A method for producing an austenitic stainless steel slab by continuous casting of an austenitic stainless steel, including applying electric power to the molten steel in a depth region providing a solidification shell thickness of from 5 to 10 mm at least at a center position in the long edge direction, so as to cause flows in directions inverse to each other in the long edge direction on both long edge sides, thereby performing electro-magnetic stirring (EMS) to control a continuous casting condition satisfying 10<T<50F.sub.EMS+10. Herein, T represents a difference between an average molten steel temperature ( C.) and a solidification starting temperature ( C.) of the molten steel, and F.sub.EMS represents a stirring intensity index shown by a function of a molten steel flow velocity in the long edge direction imparted by the electro-magnetic stirring and a casting velocity.

A method for producing an austenitic stainless steel slab by continuous casting of an austenitic stainless steel, including applying electric power to the molten steel in a depth region providing a solidification shell thickness of from 5 to 10 mm at least at a center position in the long edge direction, so as to cause flows in directions inverse to each other in the long edge direction on both long edge sides, thereby performing electro-magnetic stirring (EMS) to control a continuous casting condition satisfying 10<T<50F.sub.EMS+10. Herein, T represents a difference between an average molten steel temperature ( C.) and a solidification starting temperature ( C.) of the molten steel, and F.sub.EMS represents a stirring intensity index shown by a function of a molten steel flow velocity in the long edge direction imparted by the electro-magnetic stirring and a casting velocity.

Production plant of metal rods, casting machine, casting process and control method of at least three electromagnetic stirrer devices, wherein one provides at least one phase of switching between two operating configurations of the electromagnetic stirrer devices of which a first operating configuration with the generation of a rotating electromagnetic field inducing in the metallic material in the molten state a rotational motion and a second operating configuration with the generation of a linear electromagnetic field inducing in the metallic material in the molten state a linear motion.

Production plant of metal rods, casting machine, casting process and control method of at least three electromagnetic stirrer devices, wherein one provides at least one phase of switching between two operating configurations of the electromagnetic stirrer devices of which a first operating configuration with the generation of a rotating electromagnetic field inducing in the metallic material in the molten state a rotational motion and a second operating configuration with the generation of a linear electromagnetic field inducing in the metallic material in the molten state a linear motion.

An electromagnetic brake system for a metal-making process. The electromagnetic brake system includes a two-level magnetic structure, in particular an upper magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to an upper portion of a mold and a lower magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to a lower portion of a mold. Lateral coils on the upper magnetic structure are configured to be controlled to generate a first magnetic field in a first field direction and inner coils are configured to be controlled to generate a second magnetic field in a second field direction, simultaneously with the first magnetic field. The lower magnetic core structure has lower coils which are configured to be controlled to generate a third magnetic field in the first direction simultaneously as the lateral coils and the inner coils generate their fields.

An electromagnetic brake system for a metal-making process. The electromagnetic brake system includes a two-level magnetic structure, in particular an upper magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to an upper portion of a mold and a lower magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to a lower portion of a mold. Lateral coils on the upper magnetic structure are configured to be controlled to generate a first magnetic field in a first field direction and inner coils are configured to be controlled to generate a second magnetic field in a second field direction, simultaneously with the first magnetic field. The lower magnetic core structure has lower coils which are configured to be controlled to generate a third magnetic field in the first direction simultaneously as the lateral coils and the inner coils generate their fields.

This invention aims at providing a silicon electromagnetic casting apparatus for accurate and easy manufacturing of high quality silicon ingots. This apparatus uses a furnace vessel 100, a conductive crucible 200 installed in the internal part of the furnace vessel 100 and an induction coil 300 installed on the outer circumference of the crucible 200. Constant pressure is maintained in the internal part of the furnace vessel 100 using a prescribed gas and the silicon inside the above mentioned crucible 200 is solidified after melting it by induction heating by applying voltage on the induction coil 300. The induction coil 300 is made by placing 2 induction coils 310 and 320 having different induction frequencies one above the other.

This invention aims at providing a silicon electromagnetic casting apparatus for accurate and easy manufacturing of high quality silicon ingots. This apparatus uses a furnace vessel 100, a conductive crucible 200 installed in the internal part of the furnace vessel 100 and an induction coil 300 installed on the outer circumference of the crucible 200. Constant pressure is maintained in the internal part of the furnace vessel 100 using a prescribed gas and the silicon inside the above mentioned crucible 200 is solidified after melting it by induction heating by applying voltage on the induction coil 300. The induction coil 300 is made by placing 2 induction coils 310 and 320 having different induction frequencies one above the other.

A continuous casting method includes discharging a molten steel from discharge ports of a submerged nozzle under conditions (A) and (B); and performing electro-magnetic stirrer (EMS) to cause flows in directions inverse to each other in the long edge direction on both long edge sides in the molten steel in a region having a depth providing a thickness of a solidification shell of from 5 to 10 mm at least at a center position in the long edge direction. (A) a discharge extended line from the discharge port of the submerged nozzle intersects a molten steel surface in the mold at a point P, and the position of the point P satisfies 0.15M/W0.45; and (B) a condition satisfying 0L0.17Vi350, wherein the unit for L is mm, and Vi represents a discharge velocity (mm/s) of the molten steel at the outlet opening.

A continuous casting method includes discharging a molten steel from discharge ports of a submerged nozzle under conditions (A) and (B); and performing electro-magnetic stirrer (EMS) to cause flows in directions inverse to each other in the long edge direction on both long edge sides in the molten steel in a region having a depth providing a thickness of a solidification shell of from 5 to 10 mm at least at a center position in the long edge direction. (A) a discharge extended line from the discharge port of the submerged nozzle intersects a molten steel surface in the mold at a point P, and the position of the point P satisfies 0.15M/W0.45; and (B) a condition satisfying 0L0.17Vi350, wherein the unit for L is mm, and Vi represents a discharge velocity (mm/s) of the molten steel at the outlet opening.