The invention relates to an ingot mold for continuous casting of metals, of the type consisting of an assembly of metal plates backed by cooling devices configured to allow the cooling of the metal plates by the circulation of a cooling fluid, comprising: a) at least one optical fiber, having a plurality of Bragg filters, extending in a wall of at least one of the plates, b) at least one groove formed in a wall of at least one of the plates, in a direction that is not parallel to the casting axis of the ingot mould in at least one portion of the length, the optical fiber extending in the groove, and c) a tongue of shape substantially complementary to the groove closing the groove over its entire length, the groove and the tongue having a shape suitable for the passage of the optical fiber.

The invention relates to an ingot mold for continuous casting of metals, of the type consisting of an assembly of metal plates backed by cooling devices configured to allow the cooling of the metal plates by the circulation of a cooling fluid, comprising: a) at least one optical fiber, having a plurality of Bragg filters, extending in a wall of at least one of the plates, b) at least one groove formed in a wall of at least one of the plates, in a direction that is not parallel to the casting axis of the ingot mould in at least one portion of the length, the optical fiber extending in the groove, and c) a tongue of shape substantially complementary to the groove closing the groove over its entire length, the groove and the tongue having a shape suitable for the passage of the optical fiber.

A method includes the production of a primary ingot, the production of a secondary ingot, and the removal of a flux layer. A CaO—CaF.sub.2 flux in a content of 3-20 mass % and obtained by mixing 35-95 mass % of CaF.sub.2 with CaO is added to a Ti—Al alloy material including a total of at least 0.1 mass % of oxygen and at least 40 mass % of Al, and the resultant substance is melted by a melting method using a water-cooled copper container in an atmosphere having a pressure of 1.33 Pa or higher and held to produce the primary ingot. The primary ingot is continuously drawn downwards while being melted by a melting method using a bottomless water-cooled copper casting mould in an atmosphere having a pressure of 1.33 Pa or higher to produce the secondary ingot. The flux layer deposited on the surface of the secondary ingot is mechanically removed.

A method includes the production of a primary ingot, the production of a secondary ingot, and the removal of a flux layer. A CaO—CaF.sub.2 flux in a content of 3-20 mass % and obtained by mixing 35-95 mass % of CaF.sub.2 with CaO is added to a Ti—Al alloy material including a total of at least 0.1 mass % of oxygen and at least 40 mass % of Al, and the resultant substance is melted by a melting method using a water-cooled copper container in an atmosphere having a pressure of 1.33 Pa or higher and held to produce the primary ingot. The primary ingot is continuously drawn downwards while being melted by a melting method using a bottomless water-cooled copper casting mould in an atmosphere having a pressure of 1.33 Pa or higher to produce the secondary ingot. The flux layer deposited on the surface of the secondary ingot is mechanically removed.

Provided herein is a system, apparatus, and method for continuous casting of metal, and more particularly, to a mechanism for controlling the shape of a direct chill casting mold to dynamically control a profile of an ingot cast from the mold during the casting process. Embodiments may provide an apparatus for casting material including: first and second opposing side walls; first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, where the first and second opposing side walls and the first and second opposing end walls form a generally rectangular shaped mold cavity. At least one of the first and second opposing side walls may include two or more contact regions, where each of the two or more contact regions may be configured to be displaced relative to a straight line along the side wall.

A crystallizer copper plate and a continuous casting crystallizer. The crystallizer copper plate is provided with a metal continuous casting die surface and a rear-side cooling fixed surface. The fixed surface is provided with fixing screw holes in a vertical column connected to a fixed water tank or an adapter backplate and mesas forming the surrounding of the screw holes. Reinforced bars are connected between multiple mesas of each column. Cooling channels lower than the fixed surface are provided between any two adjacent two columns of fixing screw holes. Flow-diverting cooling bars are provided at the middle of meniscus regions of the cooling channels. Either the top end or the bottom end of the flow-diverting cooling bar is a cone used for altering the direction of movement of a cooling medium.

A crystallizer copper plate and a continuous casting crystallizer. The crystallizer copper plate is provided with a metal continuous casting die surface and a rear-side cooling fixed surface. The fixed surface is provided with fixing screw holes in a vertical column connected to a fixed water tank or an adapter backplate and mesas forming the surrounding of the screw holes. Reinforced bars are connected between multiple mesas of each column. Cooling channels lower than the fixed surface are provided between any two adjacent two columns of fixing screw holes. Flow-diverting cooling bars are provided at the middle of meniscus regions of the cooling channels. Either the top end or the bottom end of the flow-diverting cooling bar is a cone used for altering the direction of movement of a cooling medium.

Methods of billet casting are provided herein. The methods may include the steps of assembling a billet caster with a shroud extending from a tundish to above a mold such that the shroud does not reach molten metal in the mold, delivering molten metal from a ladle into the tundish, delivering molten metal from the tundish through the shroud to the mold, the shroud inhibiting contact between the molten metal and air, casting the molten metal into billets in the mold and cooling the billets below the mold with a coolant spray, and delivering the cooled billet to a runout table to be cut to length.

Methods of billet casting are provided herein. The methods may include the steps of assembling a billet caster with a shroud extending from a tundish to above a mold such that the shroud does not reach molten metal in the mold, delivering molten metal from a ladle into the tundish, delivering molten metal from the tundish through the shroud to the mold, the shroud inhibiting contact between the molten metal and air, casting the molten metal into billets in the mold and cooling the billets below the mold with a coolant spray, and delivering the cooled billet to a runout table to be cut to length.

A continuous casting mold including a water-cooled copper mold having a mold copper plate including an inner wall surface, recessed portions disposed partially or entirely in a region of the inner wall surface of the water-cooled copper mold from at least a position located at a meniscus to a position located 20 mm lower than the meniscus, and material-filled layers disposed in the recessed portions with a metal or nonmetal having a thermal conductivity different from that of the mold copper plate of the water-cooled copper mold. A shape of each of the recessed portions at a surface of the mold copper plate includes a curved surface.