Automatic dam positioning system and method for controlling molten metal distribution to a continuous casting machine

Abstract

This invention relates to a system and method for controlling the distribution of molten metal to a continuous casting apparatus and providing improved profile control of cast metal products. [Solution] The metal supply system comprises an injector for distributing molten metal into a movable mold, a supply container located upstream of the injector and defining a receiving area for receiving the molten metal, and a dam system. The dam system comprises a dam that can be positioned within the receiving area and a controller that can vertically position at least one dam to control the flow of molten metal from the receiving area to the injector. A method for controlling the distribution of molten metal to a continuous casting apparatus includes using at least one dam within the receiving area to at least partially block the flow of molten metal from the receiving area to the injector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 362,135, filed on Mar. 30, 2022, entitled "AUTOMATIC DAM POSITIONING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING MOLTEN METAL DISTRIBUTION TO CONTINUOUS CASTERS", the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This application relates to the continuous casting of molten metal, and more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling the flow of molten metal to a movable mold for casting, the movable mold including, but not limited to, blocks, belts, and / or rolls.

Background Art

[0003] Metal products (such as metal strips, slabs, and plates), particularly those made from aluminum and aluminum alloys, can be manufactured using a continuous casting system in which molten metal is introduced into a gap formed by a movable die. The metal products may be produced in unspecified lengths, continuously discharged from the casting cavity by the movable die. Various types of movable dies may be used depending on the type of continuous casting system. For example, one form of continuous casting system is a twin-belt caster, in which two opposing belts rotate continuously, introducing molten metal by a rounder or injector into a thin casting cavity formed between the opposing regions of the belts. An alternative form is the rotating block caster, in which the casting surface is formed by a block that rotates around a fixed path, forming a continuous surface adjacent to the casting cavity. Yet another type of continuous casting system is the twin-roll caster, in which metal is cast by using an injection device to supply molten metal into a gap formed between two rolls. When the metal comes into contact with the rolls, heat is rapidly released, and the metal begins to solidify. The solidified metal is then compressed as it passes through the gap between the rolls.

[0004] In some continuous casting systems, such as twin-roll casting machines, the exit cross-sectional profile of the cast metal product is directly related to the temperature profile of the molten metal at the tip of the injector that introduces the molten metal into the gap of the movable mold. However, controlling such temperature profiles has traditionally been limited, requiring operators to manually control the temperature in close proximity to the molten metal, which increases the likelihood of workplace accidents. Furthermore, conventional control is inaccurate, unable to quickly address problems, and susceptible to fluctuations, leading to cast metal products with undesirable shapes and / or products that need to be corrected before further processing, thus reducing productivity. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0005] The embodiments to which this patent applies are defined by the claims below, not by the summary of this invention. The summary of this invention is a high-level summary of various embodiments and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the section on embodiments for carrying out the invention below. The summary of this invention is not intended to identify any important or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used alone to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by referring to the entire specification of this patent, any or all of the drawings, and the appropriate parts of each claim.

[0006] According to a particular embodiment, the metal supply system comprises an injector for distributing molten metal into a movable mold, a supply container located upstream of the injector and defining a receiving area for receiving the molten metal, and a dam system. The dam system comprises at least one dam that is positionable within the receiving area, and a controller operably coupled to the at least one dam for controlling the flow of molten metal from the receiving area to the injector by controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam within the receiving area.

[0007] According to some embodiments, a dam system for a metal supply system comprises a plurality of dams and a controller operably coupled to each of the plurality of dams. The controller can control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams independently of the other dams in the plurality of dams.

[0008] According to a particular embodiment, a method for controlling the distribution of molten metal to a continuous casting apparatus includes at least partially blocking the flow of molten metal from a receiving area to an injector using at least one dam in the receiving area, detecting the temperature of the molten metal downstream of at least one dam, and controlling the vertical position of at least one dam based on the detected temperature.

