Lateral strand guide for a continuous casting plant
The device with adaptive roller carriers and actuators addresses the issue of insufficient support in continuous casting by providing uniform guidance and support, reducing defects and improving the quality of thick slabs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PRIMETALS TECH AUSTRIA GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
In continuous casting of slabs with large thicknesses, insufficient support or guidance of the narrow sides leads to issues like narrow-side bulging, grooves, surface defects, and longitudinal internal cracks, particularly exacerbated by high casting speeds, low strand cooling, and soft steel grades.
A device with multiple roller carriers, each equipped with several rollers, allows for adaptive rotational and translational movements to conform to the strand's contour, ensuring uniform support and guidance, especially on the narrow sides, by using actuators and adjustable roller configurations.
The solution provides significant quality improvements by minimizing bulging and defects, ensuring consistent support across varying casting thicknesses and widths, enhancing the stability and integrity of the casting process.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025080785_15052026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] 202400329
[0002] 1
[0003] Description
[0004] Title of the invention
[0005] Lateral strand guide for a continuous casting plant
[0006] field of technology
[0007] The present invention is in the field of continuous casting technology and describes a device for supporting slab-shaped strands, particularly with a casting thickness of at least 300 mm, preferably at least 400 mm. A strand to be cast has opposing broad sides and opposing narrow sides, wherein a mold comprises narrow-side inserts with narrow side walls and broad-side walls.
[0008] Viewed in one direction of casting, the strand is guided and supported on the opposite broad sides after the mold.
[0009] State of the art
[0010] In continuous casting of slabs, narrow-side bulging frequently occurs, especially with large casting thicknesses. This involves a bulging of the still thin and relatively weak strand shell in the area of the narrow sides of the casting strand. This can lead to quality problems in the casting product.
[0011] In particular, grooves and associated surface defects can form in the edge area of the broad sides of the slabs. Furthermore, longitudinal internal cracks can occur near the edges.
[0012] Larger casting thicknesses, higher casting speeds, low strand cooling, and soft steel grades promote these undesirable effects.
[0013] Essentially, the problems and undesirable effects described stem from insufficient support or guidance of the strand's narrow sides. According to current best practices, this support is typically provided by four or five foot rollers attached to the mold. A typical support length—that is, the length of the area below the mold where the narrow side of the strand being cast is supported by rollers—is typically less than 1 m in conventional slab casting plants. Particularly when casting ultra-thick slabs, this short support length has proven to lead to quality problems. 202400329
[0014] 2
[0015] CN2024115338378B describes a mold narrow-side foot roller mechanism and a control method. The mold narrow-side foot roller mechanism includes a sliding mechanism for supporting and moving the foot roller support.
[0016] The rollers of the described mold narrow-side foot roller mechanism have a fixed spatial relationship to each other on each narrow side with respect to their axes of rotation. The longer such a mold narrow-side foot roller mechanism is, the less able it is to follow a curved extrusion contour. This is the case, for example, with changes in casting width.
[0017] AT304786B describes a device for continuous casting, wherein the rollers or pairs of rollers located on the two narrow sides of the slab-shaped strand are arranged from directly below the mold to a distance from the casting surface which corresponds to 1.5 to 3 times the mold length and are hydraulically or spring-loaded displaceable transversely to the strand.
[0018] The lateral guide rollers of this typeface are individually driven and not grouped together with a common drive. This results in considerable design complexity.
[0019] In contrast, for continuous casting plants for long products (e.g., pre-casting blocks), it has been found that even with large rectangular and square casting cross-sections, the described quality problems do not occur when using correspondingly large support lengths.
[0020] Summary of the invention
[0021] The object of the present invention is to provide a device for supporting slab-shaped strands, a continuous casting plant, and a method for operating a continuous casting plant.
[0022] According to the invention, at least one first roller carrier with at least three rollers, preferably at least four rollers, and particularly preferably at least five rollers, is arranged on each of the narrow sides after the mold.
[0023] Furthermore, a second roller carrier with at least three rollers, preferably at least four rollers, and particularly preferably at least five rollers is arranged.
[0024] The rotation axes of the rollers of the respective roller carrier have a fixed local reference to the roller carrier, with the roller carriers being arranged relative to the mold such that the roller carriers are each 202400329
[0025] 3. be able to perform at least one rotational movement.
