Adjustable crystallizer

Abstract

This invention relates to an adjustable crystallizer, comprising a fixing component and an adjusting component. The fixing component is located above the adjusting component. The fixing component includes a first housing and a support frame. The first housing is mounted on the support frame and has a first cavity. The upper end of the first cavity has a molten metal inlet. The adjusting component includes a second housing, which includes a pair of first side plates and a pair of second side plates. At least one of the second side plates is movable along the first side plate. The first and second side plates cooperate to form a second cavity, which communicates with the first cavity. The lower end of the second cavity has an outlet. By moving the second side plate, the molten metal remains in contact with the surface of the second housing during solidification, effectively preventing the solidified portion from forming a cavity with the inner wall of the second housing due to solidification shrinkage during continuous casting, thus improving metallurgical quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of continuous casting equipment technology, and more specifically to an adjustable crystallizer. Background Technology

[0002] In the metallurgical industry, continuous casting is a crucial process for manufacturing high-quality, high-efficiency metallic materials. During continuous casting, ensuring the formation of a uniform and dense crystalline structure while increasing the casting speed are essential for improving production efficiency and reducing costs. However, in traditional vertical continuous casting molds, due to solidification shrinkage, the solidified billet shell is prone to detaching from the mold, creating a cavity between the solidified shell and the mold's inner wall. This affects heat conduction and metallurgical quality, and also slows down continuous casting production efficiency.

[0003] Currently, various solutions have emerged to address the cavity problem in continuous casting and improve the casting speed. For example, Chinese patent CN201310591361.3 discloses a process for preparing a metal-ceramic coating on the surface of copper plates in a continuous casting mold. This process involves covering the inner wall of the mold with a ceramic coating to increase the friction between the metal and the inner wall, preventing the metal from detaching. However, the coating can easily cause contamination of the cast billet. Chinese patent CN202221474111.2 discloses a vibration mechanism for a mold, which uses a vibration device at the bottom of the mold to promote contact between the metal and the inner wall and prevent cavity formation. However, the vibration only ensures brief contact, and the continuous casting speed is not effectively improved. Chinese patent CN202310586197.0 discloses a method for modeling the cavity of a funnel-shaped crystallizer for a thin slab continuous casting machine. It uses a free-form surface crystallizer, which ensures that the metal always fits the surface of the crystallizer and prevents the formation of cavities. However, the curved surface crystallizer can only adapt to a single cross-section of the continuous casting billet, and is limited by the curvature, which also affects the range of process parameter settings.

[0004] Therefore, how to better solve the cavity problem in the continuous casting process, effectively ensure metallurgical quality, and improve continuous casting efficiency has become a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve one or more of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides an adjustable crystallizer.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: An adjustable crystallizer includes a fixing component and an adjusting component. The fixing component is located above the adjusting component. The fixing component includes a first housing and a support frame. The first housing is mounted on the support frame. The first housing is provided with a first cavity. The upper end of the first cavity is provided with a molten metal inlet. The adjusting component includes a second housing. The second housing includes a pair of first side plates and a pair of second side plates. At least one of the second side plates can move along the first side plate. The first side plate and the second side plate cooperate to form a second cavity. The second cavity communicates with the first cavity. The lower end of the second cavity is provided with an outlet.

[0007] Based on the above technical solution, in order to achieve ease of use and stability of the equipment, the present invention can also make the following improvements to the above technical solution:

[0008] Preferably, the adjustment assembly further includes a lifting bracket, and the second housing is mounted on the lifting bracket.

[0009] Preferably, it also includes a slider, which is connected to the second side plate. The slider is provided with a guide pin, and the upper end of the first side plate is provided with a corresponding groove. The guide pin is slidably inserted into the groove.

[0010] Preferably, the second side plate is a hollow structure, and the second side plate is provided with a second water inlet and a second water spray channel, with the water spray nozzle of the second water spray channel located at the lower end of the second cavity.

[0011] Preferably, the first side plate has a hollow structure and a third water inlet is provided on the first side plate.

[0012] Preferably, a first cooling chamber is provided on the outer side of the first cavity, and a first water spray channel and a first water inlet are provided on the first cooling chamber, with the water spray nozzle of the first water spray channel located at the lower end of the first cavity.

[0013] Preferably, the inner walls of both the first cavity and the second cavity are provided with graphite sleeves.

[0014] Preferably, the graphite sleeve is provided with a copper sleeve on the outside.

[0015] Preferably, the vertical movement distance of the lifting bracket is 30mm-50mm.

[0016] Preferably, the second side plate moves at a speed of 1 mm / s to 2 mm / s.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are: by moving the second side plate, the molten metal remains in contact with the surface of the second shell during solidification, effectively preventing the formation of cavities between the solidified portion and the inner wall of the second shell due to solidification shrinkage during continuous casting, thus improving metallurgical quality. The liftable support allows the second shell of the crystallizer to move downwards with the ingot, thereby accelerating the cooling rate and effectively increasing the billet pulling speed and production efficiency. No additional coatings, vibration devices, or complex free-form surface crystallizer design and manufacturing are required, thus reducing equipment costs and maintenance expenses. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the adjustable crystallizer of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable crystallizer of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the upper shell structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment component of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a top view of the adjustment component of the present invention.