[0009] The various embodiments described herein may include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which are not necessarily expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. All such systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be contained within this disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

[0010] This specification refers to the following attached drawings, but where similar reference numbers are used in different drawings, it is intended to indicate similar or similar components. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a twin-roll casting system having a metal supply system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of the metal supply system. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows a portion of the dam system in the metal supply system. [Figure 4] This shows a portion of a twin-roll casting system having a metal supply system according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 shows a portion of the dam system in the metal supply system. [Figure 6] Figure 4 shows a portion of the dam system in the metal supply system. [Figure 7] Figure 4 shows the actuators for the dam system of the metal supply system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] This specification describes systems and methods for controlling the distribution of molten metal to continuous casting apparatus, including but not limited to twin-roll casting machines. The systems and methods described herein can be used with any metal, but they may be particularly useful with aluminum or aluminum alloys. In certain embodiments, a metal supply system for supplying molten metal to a continuous casting apparatus comprises a dam system having at least one movable dam and a controller. In various embodiments, the dam system includes, but is not limited to, multiple movable dams, including two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and so on. In some embodiments, the dam system includes an odd number of movable dams, but in other embodiments, this is not required.

[0013] The controller is operably coupled to at least one dam and controls the distribution of molten metal to the continuous casting apparatus by controlling the vertical position of at least one dam in the flow path of molten metal (e.g., within the receiving area of ​​a supply vessel or tundish), thereby providing improved profile control of the cast metal product. In various embodiments, the controller is mechanically coupled to at least one dam to improve the durability and reliability of the connection and control of at least one dam in challenging working conditions (e.g., in close proximity to the molten metal and in close proximity to the continuous casting apparatus). In certain embodiments, the dam system includes a sensor associated with at least one dam, which can detect the temperature of the molten metal downstream of at least one dam. Based on the detected temperature, the controller can control the vertical position of at least one dam to provide a desired temperature distribution of the molten metal entering the continuous casting apparatus, thereby improving profile control of the cast metal product. In certain embodiments, the dam system includes multiple dams, each of which may be independently controlled by the controller to improve control of the metal distribution and / or temperature distribution of the molten metal supplied to the continuous casting apparatus. The systems and methods provided herein may realize a variety of other benefits and advantages, and the aforementioned advantages should not be considered limiting.

[0014] Figures 1 to 3 show a continuous casting system 100 comprising a continuous casting apparatus 102 and a metal supply system 104 according to an embodiment.

[0015] In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 3, the continuous casting apparatus 102 is a twin-roll casting machine 106 equipped with a pair of rolls 108A and 108B as movable molds. Each roll 108A and 108B rotates around an axis indicated by arrows 110A and 110B. A gap 112 is defined between rolls 108A and 108B, and during casting, molten metal is supplied into the gap 112 by a metal supply system 104. As the metal comes into contact with rolls 108A and 108B, heat is rapidly released and the metal begins to solidify. As the solidifying metal passes through the gap 112 between rolls 108A and 108B, it is further compressed and discharged from the continuous casting apparatus 102 as a cast metal product 114 (e.g., sheet, plate, shade, etc.) (as indicated by arrow 144). Although the continuous casting apparatus 102 is shown as a twin-roll casting machine 106, in other embodiments the continuous casting apparatus 102 may be a variety of other types of continuous casting apparatus, including, but not limited to, belt casting machines, block casting machines, and / or other casting apparatuses, as needed.

[0016] The metal supply system 104 generally comprises an injector 116, a supply container 118, and a dam system 120. The injector 116 includes a tip 122 through which the molten metal may be introduced into the gap 112 of the casting apparatus 102. In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2, the injector 116 comprises a bottom wall 124 and an upper wall 126 converging toward the tip 122, as well as side walls 128. However, the specific shape and profile of the injector 116 should not be considered limiting, and the injector 116 may have a variety of desired shapes and profiles suitable for supplying molten metal to the casting apparatus 102. As some non-limiting examples, the side walls 128 may be converging, parallel, or dispersed, and the walls 124, 126 may be converging or parallel. The injector 116 may have additional walls and / or shapes as needed.

