Composition of a continuous casting machine
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A typical continuous casting machine consists of a molten steel transport device (ladle, rotary table), a tundish and its replacement device, a crystallizer and its vibration device, secondary cooling zone clamping rollers and cooling water system, a drawing and straightening machine, cutting equipment, and a billet drawing device (see diagram below). The tundish buffers and purifies the molten steel, and its capacity is generally 20% to 40% of the molten steel's capacity; the higher the number of castings, the larger its capacity.
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The crystallizer is the "heart" of the continuous casting machine, requiring good thermal conductivity, structural rigidity, wear resistance, and ease of manufacturing and maintenance. It is generally made of forged copper or cast brass, and its outer wall is cooled uniformly by forced water flow. The function of the crystallizer vibration device is to make the crystallizer vibrate periodically to prevent the primary billet shell from sticking to the crystallizer wall and breaking. The vibration curve generally follows a sinusoidal pattern to reduce impact, and its amplitude and frequency should be closely matched with the casting speed to ensure the quality and output of the billet.
The secondary cooling device is installed immediately after the crystallizer outlet, and its function is to accelerate the solidification of the billet and control the billet temperature by using water spraying or atomized cooling. The clamping rolls and guide rolls support the high-temperature billet with a liquid core to prevent bulging deformation or internal cracking. This section also allows for liquid core reduction technology to improve billet quality and output. The secondary cooling unit requires adjustable water pressure and flow rate to accommodate different steel grades and casting speeds. The straightening machine provides the power for casting and straightens bent billets, while also driving the cutting device.
The casting speed significantly impacts continuous casting output and quality. The dummy bar device blocks the bottom of the crystallizer with the dummy bar head before continuous casting begins. After the molten steel solidifies, the billet is pulled out of the casting machine, then detached from the dummy bar head and stored in the storage device. The billet cutting equipment cuts the continuously moving billet into fixed lengths. Commonly used cutting equipment includes flame cutters, hydraulic shears, and oscillating shears.