A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

A method for manufacturing carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites is provided. Particularly, the method uses a stir casting process during a melting and casting process and reduces a contact angle of carbon against aluminum by inputting carbon fibers while supplying a current to liquid aluminum to induce the carbon fibers to be spontaneously and uniformly distributed in the liquid aluminum and inhibits a formation of an aluminum carbide (Al.sub.4C.sub.3) phase on an interface between the aluminum and the carbon fiber, thereby manufacturing carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites having excellent electrical, thermal and mechanical characteristics.

A method for manufacturing carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites is provided. Particularly, the method uses a stir casting process during a melting and casting process and reduces a contact angle of carbon against aluminum by inputting carbon fibers while supplying a current to liquid aluminum to induce the carbon fibers to be spontaneously and uniformly distributed in the liquid aluminum and inhibits a formation of an aluminum carbide (Al.sub.4C.sub.3) phase on an interface between the aluminum and the carbon fiber, thereby manufacturing carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites having excellent electrical, thermal and mechanical characteristics.

A method for maintaining the optimal argon injection flow rate which will result in production of steel slab of a chosen alloy having optimal cleanliness. The steel is cast using an argon injected slide gate. The selected steel has a known optimal argon injection flow rate Qb* for casting steel of optimal cleanliness. The method involves calculating the present steel pressure and determining the present injection flow rate conductance Gb of the argon injected slide gate during either of 1) a steel pressure change event; or 2) an argon flow change event. The measurements are used to calculate present argon pressure required to insure the required injection flow rate of argon into the steel for optimal cleanliness of the cast steel.

A method for maintaining the optimal argon injection flow rate which will result in production of steel slab of a chosen alloy having optimal cleanliness. The steel is cast using an argon injected slide gate. The selected steel has a known optimal argon injection flow rate Qb* for casting steel of optimal cleanliness. The method involves calculating the present steel pressure and determining the present injection flow rate conductance Gb of the argon injected slide gate during either of 1) a steel pressure change event; or 2) an argon flow change event. The measurements are used to calculate present argon pressure required to insure the required injection flow rate of argon into the steel for optimal cleanliness of the cast steel.

A steel product or thin steel cast strip comprised of, by weight, less than 0.25% carbon, between 0.20 and 2.0% manganese, between 0.05 and 0.50% silicon, aluminum 0.008% or less by weight, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium between about 0.01% and about 0.20%, niobium between about 0.01% and about 0.20%, molybdenum between about 0.05% and about 0.50%, and vanadium between about 0.01% and about 0.20%, and having a microstructure comprised of a majority bainite, and further comprising fine oxide particles of silicon and iron distributed through the steel microstructure having an average precipitate size less than 50 nanometers. The steel product or thin cast steel strip may have a yield strength of at least 55 ksi (380 MPa) or a tensile strength of at least 500 MPa, or both. The steel product or thin cast steel strip may have a total elongation of at least 6% or 10%. The thin cast steel strip may have thickness less than 3.0 mm, or less than 2.5 mm, or less than 2.0 mm.

A steel product or thin steel cast strip comprised of, by weight, less than 0.25% carbon, between 0.20 and 2.0% manganese, between 0.05 and 0.50% silicon, aluminum 0.008% or less by weight, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium between about 0.01% and about 0.20%, niobium between about 0.01% and about 0.20%, molybdenum between about 0.05% and about 0.50%, and vanadium between about 0.01% and about 0.20%, and having a microstructure comprised of a majority bainite, and further comprising fine oxide particles of silicon and iron distributed through the steel microstructure having an average precipitate size less than 50 nanometers. The steel product or thin cast steel strip may have a yield strength of at least 55 ksi (380 MPa) or a tensile strength of at least 500 MPa, or both. The steel product or thin cast steel strip may have a total elongation of at least 6% or 10%. The thin cast steel strip may have thickness less than 3.0 mm, or less than 2.5 mm, or less than 2.0 mm.