[0026] This movement is performed by at least one actuator.
[0027] The rollers of the lateral strand guide must adapt to the local contour of the strand when viewed along the casting direction. Such adaptation is necessary, for example, when the casting width changes. In addition to rotating the rollers around their own axis of rotation, this requires movement along the lateral strand contour. Several rollers mounted on a roller carrier perform this movement simultaneously.
[0028] When the casting width changes, the strand contour, viewed along the casting direction, is not straight but curved. Therefore, if more than two rollers are arranged on a roller carrier such that their axes of rotation have a fixed spatial relationship to each other, at least one roller will lift off the strand contour to a greater or lesser degree, and / or at least one roller will press against the strand contour to a greater or lesser degree. This effect is more pronounced the more rollers are on a roller carrier, or the greater the curvature of the strand contour.
[0029] Therefore, it is particularly advantageous to use multiple roller supports when dealing with larger lateral support lengths. This provides additional degrees of freedom for the lateral strand guidance and allows for more uniform guidance of the lateral strand contour with regard to the lifting and / or pressing of individual rollers.
[0030] Two roller supports per narrow side lead to significant quality improvements, especially on the narrow sides of the slabs to be cast, at the specified casting thicknesses, and the associated design effort does not conflict with economic considerations.
[0031] In a preferred embodiment, at least one roller carrier has a support adjustment such that at least one roller is displaceable relative to another roller of this roller carrier in the direction of the axes of rotation; preferably, every second roller is displaceable relative to an immediately adjacent roller, and this displacement is adjustable.
[0032] In a further preferred embodiment, a translational movement of the roller carriers comprises a first translational movement defined by a respective vector in the broadside direction, and the rotational movement comprises a first rotational movement defined by a respective vector substantially normal to the respective broadside. 202400329
[0033] 4
[0034] In a further preferred embodiment, a translational movement of the roller carriers comprises a second translational movement defined by a vector substantially normal to the respective broad side, and the rotational movement comprises a second rotational movement defined by a vector along the respective casting direction (8).
[0035] The second translational movement describes a displacement of the roller supports in the thickness direction of the strand. This displacement can be adjusted, for example, when changing the casting thickness. Thus, the support of the strand shell at the narrow sides can be centered regardless of the casting thickness.
[0036] The second rotational movement of the roller supports can compensate for twisting of the narrow sides of the strand around an axis in the direction of the respective casting direction. This movement can be self-aligning through a suitably articulated suspension of the roller supports, ensuring uniform support of the narrow side.
[0037] In a further preferred embodiment, at least one of the rollers, preferably all rollers, comprises at least three roller balls arranged side by side in the direction of rotation of the respective roller.
[0038] In another preferred embodiment, at least part of the roller carrier comprises spray nozzles.
[0039] In a further preferred embodiment, the first roller carriers are pivotally connected to a narrow-side insert of the mold.
[0040] In a further preferred embodiment, the second roller supports are pivotally connected to the first roller supports on both narrow sides.
[0041] In another preferred embodiment, the second roller carriers are coupled to a continuous casting segment below the mold, as seen in the casting direction.
[0042] In a further preferred embodiment, a first translational and / or the first rotational movement of the first roller carrier is carried out by an actuator, and the actuator is arranged between the first roller carrier and a narrow side projection or between the first roller carrier and a continuous casting segment.
[0043] In a further preferred embodiment, a first translational and / or the first rotational movement of the second roller carrier is each effected by two actuators. 202400329
[0044] 5
[0045] In another preferred embodiment, the actuators are hydraulic cylinders and / or electromechanical actuators. Preferably, at least one actuator has a displacement measuring system and / or at least one roller carrier has an inclinometer.
[0046] In a further preferred embodiment, the support length from a lower edge of the mold to a last roller of the second roller carrier, viewed in the casting direction, is at least 1 m, preferably at least 1.8 m, and particularly preferably at least 2.5 m.
[0047] Furthermore, the present invention comprises a continuous casting plant, including the described device in the described embodiments.
[0048] Furthermore, the present invention comprises a method for operating a continuous casting plant which is operated in a first or second normal operation, or a special operation.