[0023] The reference numerals in the attached drawings are as follows: 1. First cavity; 2. Base plate; 3. Copper sleeve; 4. Graphite sleeve; 5. Sliding component; 6. First cooling cavity; 7. First water spray channel; 8. First water inlet; 9. Second water inlet; 10. Third water inlet; 11. Slide groove; 12. Lifting bracket; 13. Support frame; 14. Second cavity; 15. Guide pin; 16. First side plate; 17. Second side plate; 18. Second water spray channel; 19. First support plate; 20. Second support plate. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The principles and features of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples given are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 5As shown, this invention discloses an adjustable crystallizer, including a fixing component and an adjusting component. The fixing component is located above the adjusting component. The fixing component includes a first housing and a support frame 13. The first housing is mounted on a first support plate 19 of the support frame 13. The height of the first housing is 100mm-150mm, the length is 300mm-600mm, and the width is 55mm-150mm. The first housing has a first cavity 1, and the upper end of the first cavity 1 has a molten metal inlet. The adjusting component includes a second housing, which includes a pair of first side plates 16 and a pair of second side plates 17. Plate 16 and second side plate 17 form a hollow cuboid. The height of the second shell is 100mm to 150mm, and its length and width are consistent with those of the first shell. At least one of the second side plates 17 can move along the first side plate 16. The first side plate 16 and the second side plate 17 cooperate to form a second cavity 14. The second cavity 14 is connected to the first cavity 1. The lower end of the second cavity 14 is provided with an outlet. The volume of the second cavity 14 can be adjusted by moving the second side plate 17 to fit tightly against the surface of the metal ingot. This avoids the shrinkage caused by the liquid metal cooling and forming inside the second cavity 14, which would affect the fit between the ingot and the inside of the second cavity 14.

[0026] The adjustment assembly also includes a lifting bracket 12, with the second housing mounted on the second support plate 20 of the lifting bracket 12. The lifting bracket 12 can move up and down by 30mm to 50mm. During continuous casting, the lifting bracket 12 drives the second housing to move up and down, accelerating ingot cooling and increasing the billet pulling speed.

[0027] In this embodiment, four lifting brackets 12 and four support frames 13 are provided to improve the stability of the support. The lifting brackets 12 and four support frames 13 are mounted on the base plate 2, with the support frame 13 located outside the lifting bracket 12. A through hole is provided on the base plate 2 directly below the second cavity 14 to facilitate the dredger column passing through the through hole to pull the ingot downwards from the second shell. The dredger column is located below the crystallizer. Under the action of the dredger column, the ingot can move downwards along the crystallizer, thereby realizing continuous casting. The dredger column adopts existing technology and is not shown in the figure.

[0028] The adjustable crystallizer also includes a slider 5, which is connected to the second side plate 17. The slider 5 is provided with a guide pin 15, and the first side plate 16 is provided with a corresponding groove 11. The guide pin 15 is slidably inserted into the groove 11, and the length of the groove 11 is 20mm to 30mm. The guide pin 15, in cooperation with the groove 11, guides the movement of the second side plate 17, ensuring the smoothness of its movement.

[0029] In this embodiment, the slider 5 and the second side plate 17 are an integral structure, and the slider 5 and the second side plate 17 are T-shaped as a whole, which is simple in structure and easy to install. Alternatively, the slider 5 and the second side plate 17 can be detachable separate structures, which can also achieve the guiding function of the second side plate 17.

[0030] A first cooling chamber 6 is provided on the outer side of the first cavity 1. The first cooling chamber 6 is provided with a first water spray channel 7 and a first water inlet 8. The water spray nozzle of the first water spray channel 7 is located at the lower end of the first cavity 1. The inclination angle δ of the first water spray channel 7 is 15° to 30°, preferably 20°. If the inclination angle is too small, the ingot will not be water cooled for a long time, affecting the ingot forming time. If the angle is too large, the cooling water will splash off the ingot severely, affecting the ingot quality. Cooling water enters the first cooling chamber 6 from the first water inlet 8 to cool the molten metal in the first cavity 1, increasing its forming speed. The first water spray channel 7 sprays cooling water onto the casting at the outlet of the first shell, further increasing its forming speed, ensuring that the casting obtains a relatively fine structure, and effectively ensuring metallurgical quality.

[0031] The first side plate 16 is a hollow structure and has a third water inlet 10. In this embodiment, two second side plates 17 move along the first side plate 16 under the action of a driving device. The second side plates 17 are also hollow structures and have a second water inlet 9 and a second water spray channel 18. The second water spray channel 18 has the same inclination angle as the first water spray channel 7, and the spray nozzle of the second water spray channel 18 is located at the lower end of the second cavity 14. Cooling water is provided on all four side walls of the second cavity 14 to ensure uniform cooling of the casting within the second cavity 14 and to ensure the quality of the casting.