[0017] The feed container 118 (e.g., a tundish) is located upstream of the injector 116 and generally defines a receiving area 130 (see Figures 2 and 3) for initially receiving the molten metal. In the embodiment illustrated, and best shown in Figure 2, the feed container 118 includes an introduction section 132 from which the molten metal can initially be received, and a main section 134 between the introduction section 132 and the injector 116. However, the shape and profile of the feed container 118 should not be considered restrictive, and the feed container 118 and / or the receiving area 130 may have a variety of shapes, sizes, and profiles as needed.

[0018] The dam system 120 comprises at least one dam 136 and a controller 138 operably coupled to at least one dam 136. In some embodiments, the dam system 120 includes a single dam, while in other embodiments, the dam system 120 includes multiple dams. In the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, the dam system 120 includes five dams 136A to 136E. In embodiments having multiple dams 136, each dam 136 may optionally be operably coupled to the controller 138. As best shown in Figure 2, the dams 136 of the dam system 120 may be provided along the width of the receiving area 130 of the supply vessel 118 (for example, in a direction transverse to the direction of molten metal flow). In certain embodiments, the dams 136 do not need to be provided along the entire width of the receiving area 130. In some non-restrictive examples, the dam 136 is provided along at least 30% of the width of the receiving area 130, such as at least 40% of the width of the receiving area 130, at least 50% of the width of the receiving area 130, etc. However, in other embodiments, the dam 136 may be provided along any range of the width of the receiving area 130 as needed. As will be discussed in detail below, the dam(s) 136 are vertically positionable within the receiving area 130 to control the flow of molten metal to the injector 116 (represented by arrow 141 in Figure 1). Figure 3 shows non-restrictive examples of dams 136A to 136E at various vertical positions within the receiving area 130.

[0019] The controller 138 is operably coupled to the dam(s) 136 to control the vertical position of the dam(s) 136 within the receiving area 130. In embodiments having multiple dams 136, the controller 138 may control the vertical position of each dam(s) 136 independently of the other dams 136. In other embodiments, the controller 138 may jointly control the vertical positions of two or more dams 136 as needed. By controlling the vertical position of the dam(s) 136, the distribution of molten metal to the injector 116, and therefore to the casting apparatus 102, can be controlled, thereby controlling the profile of the cast metal product 114. In certain embodiments, as will be described later, by controlling the vertical position of the dam(s) 136, the temperature distribution in the molten metal supplied to the injector 116 can be controlled, thereby controlling the profile of the cast metal product 114. As shown in Figure 3, when the dam system 120 includes multiple dams 136, the controller 138 may control the dams 136 to be in various vertical positions as needed, and the vertical position of one dam 136 does not have to be the same as that of another dam 136.

[0020] The controller 138 may comprise one or more processing units and / or one or more memory devices. The controller's processing units may include, but are not limited to, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing units (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units, and / or combinations thereof, as well as a variety of suitable processing units or combinations thereof. The controller 138's one or more memory devices may include, but are not limited to, any type of long-term, short-term, volatile, non-volatile, or other storage medium, as well as any machine-readable medium accessible by the processor, and are not limited to any particular type or number of memories, or the type of medium in which the memory is stored. Furthermore, as disclosed herein, the terms “storage medium,” “storage,” or “memory” may refer to one or more memories for storing data, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, core memory, magnetic disk storage medium, optical storage medium, flash memory device, and / or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term “machine-readable media” includes, but is not limited to, portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels, and / or various other storage media that contain or transmit instructions and / or data. The foregoing examples of processing devices and memory devices should not be considered restrictive, and the controller 138 may include various types of processing devices and / or memory devices as needed.

[0021] In certain embodiments, the controller 138 optionally includes a related user interface, including but not limited to a graphical user interface, whereby the controller 138 can obtain information from and / or provide information to the user. In such embodiments, the user interface may be on the controller 138 itself or at a location separate from the controller 138, including but not limited to another location within the casting system 100. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 138 may optionally include various communication modules so that the controller 138 can receive and / or transmit information as needed. Non-limiting examples of communication modules can include systems and mechanisms that enable wired and / or wireless communication (e.g., short-range, cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE), etc.).