[0049] The first normal operation includes regulating / controlling the actuating force of at least one actuator to a value specified by a higher-level plant control system such that a support force applied to the narrow side by the respective rollers is greater than a pressure force resulting from a ferrostatic pressure in the strand multiplied by a corresponding reference area.
[0050] The second normal operation includes the regulation / control of the position of at least one actuator and thus the inclination angle of the roller carriers to a value specified by a higher-level plant control system such that the rollers of the roller carriers follow a width profile of the strand in such a way that at least one roller per roller carrier is in contact with the respective narrow side of the strand.
[0051] The special operation involves completely retracting the roller carriers into a parked position. This occurs particularly during the operating modes of casting start, casting end, distributor change, and width adjustment. Furthermore, the special operation can be triggered if an alarm occurs indicating an increased risk of a breakthrough.
[0052] Brief description of the drawings
[0053] The properties, features, and advantages of this invention described above, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more readily understandable in connection with the following description of an exemplary embodiment, which is further explained in conjunction with the drawings. Figure 202400329 shows:
[0054] 6
[0055] Fig. 1 shows two sectional views of a mold with a device for supporting slab-shaped strands below the mold, as well as a top view of the mold or a casting surface of the strand to be cast.
[0056] Figs. 2 to 4 show three embodiments of a device for supporting slab-shaped strands on their narrow sides, comprising a first roller carrier with four rollers and a second roller carrier with four rollers.
[0057] Fig. 5 shows two top views, a side view and a front view of a roller carrier with support adjustment.
[0058] Fig. 6 shows a side view of a continuous casting mold with a device for supporting slab-shaped strands below the mold, as well as a sectional view of the strand to be cast with a front view of two roller carriers.
[0059] Fig. 7 shows two sectional views of the strand to be cast for different casting thicknesses and front views of roller carriers with support adjustment.
[0060] Fig. 8 shows two sectional views of the strand to be cast for different casting thicknesses and front views of roller supports that support the strand centrally on the narrow side.
[0061] Fig. 9 shows a front view of a roller carrier with a roller, consisting of a roller ball and
[0062] Fig. 10 shows a front view of a roller carrier with a roller consisting of three roller bales.
[0063] Description of the embodiments
[0064] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in the form of two sectional views of a mold 2 with a device for supporting slab-shaped strands 1 below the mold 2, as well as a top view of the mold 2 and a casting surface of the strand 1 to be cast. Furthermore, the broad sides 3 and narrow sides 4 of the strand 1 are shown. Narrow side walls 6, narrow side inserts 5, and broad side walls 7 are components of the mold 2. A casting direction 8 and a width direction 9 perpendicular to it serve for orientation on the strand 1. A support of the 202400329
[0065] 7
[0066] Narrow sides 4 in a support area 20 comprise first roller carriers 10 and second roller carriers 12, each comprising four rollers 11. The roller carriers can each perform a first rotational movement 23 and / or a first translational movement 24.
[0067] Fig. 2 shows, as an embodiment of the invention and as a detail of Fig. 1, a device for supporting slab-shaped strands 1 on a narrow side 4, comprising a first roller carrier 10 with four rollers 11 and a second roller carrier 12 with four rollers 11, wherein the first roller carrier 10 is connected to a narrow-side insert 5 of the mold via the articulated connection 17. Furthermore, the first roller carrier 10 is connected to a first actuator 15, and the second roller carrier 12 is connected to two second actuators 15a. The first actuator 15, which is connected to the first roller carrier 10, is also connected to the narrow-side insert 5 of the mold 2. Since the second roller carrier 12 is not articulated to the first roller carrier 10, its vertical position is coupled to a continuous casting segment below the mold.
[0068] Fig. 3 shows, as an embodiment of the invention and as a detail of Fig. 1, a device for supporting slab-shaped strands 1 on a narrow side 4, comprising a first roller carrier 10 with four rollers 11 and a second roller carrier 12 with four rollers 11, wherein the first roller carrier 10 is connected to a narrow-side insert 5 of the mold via the articulated connection 17. Furthermore, the first roller carrier 10 is connected to a first actuator 15, and the second roller carrier 12 is connected to two second actuators 15a. The first actuator 15, which is connected to the first roller carrier 10, is also connected to a continuous casting segment below the mold. Since the second roller carrier 12 is not articulated to the first roller carrier 10, its vertical position is coupled to a continuous casting segment below the mold. A displacement measuring system 25 of an actuator 15 is also shown.