[0032] The inner walls of the first cavity 1 and the second cavity 14 are provided with graphite sleeves 4 to ensure that the inner walls are smooth, so that the casting can fit tightly with the inner wall during the solidification process of the molten metal, thus ensuring the casting quality.

[0033] Furthermore, a copper sleeve 3 is provided on the outer side of the graphite sleeve 4. The copper sleeve 3 has good thermal conductivity, which enables the molten steel to cool and solidify quickly in the crystallizer, thereby increasing the forming speed. The outer side of the copper sleeve 3 is a steel sleeve, which ensures the structural strength of the first shell and the second shell and improves the service life of the crystallizer.

[0034] In this embodiment, the first shell has a height of 120mm, a length of 400mm, and a width of 100mm. The second shell has the same dimensions as the first shell. During continuous casting, the billet pulling speed is 50mm / min to 60mm / min, where the pulling speed is the speed at which the dummy bar pulls the billet from the first cavity 1 and the second cavity 14. The metal temperature is 1120℃ to 1200℃. During continuous casting, the molten metal cools and forms an outer shell in the first cavity 1. The billet is pulled downwards by the dummy bar, while the second shell moves downwards under the drive of the lifting bracket 12. The second side plate 17 of the second shell moves inwards 3mm to 5mm along the first side plate 16 under the drive of the driving device. The moving speed of the second side plate 17 is 1mm / s to 2mm / s. There is a dummy bar below the molten metal. The downward moving speed of the dummy bar varies depending on the size of the crystallizer, and the downward moving speed of the dummy bar is relatively slow. When the molten metal is in the first cavity 1, it cools and forms a shell, undergoing corresponding shrinkage. This creates a gap between the billet and the first cavity 1. The billet and the dummy bar then enter the second cavity 14. The two second side plates 17 move inward to the surface of the billet. Simultaneously, the second shell, under the action of the lifting bracket 12, moves downward along with the billet and the dummy bar. During this process, the billet continuously cools and solidifies. Then, the second side plates 17 and the lifting bracket 12 return to their original positions. The billet, now solidified and forming a shell in the first cavity 1, continues to move downward into the second cavity 14, repeating the process. This process ensures the billet is cooled while effectively increasing the casting speed and improving production efficiency. When the billet is in the second cavity 14, the second side plates 17 are in close contact with the surface of the metal billet, effectively preventing the solidified portion from forming a cavity with the inner wall of the second cavity 14 due to solidification shrinkage during continuous casting. Since the second side plates 17 contain cooling water, they also accelerate the cooling of the metal billet, increasing the casting speed, thereby improving production efficiency, heat conduction, and casting quality.

[0035] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable crystallizer, characterized in that, The device includes a fixing component and an adjusting component. The fixing component is located above the adjusting component. The fixing component includes a first housing and a support frame (13). The first housing is mounted on the support frame (13). The first housing has a first cavity (1). The upper end of the first cavity (1) has a molten metal inlet. The outer side of the first cavity (1) has a first cooling cavity (6). The first cooling cavity (6) has a first water spray channel (7) and a first water inlet (8). The water spray nozzle of the first water spray channel (7) is located at the lower end of the first cavity (1). The inclination angle δ of the first water spray channel (7) is 15°~30°. The adjustment assembly includes a second housing and a lifting bracket (12). The second housing is mounted on the lifting bracket (12). The lifting bracket (12) moves up and down by 30mm-50mm. The second housing includes a pair of first side plates (16) and a pair of second side plates (17). At least one of the second side plates (17) can move along the first side plate (16). The first side plate (16) and the second side plate (17) cooperate to form a second cavity (14). The second cavity (14) communicates with the first cavity (1). The lower end of the second cavity (14) is provided with an outlet. Cooling water is provided on all four side walls of the second cavity (14). The bottom plate (2) directly below the second cavity (14) is provided with a through hole. The ingot puller passes through the through hole to pull the ingot in the second shell downward to realize continuous casting. During the continuous casting process, the pulling speed is 50mm / min-60mm / min.

2. The adjustable crystallizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a slider (5), which is connected to the second side plate (17). The slider (5) is provided with a guide pin (15), and the upper end of the first side plate (16) is provided with a corresponding groove (11). The guide pin (15) is slidably inserted into the groove (11).

3. The adjustable crystallizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second side plate (17) is a hollow structure. The second side plate (17) is provided with a second water inlet (9) and a second water spray channel (18). The water spray nozzle of the second water spray channel (18) is located at the lower end of the second cavity (14).

4. The adjustable crystallizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first side plate (16) is a hollow structure, and a third water inlet (10) is provided on the first side plate (16).

5. The adjustable crystallizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner walls of the first cavity (1) and the second cavity (14) are provided with graphite sleeves (4).

6. The adjustable crystallizer according to claim 5, characterized in that, The graphite sleeve (4) is provided with a copper sleeve (3) on its outer side.

7. The adjustable crystallizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second side plate (17) moves at a speed of 1 mm / s to 2 mm / s.

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