[0022] In certain embodiments, the controller 138 includes at least one actuator 140 for mechanically and operably coupling the controller 138 to the dam(s) 136 of the dam system 120. The actual mechanical coupling between the actuator 140 and the dam 136 in FIG. 1 is omitted for clarity of the figure. In embodiments having multiple dams 136, each dam 136 may optionally include a dedicated actuator 140, which can facilitate independent control of the dam 136. In certain embodiments, the mechanical coupling provided by the actuator 140 can improve the durability and reliability of the connection between the controller 138 and the dam 136 for controlling the vertical position of the dam 136 under difficult working conditions (e.g., in proximity to molten metal and in proximity to the continuous casting apparatus 102). The at least one actuator 140 can be various devices, mechanisms, or systems as needed. In one non-limiting embodiment, the actuator 140 includes a motor with multiple flexible shafts driven by the motor.

[0023] Returning to FIG. 1, in various embodiments, in addition to the dam(s) 136 and the controller 138, the dam system 120 includes at least one temperature sensor 142 associated with at least one dam 136. The at least one temperature sensor can be various devices or mechanisms suitable for detecting the temperature of molten metal downstream of the at least one dam 136. In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor 142 is provided upstream of the tip 122 of the injector 116, but the specific location of the sensor 142 should not be considered limiting.

[0024] In certain embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor 142 is communicatively coupled to the controller 138, and the controller 138 can control the vertical position of the at least one dam 136 based on the detected temperature from the corresponding temperature sensor 142. In embodiments having multiple dams 136, the dam system 120 may include multiple temperature sensors 142, and each temperature sensor 142 may be associated with a specific dam 136. As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, the dam system 120 may include five temperature sensors 142A - 142E, and each temperature sensor is associated with a corresponding dam 136A - 136E. In this embodiment, the controller 138 may control the vertical position of each dam 136A - 136E based on the temperature detected by the associated temperature sensors 142A - 142E. As a non-limiting example, the controller 138 can raise dam 136C based on the temperature detected by temperature sensor 142C being less than a predetermined value, increasing the flow of metal and the temperature of the molten metal downstream of dam 136C. Such independent control of dams 136A - 136E based on the corresponding temperature sensors 142A - 142E may enable the controller 138 to distribute molten metal with a desired flow rate and / or temperature profile for a desired profile of the cast metal product.

[0025] Optionally, the dam system 120 includes at least one system sensor 146 for detecting parameters of the continuous casting system 100. The at least one system sensor 146 may be communicatively coupled to a controller 138, which can optionally control one or more of the dams 136 based on the information detected by the at least one system sensor 146. The number, type, location, and parameters detected by the at least one system sensor 146 should not be considered limiting. In the illustrated embodiment, a single system sensor 146 is provided, which is a flatness sensor 148. In this embodiment, the flatness sensor 148 can detect the flatness of the cast metal product 114, and the controller 138 can optionally control the dams 136 based on the flatness detected from the flatness sensor 148. In certain embodiments, the flatness (or cross-sectional) profile detected by the flatness sensor 148 can be used to predict the temperature profile of the cast metal product 114 and / or the molten metal. If necessary, various other types of sensors may be used as at least one system sensor 146.

[0026] Figures 4 to 7 show another example of a continuous casting system 400, comprising a continuous casting apparatus 402 and a metal supply system 404, according to an embodiment. Similar to the casting apparatus 102, the casting apparatus 402 is a twin-roll casting machine 406 with a frame 407 for supporting rolls similar to the rolls 108. However, in Figures 4 to 7, the rolls of the twin-roll casting machine 406 are omitted for clarity in the diagram.

[0027] The metal supply system 404 is similar to the metal supply system 104 and comprises an injector 416, a supply container 418, and a dam system 420. The injector 416 is substantially the same as the injector 116, except that the injector 416 has a different profile. The supply container 418 is substantially the same as the supply container 118, except that the shape and profile of the supply container 418 and the receiving area 430 of the supply container 418 are different from those of the supply container 118.

