Lubricants for continuous metal-casting operations

Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to synthetic lubricants used at very high temperatures in the process of continuous casting of molten metals. The lubricants are applied as a liquid film to the surfaces of the molds into which the metal is poured. In continuous casting of steel the molten steel is poured into an open-bottomed mold of the desired product shape. The steel is cooled in the mold just enough to harden the exterior surface of the casting, which forms a shell or container that holds the balance of the liquid metal. The inner walls of the mold are continuously coated with a liquid lubricant as the metal is poured therein. The partially solidified casting is then continuously withdrawn from the bottom of the mold, where it is further cooled by water sprays until all the metal is solidified. The casting is cut as it descends through the equipment into desired lengths. The polyol esters of fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, or mixtures thereof, are excellent lubricants for molds used in continuous casting of metals. The preferred polyols have two to 12 hydroxy groups and at least five carbon atoms, including for example, pentaerythritol or polymers thereof, trimethylol ethane, trimethylol propane, and glycols containing from two to 40 carbon atoms. Also included in these polyols are inositol, mannitol, sorbitol, glucose, sucrose, trimethylol benzene, hexamethylol benzene, methyl glucosides, polyglycerols and, in fact, any polyol capable of reacting with at least two selected fatty acid molecules to form a minimum of a diester.

Inventors

• 👤 Bernard H Kress
• 👤 Donald E Alexander

Bibliographic Details