[0069] Fig. 4 shows, as an embodiment of the invention and as a detail of Fig. 1, a device for supporting slab-shaped strands 1 on a narrow side 4, comprising a first roller carrier 10 with four rollers 11 and a second roller carrier 12 with four rollers 11, wherein the first roller carrier 10 is connected to a narrow-side insert 5 of the mold via the articulated connection 17. Furthermore, the second roller carrier 12 is connected to two second actuators 15a. The second roller carrier 12 is articulated to the first roller carrier 10. Thus, its vertical position is coupled to the first roller carrier 10 and therefore to the mold. 202400329
[0070] 8
[0071] Fig. 5 shows, as an embodiment of the invention, two top views, a side view, and a front view of a roller carrier with a support adjustment mechanism 16. The two top views show different settings of the support adjustment mechanism 16. Two rollers 11 are displaced along their axes of rotation 26 relative to two other rollers 11. In this way, the roller carrier 10, 12 can be adapted to different casting thicknesses of the strand. The second rotational movement 13 is also shown in the front view of the roller carrier 10, 12.
[0072] Fig. 6 shows, as an embodiment of the invention, a side view of a mold 2 with a device for supporting slab-shaped strands 1 below the mold 2. The strand 1, which runs in an arc below the mold 2, is visible, as are a first roller support 10 and a second roller support 12 for guiding and supporting a narrow side 4 of the strand 1. Due to the curvature of the strand 1, the originally rectangular casting cross-section deforms into a trapezoid. This causes the narrow sides 4 of the strand 1 to twist about an axis in the direction of the respective casting direction. The roller supports 10 and 12 can follow this twist as a second rotational movement 13, thus ensuring uniform support of the narrow side 4.
[0073] Fig. 7 shows, as an embodiment of the invention, two sectional views of the strand 1 to be cast for different casting thicknesses. For the sake of simplicity, a section of a rectangular casting cross-section is shown. Furthermore, two front views of roller carriers 10, 12 with support adjustment 16 are shown. This support adjustment 16 allows the roller carrier 10, 12 to be adapted to different casting thicknesses of the strand 1.
[0074] Fig. 8 shows, as an embodiment of the invention, two sectional views of the strand 1 to be cast for different casting thicknesses. For the sake of simplicity, a section of a rectangular casting cross-section is shown. Furthermore, two front views of roller supports are shown, each supporting the strand 1 centrally on its narrow side 4. This central support is made possible by the second translational movement 14 of the roller support 10, 12.
[0075] Fig. 9 shows a front view of a roller carrier 10, 12 with a roller 11 , consisting of a roller ball 27.
[0076] Fig. 10 shows a front view of a roller carrier 10, 12 with a roller 11, consisting of three roller bales 27. 202400329
[0077] 9
[0078] Although the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived from them by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of protection of the invention.
[0079] 202400329
[0080] Reference symbol list
[0081] 1 strand
[0082] 2 molds
[0083] 3 broadsides
[0084] 4 narrow sides
[0085] 5 Narrow side insert
[0086] 6 Narrow side wall
[0087] 7 Broadside
[0088] 8 Pouring direction
[0089] 9 Latitude
[0090] 10 First Role Carriers
[0091] 11 roll
[0092] 12 Second roller carriers
[0093] 13 Second rotational movement
[0094] 14 Second translational movement
[0095] 15 First actuator
[0096] 15a Second actuators
[0097] 16 Support adjustment
[0098] 17 Articulated connection
[0099] 20 Support area
[0100] 23 First rotational movement
[0101] 24 First translational movement
[0102] 25-way measuring system
[0103] 26 Rotation axis
[0104] 27 roll bales
Claims
202400329 11 Claims 1. Device for supporting slab-shaped strands (1), in particular with a casting thickness of at least 300 mm, preferably at least 400 mm, wherein a strand (1) to be cast has opposite broad sides (3) and opposite narrow sides (4), wherein a mold (2) comprises narrow-side inserts (5) with narrow side walls (6) and broad side walls (7), and the strand (1), viewed in a casting direction (8), is guided and supported on the opposite broad sides (3) after the mold (2), characterized in that after the mold (2) at least one first roller carrier (10) with at least three rollers (11), preferably at least four rollers (11), particularly preferably at least five rollers (11), is arranged on each of the narrow sides (4), as well as a second roller carrier (12) with at least three rollers (11), preferably at least four rollers (11), particularly preferably at least five rollers (11), is arranged.wherein rotation axes (26) of rollers (11) of the respective roller carrier (10, 12) have a fixed local reference to the roller carrier (10, 12), wherein the roller carriers (10, 12) are arranged relative to the mold (2) such that the roller carriers (10, 12) can each perform at least one rotational movement (13, 23) which is carried out by at least one actuator (15, 15a).
2. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one roller carrier (10, 12) has a support adjustment (16) such that at least one roller (11 ) is displaceable relative to another roller (11 ) of this roller carrier (10, 12) in the direction of the axes of rotation (26), preferably every second roller (11) is displaceable relative to an immediately adjacent roller (11 ), and this displacement is adjustable.
3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a translational movement (14, 24) of the roller carrier (10, 12) comprises a first translational movement (24) defined by a respective vector in a width direction (9), and the rotational movement (13, 23) comprises a first rotational movement (23) defined by a respective vector substantially normal to the respective width side (3). 202400329 12 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a translational movement (14, 24) of the roller carrier (10, 12) comprises a second translational movement (14) defined by a vector substantially normal to the respective broad side (3), and the rotational movement (13, 23) comprises a second rotational movement (13) defined by a vector along the respective casting direction (8).
5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the rollers (11), preferably all rollers (11), comprises at least three roller balls (27) arranged side by side in the direction of rotation of the respective roller (11).
6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a part of the roller carriers (10, 12) comprises spray nozzles.
7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first roller carriers (10) are articulated to a narrow side insert (5) of the mold (2).
8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second roller carriers (12) are pivotally connected to the first roller carriers (10) on both narrow sides (4).
9. Device according to one of claims 1 - 7, wherein the second roller carriers (12) are coupled to a continuous casting segment below the mold, as seen in the direction of casting.
10. Device according to claim 9, wherein a first translational movement (24) and / or the first rotational movement (23) of the first roller carrier (12) is performed by a first actuator (15), and the first actuator (15) is arranged between the first roller carrier (10) and a narrow side extension (5) or between the first roller carrier (10) and a continuous casting segment.
11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a first translational (24) and / or the first rotational movement (23) of the second 202400329 13 Roller carrier (12) is each actuated by two second actuators (15a).
12. Device according to one of claims 10 - 11, wherein the actuators (15, 15a) are hydraulic cylinders and / or electromechanical actuators, preferably at least one actuator (15, 15a) has a displacement measuring system (25) and / or at least one roller carrier (10, 12) has an inclinometer.
13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a support length (20) from a lower edge of the mold (2) to a last roller (11) of the second roller carrier (12), seen in the casting direction (8), is at least 1 m, preferably at least 1.8 m, particularly preferably at least 2.5 m.
14. Continuous casting plant comprising a device according to one of the preceding claims.
15. Method for operating a continuous casting plant according to claim 14, which is operated in a first or second normal operation, or a special operation, wherein the first normal operation comprises a regulation / control of the actuating force of at least one actuator (15, 15a) to a value specified by a higher-level plant control system such that a support force applied to the narrow side (4) by the respective rollers (11) is greater than a compressive force resulting from a ferrostatic pressure in the strand (1) multiplied by a corresponding reference area, and the second normal operation comprises a Regulation / control of the position of at least one actuator (15, 15a) and thus the inclination angle of the roller carriers (10, 12) to a value specified by a higher-level plant control system includes such that the rollers (1 1 ) of the roller carriers (10, 12) follow a width profile of the strand (1 ) such that at least one roller (11 ) per roller carrier (10, 12) is in contact with the respective narrow side (4) of the strand (1 ), and the special operation includes a complete retraction of the roller carriers (10, 12) into a parking position.