Continuous Casting Mould with Corrugated Cavity for Shape Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous casting of steel with high carbon content often results in shape inaccuracies, leading to cracks and tears due to uneven solidification, particularly in high-speed facilities, where the cast strand tends to become rhomboidal instead of rectangular, deteriorating the quality and necessitating costly alloy modifications or complex mould geometries.
Innovation Solution
A mould with a corrugated cavity design featuring parallel grooves that extend along the casting direction, where the grooves are strategically placed to promote even solidification and guide the cast strand, maintaining shape accuracy without altering the steel alloy composition, with a ratio of inner circumference to groove width greater than 30 and groove widths between 1.5 to 15 mm for optimal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the mould cavity geometry is changed to be closer to the contraction rate of the metal being cast, then the shape accuracy of the cast strand is improved, but the device complexity and maintenance costs increase due to complicated geometric mould cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameters of the mould cavity cross-section. Specifically, it defines a cross-section with four sides where opposite sides are parallel, and adjacent sides have specific angular relationships (α and β angles). This parametric definition allows the mould to accommodate metal contraction while maintaining shape accuracy without requiring complex curved or irregular geometries, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mould cavity cross-section is segmented into four distinct sides with specific geometric constraints. Each side is defined independently with parallelism requirements to opposite sides and specific angular relationships to adjacent sides. This segmentation approach simplifies the overall geometry while achieving the desired shape accuracy by breaking down the complex contraction accommodation into manageable geometric segments.
2Productivity
If high-speed continuous casting is used to increase productivity, then the casting output is improved, but the shape accuracy deteriorates leading to rhomboidal configuration and internal tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes in the mould cross-section geometry to enable high-speed casting while maintaining shape accuracy. The specific geometric parameters (parallel opposite sides, controlled angles α and β) are designed to work effectively at high casting speeds by ensuring uniform solidification patterns that prevent rhomboidal distortion and internal tearing, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If the chemical composition of steel alloy is changed to address shape inaccuracies, then the shape accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical composition modifications with a mechanical/geometric solution. Instead of changing the steel alloy chemistry to control solidification and shape, the invention uses a specifically designed mould cross-section geometry with parallel opposite sides and controlled angles. This mechanical approach achieves shape accuracy without the added costs of alloy modifications, resolving the contradiction between precision and manufacturing cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mould design ensures a more uniform shell growth and reduced geometric deviations in the cast strand, extending maintenance intervals and reducing costs, while allowing for less expensive alloying elements and improved lubricant distribution, resulting in higher product quality and longer mould service life.
Implementation Method 1
The shell growth of the cast strand, i.e. the solidification from outside to inside should occur as evenly as possible
Implementation Method 2
changing cooling of the mould strand
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Continuous casting mould for casting a strand of metal, having a mould cavity 2 which has a pouring opening for liquid metal and an outlet opening for the strand and having a cross-section in correspondence with the basic shape of the strand, wherein the cross-section is at least partially superimposed by a profiling 8, 8', 8", 8"' that extends in the casting direction, characterized by that the profiling 8, 8', 8", 8"' is composed of a corrugation, which comprises several channels (9) extending in substantial parallel relationship from the pouring opening to the outlet opening of the mould cavity, wherein the ratio of the inner circumference of the mould cavity to the width W of a channel 9 is greater than 30 and wherein the width W of the channel 9 is in the range of 1,5 mm to 30 mm.