The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mold for continuous casting including a temperature detection unit which can detect the temperature of a copper plate of the mold with high precision, and can be easily inserted into and pulled out of the copper plate. The present invention includes: a main body; and a temperature detection unit which is inserted in an insertion hole in the main body, and detects temperature inside the mold. The temperature detection unit includes: an FBG sensor inserted in a protection tube which can be deformed in a radial direction; and a support member which supports the FBG sensor along the longitudinal direction. At a temperature detection point, the protection tube in which the FBG sensor is inserted is held between a stretched member in the support member and an inner surface of the insertion hole.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mold for continuous casting including a temperature detection unit which can detect the temperature of a copper plate of the mold with high precision, and can be easily inserted into and pulled out of the copper plate. The present invention includes: a main body; and a temperature detection unit which is inserted in an insertion hole in the main body, and detects temperature inside the mold. The temperature detection unit includes: an FBG sensor inserted in a protection tube which can be deformed in a radial direction; and a support member which supports the FBG sensor along the longitudinal direction. At a temperature detection point, the protection tube in which the FBG sensor is inserted is held between a stretched member in the support member and an inner surface of the insertion hole.

[Problem]

To provide a method for producing a metal ingot, which makes it possible to inhibit impurities contained in molten metal in a hearth from being mixed into the ingot.

[Solution]

A method for producing a metal ingot by using an electron-beam melting furnace having an electron gun and a hearth that accumulates a molten metal of a metal raw material, wherein the metal raw material is supplied to the position on a supply line disposed along a second side wall of the hearth that accumulates the molten metal of the metal raw material. A first electron beam is radiated along a first irradiation line that is disposed along the supply line and is closer to a central part of the hearth relative to the supply line on the surface of the molten metal. By this means, a surface temperature (T2) of the molten metal at the first irradiation line is made higher than an average surface temperature (T0) of the entire surface of the molten metal in the hearth, and in an outer layer of the molten metal, a first molten metal flow is formed from the first irradiation line toward the supply line.

An apparatus for the continuous casting of thin slabs, having a strand guide, which is arranged downstream of a permanent mold in the casting direction and which guides the strand output from the permanent mold along a first direction, having an adjoining bending/straightening region, which a mechanism for driving and bending the strand in a second direction, which differs from the first direction, having a cutting device, which cuts the strand into thin slabs, and having a first furnace, which is provided for temperature compensation in the strand, wherein the first furnace extends in an arched manner at least partially over the bending/straightening region and in part along the second direction.

An apparatus for the continuous casting of thin slabs, having a strand guide, which is arranged downstream of a permanent mold in the casting direction and which guides the strand output from the permanent mold along a first direction, having an adjoining bending/straightening region, which a mechanism for driving and bending the strand in a second direction, which differs from the first direction, having a cutting device, which cuts the strand into thin slabs, and having a first furnace, which is provided for temperature compensation in the strand, wherein the first furnace extends in an arched manner at least partially over the bending/straightening region and in part along the second direction.

A heat flux derivation unit (202) derives a value q.sub.y of a y-axis direction component of a heat flux vector. A molten metal surface level derivation unit (203) derives, as a molten metal surface level, a position where the absolute value of the value q.sub.y of the y-axis direction component of the heat flux vector whose y-axis component vector is in a direction opposite to a casting direction is maximum.

A heat flux derivation unit (202) derives a value q.sub.y of a y-axis direction component of a heat flux vector. A molten metal surface level derivation unit (203) derives, as a molten metal surface level, a position where the absolute value of the value q.sub.y of the y-axis direction component of the heat flux vector whose y-axis component vector is in a direction opposite to a casting direction is maximum.

A thin slab nozzle contains a central bore extending downstream along longitudinal axis X1 from an inlet orifice at an upstream end. The central bore comprises an upstream bore portion with a height Ha, in communication with a converging bore portion of height He, in communication with a thin bore portion of height Hf ending at the upstream end of a divider, and first and second front ports separated from one another by the divider and coupled to the central bore portion at least partially at the converging bore portion. X2 is a transverse axis, normal to X1, along which the nozzle becomes thinner in a downstream portion. In a section of the thin slab nozzle along a symmetry plane 1 defined by X1 and by X2, the bore wall of the converging bore portion is curved at all points, and Hf/He1.

A thin slab nozzle contains a central bore extending downstream along longitudinal axis X1 from an inlet orifice at an upstream end. The central bore comprises an upstream bore portion with a height Ha, in communication with a converging bore portion of height He, in communication with a thin bore portion of height Hf ending at the upstream end of a divider, and first and second front ports separated from one another by the divider and coupled to the central bore portion at least partially at the converging bore portion. X2 is a transverse axis, normal to X1, along which the nozzle becomes thinner in a downstream portion. In a section of the thin slab nozzle along a symmetry plane 1 defined by X1 and by X2, the bore wall of the converging bore portion is curved at all points, and Hf/He1.

A soft reduction device (1) of a round-section metal product, having liquid or partially liquid core, for reducing the thickness of said metal product coming from a continuous casting machine, the device comprising at least two soft reduction units (2, 3); in which said at least two soft reduction units (2, 3) are arranged in series; in which each soft reduction unit (2, 3) is provided with a group of only three rolls arranged at 120 from one another; and wherein the group of three rolls (7, 8, 9) of one soft reduction unit is offset by a predetermined angle with respect to the group of three rolls (10, 11, 12) of an adjacent soft reduction unit.