Provided herein are an apparatus and method for continuous casting of metal, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method to reduce macrosegregation through a mechanism for controlling the position of a spout tip or diffuser during the casting process to maintain the spout tip or diffuser near the solidification front, location of transition between liquid metal and solid metal in the cast part. An apparatus may include: a mold frame supporting a mold defining a mold cavity; a liquid diffuser; and an actuator configured to move at least one of the mold frame and the liquid diffuser relative to one another, wherein the actuator is configured to move at least one of the mold frame and the liquid diffuser relative to one another in response to a signal from at least one sensor.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a metal ingot by continuous casting, comprising the following steps: S1: melting the metal, S2: transferring the liquid metal (2) by pouring it into a crucible (12), S3: moving the base plate (14) of the crucible (12), S4: progressive solidification of the liquid metal (2) from the base plate (14) of the crucible (12), and S5: during the step S3 of moving the base plate (14), applying a compression force to the metal (3) which is present between the base plate (14) and the side wall (13), the compression force being applied along a second axis (X2) parallel to the first axis (X1) so as to deform the metal and to obtain an ingot (3) which has a smaller width (L2).

The precision of grasping or controlling backpressure around a gas discharge portion in a stopper for continuous casting can be improved with a stopper for continuous casting which includes a cavity for conveying gas in a vertical direction center of the stopper, one or a plurality of gas discharge holes passing through from the cavity to the outside in a distal center or a side surface of a reduced-diameter region including a fitted portion to a lower nozzle, and a pressure control component in a part of an area above the gas discharge hole within the cavity.

The precision of grasping or controlling backpressure around a gas discharge portion in a stopper for continuous casting can be improved with a stopper for continuous casting which includes a cavity for conveying gas in a vertical direction center of the stopper, one or a plurality of gas discharge holes passing through from the cavity to the outside in a distal center or a side surface of a reduced-diameter region including a fitted portion to a lower nozzle, and a pressure control component in a part of an area above the gas discharge hole within the cavity.

A control method and apparatus for inhibiting slag entrapment in ladle (1) during continuous casting production. An optimal control model calculating unit (11) receives related signals and data sent by a ladle weight detector (4), a molten steel flow field detector (5), a slag detector (7), a sliding gate opening detector (9), and a process signal interface unit (10), performs calculation and analysis according to an optimal control model to obtain a corresponding optimal control strategy, and outputs the strategy to an electromagnetic brake (6) and a sliding gate controller (8) for slag entrapment inhibition control. Regarding the two processes where a vortex may be formed, by means of different optimal control strategies, which respectively inhibit or destroy the formation of a vortex, slag generation is postponed, and molten steel may flow out without bringing slag out, thereby reducing residual ladle steel and improving molten steel yield.

A control method and apparatus for inhibiting slag entrapment in ladle (1) during continuous casting production. An optimal control model calculating unit (11) receives related signals and data sent by a ladle weight detector (4), a molten steel flow field detector (5), a slag detector (7), a sliding gate opening detector (9), and a process signal interface unit (10), performs calculation and analysis according to an optimal control model to obtain a corresponding optimal control strategy, and outputs the strategy to an electromagnetic brake (6) and a sliding gate controller (8) for slag entrapment inhibition control. Regarding the two processes where a vortex may be formed, by means of different optimal control strategies, which respectively inhibit or destroy the formation of a vortex, slag generation is postponed, and molten steel may flow out without bringing slag out, thereby reducing residual ladle steel and improving molten steel yield.

A tundish with improved flow characteristics for molten metal has an outlet in its base. The outlet is spaced longitudinally in the tundish from a pour zone. The pour zone is positioned to receive a stream of molten steel from a ladle. The outlet is provided with a refractory barrier at its upper end. A portion of the floor of the tundish circumferential to the outlet is provided with a refractory structure having an interior free volume. Structures within the tundish, such as a dam extending upwardly from the tundish floor between the pour zone and the outlet, or a well in the tundish floor surrounding the outlet, may be used to affect the flow of molten metal in the tundish.

The invention provides a casting equipment (1) for casting melt (15) into a cast product (80) comprising a supply reservoir (10) for supplying the melt (15), a distribution reservoir (20), a casting apparatus (25) having a melt inlet connected to the distribution reservoir (20) for producing the cast product (80), a supply conduit (30) fluidly connecting the supply reservoir (10) and the distribution reservoir (20), an electromagnetic pump (35) provided on the supply conduit (30) and operable to generate a force in the melt (15) in the supply conduit (30), a level sensor (40) for measuring a level of the melt (15) in the distribution reservoir (20) and/or in the supply reservoir (10), a controller operably connected to the pump (35) and the level sensor (40), wherein the supply conduit (30) is sealed or sealable from a pressure of the atmosphere, wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of the pump (35) based on a level signal from the level sensor (40), and wherein, at least during a steady-state casting operation, the casting equipment is configured such that the supply conduit (30) defines a flow path that has a point that is higher than a surface of the melt in the supply reservoir (10) and/or the distribution reservoir (20), and the pump (35) is operated such that the metal level in the distribution reservoir (20) is at a predefined level such as to control a pressure of the melt (15) in the melt inlet of the casting apparatus (25).

Systems and apparatus for continuously casting thin strip where one or more expansion rings are positioned within at least one of a pair of casting rolls, and automatically measuring a thickness of the cast strip close to the first side edge of the strip using at least one sensor. If the thickness measured is too thin, automatically decreasing the radial dimension of the expansion ring arranged in close proximity to the first side edge to cause the cylindrical tube to contract and increase the thickness of the cast strip during casting. If the thickness measured indicates that the thickness of the cast strip is too thick, automatically increasing the radial dimension of the expansion ring arranged in close proximity to the first side edge to cause the cylindrical tube to expand and reduce the thickness of the cast strip during casting.

A method for producing ultra-thin hot-rolled strip steel, the method comprising the following process steps: A. a smelting process: feeding scrap steel into an induction electric furnace (1) for smelting so that the scrap steel melts into molten steel; B. a refining process: using a ladle refining furnace (2) and a ladle vacuum degassing furnace (3) to refine the molten steel; C. a continuous casting process: casting the refined molten steel into a cast strip blank that has a thickness of 1.6-2.5 mm by means of a dual-roller thin strip continuous casting system (4); D. a hot rolling process: directly feeding the cast strip blank that was cast in the continuous casting process to a single-stand hot rolling mill (9) for rolling to produce hot-rolled strip steel, the thickness of the hot-rolled strip steel being 0.8-1.5 mm; E. a cooling coiling process: performing atomizing cooling on the hot-rolled strip steel, and coiling after the strip steel temperature is controlled to be 400-750° C. The present method achieves an extremely compact, environmentally-friendly and economical ultra-thin hot-rolled strip steel production process flow, and achieves the environmentally-friendly and economical continuous production of metal plates and strips.