The present disclosure relates to a system, apparatus, and method for a cooling water spray pattern for a direct chill casting mold, and more particularly, to a spiral water spray pattern for a direct chill billet casting mold. An example direct chill casting mold includes a mold body defining a mold cavity there through; and a plurality of spray jets arranged proximate an exit of the mold cavity, wherein the plurality of spray jets are angled with respect to the mold cavity such that streams of fluid exiting the plurality of spray jets impinge upon a casting exiting the mold cavity at an angle offset from a centerline of the casting.

An aluminum alloy thick plate is formed of an aluminum alloy including Mg of 2.0 to 5.0 mass %, and has a plate thickness of 300 to 400 mm. A is 700 pieces/cm.sup.2 or less and B is 1.3 times or more as large as A, where (i) A (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at a center portion in a thickness direction and at positions of 0.39 Wa to 0.48 Wa in a plate width direction; and (ii) B (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at the center portion in the thickness direction and at positions of 0.12 Wa to 0.30 Wa in the plate width direction.

An aluminum alloy thick plate is formed of an aluminum alloy including Mg of 2.0 to 5.0 mass %, and has a plate thickness of 300 to 400 mm. A is 700 pieces/cm.sup.2 or less and B is 1.3 times or more as large as A, where (i) A (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at a center portion in a thickness direction and at positions of 0.39 Wa to 0.48 Wa in a plate width direction; and (ii) B (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at the center portion in the thickness direction and at positions of 0.12 Wa to 0.30 Wa in the plate width direction.

Grain size of a deliverable metal product can be improved by pre-setting recrystallization-suppressing dispersoids during casting. The outer regions of a direct chill cast embryonic ingot can undergo reheating before casting is complete. Through unique wiper placement and/or other reheating techniques, the temperature of the ingot can be permitted to reheat (e.g., up to approximately 410° C. to approximately 420° C.), allowing dispersoids to form. Stirring and/or agitation of the molten sump can facilitate formation of a deeper sump and desirably fine grain size as-cast. The formation of dispersoids during and/or immediately after casting can pin the grain boundaries at the desirably fine grain size, encouraging the same grain sizes even after a later recrystallization and/or solutionizing step.

Grain size of a deliverable metal product can be improved by pre-setting recrystallization-suppressing dispersoids during casting. The outer regions of a direct chill cast embryonic ingot can undergo reheating before casting is complete. Through unique wiper placement and/or other reheating techniques, the temperature of the ingot can be permitted to reheat (e.g., up to approximately 410° C. to approximately 420° C.), allowing dispersoids to form. Stirring and/or agitation of the molten sump can facilitate formation of a deeper sump and desirably fine grain size as-cast. The formation of dispersoids during and/or immediately after casting can pin the grain boundaries at the desirably fine grain size, encouraging the same grain sizes even after a later recrystallization and/or solutionizing step.

Systems and methods may utilize magnetic rotors to heat molten metal in the corner regions of a mold during casting (e.g., casting of an ingot, billet, or slab). The magnetic rotors are positioned adjacent to the corners of the mold and heat the molten metal in the corner region to increase the temperature of the molten metal adjacent the corners. The increased temperature of the molten metal in the mold corners can prevent intermetallics from forming in the molten metal or otherwise reduce such formation.

Provided are new aluminum alloys for use as one or more cladding layer(s) in clad aluminum alloy products for brazing applications. The cladding layer(s) include constituents that break and remove the oxide film on metal parts to be joined to produce high-strength brazing joints without the use of corrosive flux. Also provided herein are corrosion-resistant aluminum sheet packages including one or more of the aluminum alloy cladding layer(s) and an aluminum alloy core.

Systems and associated methods are provided for controlling the shape of an ingot head during formation. At the end of a cast, prior to forming the ingot head, chill bars or other cooling structure may be lowered into an ingot mold and define a reduced casting footprint for forming the ingot head. Supplemental molten metal may be fed into the reduced casting footprint, and the chill bars may be moved laterally towards the center of the ingot, further reducing the casting footprint. As additional molten metal fills the reduced mold footprint, the ingot may be lowered relative to the chill bars to further increase the height of the ingot head. Additional molten metal may be added until the desired shape of the ingot head is formed.

Systems and associated methods are provided for controlling the shape of an ingot head during formation. At the end of a cast, prior to forming the ingot head, chill bars or other cooling structure may be lowered into an ingot mold and define a reduced casting footprint for forming the ingot head. Supplemental molten metal may be fed into the reduced casting footprint, and the chill bars may be moved laterally towards the center of the ingot, further reducing the casting footprint. As additional molten metal fills the reduced mold footprint, the ingot may be lowered relative to the chill bars to further increase the height of the ingot head. Additional molten metal may be added until the desired shape of the ingot head is formed.

Steam exhaust ports are located around a perimeter of a direct chill casting pit, at various locations from below the top of the pit to the pit bottom to rapidly remove steam from the casting pit with addition of dry excess air. Gas introduction ports are also located around a perimeter of the casting pit and configured to introduce an inert gas into the casting pit interior.