A melting vessel for performing an electro-slag melting method and such a method are presented. Measuring devices measuring a temperature at different heights allow conclusions about position and height of a slag zone in the melting vessel during the method.

A breakout prediction method includes: a step of inputting a dimension of a solid product withdrawn from a mold in a continuous casting machine; a step of detecting a temperature of the mold by a plurality of thermometers embedded in the mold; a step of executing interpolation processing on the detected temperatures detected by the plurality of thermometers according to the dimension of the solid product; a step of calculating, based on the temperatures calculated by executing the interpolation processing, a component in a direction orthogonal to an influence coefficient vector obtained by principal component analysis as a degree of deviation from during a normal operation in which a breakout has not occurred; and a step of predicting a breakout based on the degree of deviation.

A control method for a continuous casting machine, includes: estimating, by on-line real-time system, a flow state of molten steel in a mold by using an operation condition of a continuous casting machine and temperature data on the molten steel in the mold; calculating, by on-line real-time system, a molten steel flow index based on the estimated flow state of the molten steel, the molten steel flow index being a factor of mixing of an impurity into a casting inside the mold; and controlling the operation condition of the continuous casting machine such that the calculated molten steel flow index is within an appropriate range.

A dross removal device including: a dross robot that is configured to collect a bath surface dross present on a bath surface of a coating bath; a dross sensor that is configured to measure an intensity of infrared light from the bath surface of the coating bath; a dross sensor control device that is configured to specify a position of the bath surface dross according to a temporal change amount in the intensity of the infrared light; and a dross robot control device that is configured to cause the dross robot to collect the bath surface dross at the position specified by the dross sensor control device.

A casting mold including a copper plate and a plurality of optical fibers, having a plurality of temperature measuring points for the copper plate while casting. Molten metal is cast into the mold along an axis of, the optical fibers built-in the plate. A method for detecting temperature distribution of a molten metal in a casting mold having at least one copper plate, including determining by calculation or measurement an ideal molten flow of the metal, building-in a plurality of optical fibers into the copper plate based on flow, arranging the optical fibers inside at least the upper part of the copper plate, receiving the measurements of temperatures, and comparing the measurements of temperatures with a calculated/measured distribution of an ideal molten flow.

Disclosed are a sensor, detection system and method for detection of at least one physical quantity selected between temperature of at least one portion of a crystallizer of a mould of a casting machine of a liquid metal and position of a meniscus or level of the liquid metal inside the crystallizer. A casting machine having such a sensor or detection system is also disclosed.

A melting vessel for performing an electro-slag melting method and such a method are presented. Measuring devices measuring a temperature at different heights allow conclusions about position and height of a slag zone in the melting vessel during the method.

An apparatus for the automatic startup of a continuous casting line, including a vessel which is connected to a tip by means of a gate, the tip feeding a casting housing. The apparatus includes a laser device which measures the level of the metal within the vessel, a level control device, which adjusts the introduction of liquid metal into the vessel, a gate actuator to control the gate for providing a barrier between the vessel and the tip, a transducer for the temperature of the metal inside the vessel, and a PLC which receives data from the temperature transducer and from the laser device to control the level control device and the gate actuator, so as to adjust the vessel metal level to ensure a correct and continuous flow of metal toward the casting cylinders, to avoid poor diffusion of the metal inside the tip.

A casting mold including a copper plate and a plurality of optical fibers, having a plurality of temperature measuring points for the copper plate while casting. Molten metal is cast into the mold along an axis of, the optical fibers built-in the plate. A method for detecting temperature distribution of a molten metal in a casting mold having at least one copper plate, including determining by calculation or measurement an ideal molten flow of the metal, building-in a plurality of optical fibers into the copper plate based on flow, arranging the optical fibers inside at least the upper part of the copper plate, receiving the measurements of temperatures, and comparing the measurements of temperatures with a calculated/measured distribution of an ideal molten flow.

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.