[0028] The dam system 420 is similar to the dam system 120 and comprises a plurality of dams 436A-436E and a controller 438 operably coupled to the dams 436A-436E for vertical positioning of the dams 436A-436E within a receiving area 430. Similar to the controller 138, as best shown in Figures 5-7, the controller 438 comprises an actuator 440 that mechanically couples the controller 438 to each of the dams 436A-436E. In the embodiments shown in Figures 4-7, the actuator 440 comprises a motor 441 and a plurality of flexible shafts 443A-443E. The motor 441 is shown as being supported on a frame 407. However, in other embodiments, the motor 441 may be located in various places as needed. Each flexible shaft 443A to 443E mechanically and operably connects a motor 441 to the corresponding dam 436A to 436E, thereby allowing the dams 436A to 436E to be controlled independently.

[0029] Returning to Figures 1-3, a method for controlling the distribution of molten metal to the continuous casting apparatus 102 using the metal supply system 104 is described in detail below. In certain embodiments, the method includes supplying molten metal, such as molten aluminum alloy, to a supply container 118. In some embodiments, the method includes first receiving the molten metal into the inlet portion 132 of the supply container 118 so that the molten metal flows from the inlet portion 132 to the main portion 134. The method includes using one or more dams 136 to at least partially block the flow of molten metal through the receiving area 130 of the supply container 118 in order to control the distribution of metal to the injector 116. The method includes introducing the molten metal into the gap 112 of the casting apparatus 102 through the tip portion 122 of the injector 116 and casting the molten metal into a cast metal product 114 using the casting apparatus 102.

[0030] In certain embodiments, the method includes controlling the metal distribution and / or temperature distribution of the molten metal introduced into the gap 112 by controlling the vertical position of the dam 136 using a controller 138. In some embodiments, the method includes raising a particular dam 136 vertically to increase the flow of metal and / or increase the temperature of the molten metal downstream of the particular dam 136, and lowering a particular dam 136 vertically to decrease the flow of metal and / or decrease the temperature of the molten metal downstream of the particular dam 136. In some embodiments, controlling the vertical position of the dam 136 includes independently controlling each of a plurality of dams 136.

[0031] In some embodiments, controlling a dam 136 includes receiving the temperature of the molten metal downstream of a particular dam 136 from a corresponding temperature sensor 142, and controlling a particular dam 136 based on the temperature detected by the corresponding temperature sensor 142. As a non-limiting example, the method may include controlling dam 136A based on the temperature detected from temperature sensor 142A, controlling dam 136B based on the temperature detected from temperature sensor 142B, controlling dam 136C based on the temperature detected from temperature sensor 142C, controlling dam 136D based on the temperature detected from temperature sensor 142D, and / or controlling dam 136E based on the temperature detected from temperature sensor 142E.

[0032] In various embodiments, controlling the dam 136 based on the temperature detected from the temperature sensor 142 may include comparing the detected temperature to a predetermined temperature corresponding to a specific profile of the cast metal product 114, and controlling the dam 136 based on the difference between the detected temperature and the predetermined temperature. In certain embodiments, controlling the dam 136 may include controlling the dam 136 so that the molten metal supplied to the casting apparatus has a desired temperature profile or distribution along the width of the molten metal introduced into the gap 112. The desired temperature profile or distribution may, in some embodiments, be a uniform temperature profile or distribution. However, in other embodiments, the method includes controlling the dam 136 to provide a non-uniform temperature profile or distribution along the width of the molten metal introduced into the gap 112. In some embodiments, the method optionally includes predicting the temperature profile of the cast metal product 114 and / or the molten metal based on the detected flatness profile of the cast metal product by the controller 138. Optionally, the method may include comparing the predicted temperature profile to a desired temperature profile, and controlling one or more vertical positions of the dam 136 based on the difference between the predicted temperature profile and the predetermined temperature profile.

