Control of continuous casting

Claim 1

The method of controlling heat transfer during the metal casting operation in a direct-chill continuous casting mold having an insulated feed reservoir which comprises: a. using an axially aligned reservoir having an overhang of not more than one-eighth inch over the mold face; b. establishing a casting speed for the metal being cast so that the upstream conduction distance measured from the liquid wetting line of the chill liquid extends within about 1 inch of the reservoir and wherein the casting speed and upstream conduction distance satisfy the following relationship: where UCD upstream conduction distance in feet, Delta thermal diffusivity of alloy being cast, ft.2/hr., U casting speed, ft./hr., Cp heat capacity of alloy being cast B.t.u./lb. * F., tq quench temperature at chill zone *F., tl solidification temperature *F., to temperature of liquid metal in top of reservoir *F., Q latent heat of fusion, B.t.u./lb.; and c. maintaining the casting speed so that the temperature of the mold wall does not fluctuate more than about + OR - 25* F. per cycle when the temperature cycling rate is from about 0.5 to about 10 cycles per inch of length of metal being cast.

Claim 2

The method of controlling heat transfer during the metal casting operation in a direct-chill continuous casting mold having an insulated feed reservoir which comprises: a. using an axially aligned reservoir having an overhang of not more than one-eighth inch over the mold face; b. establishing a casting speed for the metal being cast so that the upstream conduction distance measured from the liquid wetting line of the chill liquid extends within about 1 inch of the reservoir and wherein the casting speed and upstream conduction distance satisfy the following relationship: where UCD upstream conduction distance in feet, Delta thermal diffusivity of alloy being cast, ft.2/hr., U casting speed, ft./hr., Cp heat capacity of alloy being cast B.t.u./lb. * F., tq quench temperature at chill zone *F., tl solidification temperature *F., to temperature of liquid metal in top of reservoir *F., Q latent heat of fusion, B.t.u./lb.; and c. maintaining the casting speed so that the temperature of the mold wall does not fluctuate more than about + OR - 25* F. per cycle when the temperature cycling rate is from about 0.5 to about 10 cycles per inch of length of metal being cast.

Claim 3

The method of controlling heat, transfer during the metal casting operation in a direct-chill continuous casting mold having an insulated feed reservoir which comprises: a. using an axially aligned reservoir having an overhang of not more than one-eighth inch over the mold face; b. establishing the casting speed for the metal being cast so that the upstream conduction distance measured from the liquid wetting line of the chill extends to within about 1 inch of the reservoir and wherein the casting speed and upstream conduction distance satisfy the following relationship: where UCD upstream conduction distance in feet, Delta thermal diffusivity of alloy being cast, ft.2/hr., U casting speed, ft./hr., Cp heat capacity of alloy being cast B.t.u./lb. *F., tq quench temperAture at chill zone *F., tl solidification temperature *F., to temperature of liquid metal in top of reservoir *F., Q latent heat of fusion, B.t.u./lb.; and c. adjusting the position of the liquid wetting line of the chill liquid to maintain the temperature of the mold wall from fluctuating more than about + or - 25* F. per cycle when the temperature cycling rate is from about 0.5 to about 10 cycles per inch of length of metal being cast.

Claim 4

The method of controlling heat, transfer during the metal casting operation in a direct-chill continuous casting mold having an insulated feed reservoir which comprises: a. using an axially aligned reservoir having an overhang of not more than one-eighth inch over the mold face; b. establishing the casting speed for the metal being cast so that the upstream conduction distance measured from the liquid wetting line of the chill extends to within about 1 inch of the reservoir and wherein the casting speed and upstream conduction distance satisfy the following relationship: where UCD upstream conduction distance in feet, Delta thermal diffusivity of alloy being cast, ft.2/hr., U casting speed, ft./hr., Cp heat capacity of alloy being cast B.t.u./lb. *F., tq quench temperAture at chill zone *F., tl solidification temperature *F., to temperature of liquid metal in top of reservoir *F., Q latent heat of fusion, B.t.u./lb.; and c. adjusting the position of the liquid wetting line of the chill liquid to maintain the temperature of the mold wall from fluctuating more than about + or - 25* F. per cycle when the temperature cycling rate is from about 0.5 to about 10 cycles per inch of length of metal being cast.