Continuous pickling of cast rod

Claim 2

In a method of continuously casting copper rod or the like wherein molten copper is poured into a mold of a continuous casting device and the molten copper is cooled until it is solidified and is formed into a solid bar, the hot bar is moved along its length and elongated and reduced in its cross-sectional area in a rolling mill to hot form continuous rod, and the rod is arranged in a coil, the improvement therein of quench pickling the rod before the rod is arranged in a coil, including the steps of maintaining the residual temperature of the rod above 700* F. until the rod passes from the rolling mill, passing the rod along its length from the rolling mill and directing a stream of high-velocity pickling agent onto the surface of the rod at a velocity sufficient to impinge the surface of the rod and directing turbulent flows of pickling agent and water in contact with the surface of the moving rod in volumes sufficient to cool the rod to a temperature less than 200* F. before the rod is arranged in a coil.

Claim 3

A product formed by the process of claim 3.

Claim 4

The method of claim 3 and further including the steps of removing at least a portion of any soluble oil on the rod from the surface of the rod as the rod passes from the rolling mill and flowing water soluble wax about the rod after the rod has been quench pickled and before the rod is arranged in a coil.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the step of contacting the surface of the rod with a pickling agent comprises contacting the surface of the rod with a solution containing citric acid.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 wherein the step of contacting the surface of the rod with a pickling agent comprises contacting the surface of the rod with a solution containing from 5-25 percent citric acid.

Claim 7

In a method of continuously casting copper rod or the like wherein molten copper is poured into a mold of a continuous casting device and the molten copper is cooled until it is solidified and is formed into a solid bar, the hot bar is moved along its length and elongated and reduced in its cross-sectional area in a rolling mill to hot form continuous rod, and the rod is arranged in a coil, the improvement therein of quench pickling the rod before the rod is arranged in a coil, including the steps of maintaining the residual temperature of the rod above 700* F. until the rod passes from the rolling mill, passing the rod along its length from the rolling mill, and contacting the surface of the rod with a turbulent flow of pickling agent and with water in volumes sufficient to cool the rod to a temperature less than 200* F. comprising impinging a high-velocity spray of pickling agent upon the rod, directing a turbulent flow of pickling agent in contact with and along the length of the rod and in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the rod, impinging a high velocity spray of water upon the rod, and directing a turbulent flow of water in contact with and along the length of the rod in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the rod.

Claim 8

The method of claim 3 and further including the steps of recycling the pickling agent in a closed system and regenerating and pickling the agent.

Claim 9

In a method of continuously casting copper rod or the like wherein molten copper is poured into a mold of a continuous casting device and the molten copper is cooled until it is solidified and is formed into a solid bar, the hot bar is moved along its length and elongated and reduced in its cross-sectional area in a rolling mill to hot form continuous rod, and the rod is arranged in a coil, the improvement therein of quench pickling the rod before the rod is arranged in a coil, including the steps of maintaining the residual temperature of the rod above 700* F. until the rod passes from the rolling mill, passing the rod along its length from the rolling mill, and contacting the surface of the rod with a turbulent flow of pickling agent and with water in volumes sufficient to cool the rod to a temperature less than 200* F. comprising wiping the rod with a flow of high-velocity fluid at a first station, impinging the rod with a flow of high-velocity pickling sequestering agent at a second station, directing a turbulent flow of pickling sequestering agent in contact with and along the length of the rod in the direction opposite to the movement of the rod from a third station toward the second station, directing a turbulent flow of pickling sequestering agent in contact with and along the length of the rod from a fourth station toward the third station, impinging the rod with a flow of high-velocity pickling sequestering agent at a fifth station, alternately wiping the rod with flows of air and water at a sixth station, directing a turbulent flow of water in contact with and along the length of the rod from a seventh station toward the sixth station, and coating the surface of the rod with a protective material at an eighth station.

Claim 10

In a method of continuously casting copper rod or the like wherEin molten copper is poured into a mold of a casting device and the molten copper is cooled until it solidifies into a continuous solid bar, the bar is elongated and reduced in its cross-sectional area in a rolling mill to hot form continuous rod, and the rod is arranged in a coil, the improvement therein of quench pickling the rod from a temperature above 700* F. to a temperature below 200* F. as the rod moves along its length through an upwardly inclined path away from the rolling mill and before the rod is arranged in a coil by directing a stream of high-velocity pickling fluid against the rod at a velocity sufficient to impinge the surface of the rod and forcing a turbulent flow of pickling fluid in contact with the rod and along the length of the rod in a downwardly inclined direction generally opposite to the direction of travel of the rod.