[0033] Optionally, the method includes controlling the vertical position of one or more dams 136 based on information from at least one system sensor 146. As a non-limiting example, the method may include a controller 138 receiving a detected flatness profile of a cast metal product from at least one system sensor 146, comparing the detected flatness profile with a desired flatness profile, and controlling one or more dams 136 based on the difference between the detected flatness profile and the desired flatness profile.

[0034] As described above, the systems and methods provided herein can improve the distribution of molten metal to continuous casting equipment such as twin-roll casting machines, thereby enabling improved control of the quality of cast metal products. The systems and methods provided herein can enable improved control in working environments that are difficult to achieve otherwise, such as those involving proximity to both molten metal and continuous casting equipment. Various other benefits and advantages can be realized by the systems and methods discussed herein.

[0035] Example explanation A set of exemplary embodiments is provided below, including at least some of which are expressly listed as “Explanatory Examples” to provide further explanations of various exemplary embodiments based on the concepts described herein. These Explanatory Examples are not intended to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive, and this disclosure is not limited to these Explanatory Examples, but rather encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of the issued claims and their equivalents.

[0036] Example 1. A metal supply system comprising an injector for distributing molten metal into a movable mold; a supply container located upstream of the injector and defining a receiving area configured to receive the molten metal; and a dam system, the dam system comprising at least one dam that is positionable within the receiving area, and a controller operably coupled to the at least one dam, the controller being configured to vertically position the at least one dam within the receiving area to control the flow of molten metal from the receiving area to the injector.

[0037] Example 2. A metal supply system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein the controller is mechanically coupled to at least one dam.

[0038] Example 3. A metal supply system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein the dam system further comprises a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the molten metal downstream of the at least one dam, the temperature sensor being communicably coupled to a controller, and the controller being configured to control the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the temperature of the molten metal detected by the temperature sensor.

[0039] Example 4. A metal supply system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein the controller is configured to predict the temperature profile of a cast metal product based on the flatness profile of the cast metal product, compare the predicted temperature profile with a predetermined temperature profile, and control the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the difference between the predicted temperature profile and the predetermined temperature profile.

[0040] Example 5. A metal supply system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of the examples, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the molten metal upstream of the tip of the injector.

[0041] Example 6. A metal supply system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein the at least one dam comprises a plurality of dams provided along at least a portion of the width of the receiving area and in a direction transverse to the flow direction of the molten metal from the receiving area to the injector, and the controller is configured to be operably coupled to each of the plurality of dams and to independently control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams.

[0042] Example 7. A metal supply system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein the dam system further comprises a plurality of temperature sensors, each of which is communicably coupled to the controller and configured to detect the temperature of the molten metal downstream of the corresponding dams of the plurality of dams, and the controller is configured to independently control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams based on the detected temperature of the molten metal from the corresponding temperature sensors.

[0043] Example 8 of the description. A metal supply system according to any preceding or succeeding example or combination of the description, wherein the plurality of dams includes at least five dams.

[0044] Example 9. A twin-roll casting system comprising a metal supply system described in any of the preceding or succeeding example descriptions or combination of the example descriptions, and a twin-roll casting machine.

[0045] Example 10. A twin-roll casting system according to any of the preceding or following explanatory examples or combination of explanatory examples, further comprising a flatness sensor downstream of the twin-roll casting machine, configured to detect a flatness profile of a cast metal product downstream of the twin-roll casting machine, wherein the flatness sensor is communicably coupled to the controller, and the controller is configured to control the vertical position of the at least one dam based at least in part on the detected flatness profile.

[0046] Example 11. A dam system for a metal supply system, comprising a plurality of dams and controllers operably coupled to each of the plurality of dams, wherein the controllers are configured to control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams independently of the other dams of the plurality of dams.

[0047] Example 12. A dam system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of the examples, further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors, each of which is configured to detect the temperature of molten metal downstream of the corresponding dam.

[0048] Example 13. A dam system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein each of the multiple temperature sensors is communicably coupled to the controller, and the controller is configured to control each of the multiple dams based on the detected temperature of the molten metal from the corresponding temperature sensor.

