GB1366336A - Mould assemblies for continous casting - Google Patents

Abstract

1366336 Continuous casting; rotated-mould casting SOC CIVILE D'ETUDES DE CENTBIFUGATION 29 Dec 1971 [30 Dec 1970] 60380/71 Heading B3F A vertical mould assembly, in which the casting surface 4 is rotated (e.g. at 30-120 revs./min. to produce a solid strand), has a rotary part (shown with close-hatched lines) mounted on a bearing 22, 23, 25; cooling liquid is supplied through a stationary part 8, 11, there being an annular labyrinth 14 formed between the parts to ensure that the main liquid flow is on to a surface 5 of the mould 3, which may be of copper and possibly tapered. Water is supplied through the wall of a support cylinder 11 and at least one (10<SP>1</SP>) of several radial supporting ribs 10 between the cylinder and a hollow annulus 8 to enter the annulus and pass therefrom through an open side 9 to the wall 5. A cylinder 16 in the annulus 8 is made of lead but has a portion 17 which permits rays from a radio-active source 15 to pass through and across the mould 3 to a receiver preferably outside the mould to detect the melt surface in the mould for control purposes. Water leaking past the labyrinth 14 passes down between the annulus 8 and cylinder 11 and may flow into a ring-shaped pipe. A stationary jacket may be fast with the annulus 8 or, as shown, a jacket 19<SP>1</SP> may be attached to the rotated mould 3 to create a water space 21. A cover 26 projecting from the jacket 19<SP>1</SP> and forming a further labyrinth seal 28 with the bottom of the annulus shields the bearing 22, 23, 25 from outflowing water. The rotary part also includes a meltsplash shield 7, over a cover 6, and a base 29 and deflectors 32, 33 with outflow channels 30, 31. A skirt on a bearing support 18 forms a labyrinth seal 36<SP>1</SP> with the deflector 33. The rotary part may be freely mounted (for rotation by the cast strand which is rotated by a withdrawal device) or it may include a toothed wheel 35 to be driven by way of a pinion 36. The bearings 25 and wheel 35 may be lubricated by an oil mist. The stationary annulus 8 need not be at the top of the mould assembly and it may be above or below the assembly so that the water leaves it in an axial direction, with the labyrinth ribs horizontal instead of vertical. The bearing support for the rotary part may be above or below the mould 3.