out at two opposite lateral ends of the plate. 
     
     
         11 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 7 , which has two, non-communicating, coaxial ducts that lead out at two opposite lateral ends of the plate. 
     
     
         12 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the duct(s) is/are created by drilling into the wall of the plate. 
     
     
         13 . The ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the duct(s) is/are created by recessing one or more grooves into the wall of the plate and then by sealing an upper part of the grooves. 
     
     
         14 . A system for detecting breakout in a continuous metal-casting system, comprising:
 an ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 1 ,   a transceiver designed to send light into the optical fiber ( 28 ) and receive reflected light and/or light transmitted by the optical fiber ( 28 ),   a processor designed to convert data relating to the reflected and/or transmitted light received by the transceiver into information about the detection of a breakout, and   a terminal comprising a user interface, said terminal being connected to the processor.   
     
     
         15 . A method for detecting a breakout in a continuous metal-casting plant, wherein the temperature of a wall of an ingot mold ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 1  is measured.