[0049] Example 14. A dam system according to any of the preceding or succeeding examples or combination of the examples, wherein the controller is mechanically coupled to each of the multiple dams.

[0050] Example 15. A dam system according to any of the preceding or following examples or combination of examples, wherein the controller is configured to control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams in order to control the temperature profile of the molten metal.

[0051] Example 16. A method for controlling the distribution of molten metal to a continuous casting apparatus, comprising: at least partially blocking the flow of molten metal from a receiving area to an injector using at least one dam in the receiving area; detecting the temperature of the molten metal downstream of the at least one dam; and controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the detected temperature.

[0052] Example 17. A method by any preceding or following example or combination of the examples, wherein the at least one dam comprises a plurality of dams, and detecting the temperature of the molten metal includes detecting the temperature of the molten metal downstream of each of the plurality of dams.

[0053] Example 18. A method by any preceding or following example or combination of examples, wherein controlling the vertical position of at least one dam involves independently controlling the vertical position of each dam of the plurality of dams based on the detected temperature corresponding to a particular dam of the plurality of dams.

[0054] Example 19. A method by any preceding or succeeding example or combination of examples, wherein the at least one dam comprises a plurality of dams, and controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam includes controlling the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams.

[0055] Example 20. A method by any preceding or succeeding example or combination of examples, further comprising predicting a temperature profile of a cast metal product based on a detected flatness profile of the cast metal product; comparing the predicted temperature profile with a predetermined temperature profile; and controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the difference between the predicted temperature profile and the predetermined temperature profile.

[0056] The subject matter of the embodiments is described herein with specificity to satisfy statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be construed as implying any particular order or arrangement between different steps or elements, except where the order of individual steps or the arrangement of elements is explicitly described. Directional references such as “top,” “bottom,” “highest,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “front,” and “rear” are intended to refer to orientations illustrated and described in, among other things, in one or more figures to which the components and directions refer. Throughout this disclosure, reference figures accompanied by letters refer to specific examples of elements, while reference figures without letters refer to elements in general or collectively. Therefore, as an example (not shown), device "12A" refers to instances of a device class collectively called device "12," and any one of these may be collectively referred to as device "12." In the drawings and descriptions, similar numbers are intended to represent similar elements. As used herein, "a," "an," and "the" include singular and plural references unless explicitly indicated otherwise by the context.

[0057] In this specification, references are made to alloys identified by AA numbers and other relevant symbols, such as “System” or “7xxx.” For an understanding of the numbering system most commonly used for naming and identifying aluminum and its alloys, see “International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Wrought Aluminum and Wrought Aluminum Alloys” or “Registration Record of Aluminum Association Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Aluminum Alloys in the Form of Castings and Ingot” (both published by the Aluminum Association).

[0058] As used herein, a plate generally has a thickness greater than about 15 mm. For example, a plate may refer to an aluminum product having a thickness greater than about 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm. As used herein, a shade (also called a sheet plate) generally has a thickness of about 4 mm to about 15 mm. For example, a shade may have a thickness of about 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, or 15 mm. As used herein, a sheet generally refers to an aluminum product having a thickness of less than about 4 mm. For example, the sheet may have a thickness of less than approximately 4 mm, less than approximately 3 mm, less than approximately 2 mm, less than approximately 1 mm, less than approximately 0.5 mm, or less than approximately 0.3 mm (for example, about 0.2 mm).

[0059] As used herein, terms such as “cast metal products,” “cast products,” and “cast aluminum alloy products” are interchangeable and refer to products manufactured by DC (Direct Chill) casting (including direct chill co-casting), semi-continuous casting, continuous casting (including, for example, by the use of a twin-belt caster, twin-roll caster, block caster, or any other continuous caster), electromagnetic casting, hot-top casting, or any other casting method.

[0060] The embodiments described above are merely possible examples of embodiments and are described solely to provide a clear understanding of the principles of this disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments(s) described above without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of this disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be incorporated herein within the scope of this disclosure, and all possible claims for individual embodiments or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by this disclosure. Furthermore, certain terms are used herein and in the following claims, but they are used only in a general and descriptive sense and are not intended to limit the embodiments described or the following claims.

Claims

1. An injector for distributing molten metal into a movable mold, A supply container located upstream of the injector and defining a receiving region configured to receive the molten metal, A metal supply system comprising a dam system, wherein the dam system is At least one dam that can be positioned within the aforementioned acceptance area, A controller operably coupled to at least one of the dams and The controller is configured to position at least one dam vertically within the receiving area in order to control the flow of molten metal from the receiving area to the injector. The aforementioned metal supply system.

2. The metal supply system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is mechanically coupled to the at least one dam.

3. The metal supply system according to claim 1, wherein the dam system further comprises a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the molten metal downstream of the at least one dam, the temperature sensor being communicably coupled to the controller, and the controller being configured to control the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the temperature of the molten metal detected by the temperature sensor.

4. The metal supply system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to predict the temperature profile of a cast metal product based on the flatness profile detected by the cast metal product, compare the predicted temperature profile with a predetermined temperature profile, and control the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the difference between the predicted temperature profile and the predetermined temperature profile.

5. The metal supply system according to claim 3, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the molten metal upstream of the tip of the injector.

6. The metal supply system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dam includes a plurality of dams provided along at least a portion of the width of the receiving area and in a direction transverse to the flow direction of the molten metal from the receiving area to the injector, and the controller is configured to be operably coupled to each of the plurality of dams and to independently control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams.

7. The metal supply system according to claim 6, wherein the dam system further comprises a plurality of temperature sensors, each of the plurality of temperature sensors being communicably coupled to the controller and configured to detect the temperature of the molten metal downstream of a corresponding dam among the plurality of dams, and the controller being configured to independently control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams based on the detected temperature of the molten metal from the corresponding temperature sensors.

8. The metal supply system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of dams includes at least five dams.

9. A twin-roll casting system comprising the metal supply system described in claim 1 and a twin-roll casting machine.

10. The twin-roll casting system according to claim 9, further comprising a flatness sensor downstream of the twin-roll casting machine, configured to detect a flatness profile of a cast metal product downstream of the twin-roll casting machine, wherein the flatness sensor is communicably coupled to the controller, and the controller is configured to control the vertical position of the at least one dam based at least in part on the detected flatness profile.

11. A dam system for a metal supply system, Multiple dams, Each of the plurality of dams is operably coupled to a controller, the controller being configured to control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams independently of the other dams in the plurality of dams. The aforementioned dam system.

12. The dam system according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors, each of which is configured to detect the temperature of molten metal downstream of the corresponding dam.

13. The dam system according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of temperature sensors is communicably coupled to the controller, and the controller is configured to control each of the plurality of dams based on the detected temperature of the molten metal from the corresponding temperature sensor.

14. The dam system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is mechanically coupled to each of the plurality of dams.

15. The dam system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams in order to control the temperature profile of the molten metal.

16. A method for controlling the distribution of molten metal to a continuous casting apparatus, Using at least one dam within the receiving area to at least partially block the flow of molten metal from the receiving area to the injector, The temperature of the molten metal is detected downstream of at least one of the dams, Controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the detected temperature. The method, including the method described above.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one dam comprises a plurality of dams, and detecting the temperature of the molten metal includes detecting the temperature of the molten metal downstream of each of the plurality of dams.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein controlling the vertical position of at least one dam includes independently controlling the vertical position of each dam of the plurality of dams based on the detected temperature corresponding to a particular dam of the plurality of dams.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one dam comprises a plurality of dams, and controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam includes controlling the vertical position of each of the plurality of dams.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising predicting a temperature profile of a cast metal product based on a detected flatness profile of the cast metal product, comparing the predicted temperature profile with a predetermined temperature profile, and controlling the vertical position of the at least one dam based on the difference between the predicted temperature profile and the predetermined temperature profile.

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