CASTER TIP FOR A CONTINUOUS CASTING PROCESS

• US 20170106435A1
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Pyrotek Engineering Materials Limited (Pyrotek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pyrotek Engineering Materials Limited (Pyrotek Incorporated)
• Inventors: VINCENT, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/260,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20170106435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/0622 formed by two casting wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/0642 Nozzles nozzles used in open-ended moulds B22D41/50
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/103 Distributing the molten metal, e.g. using runners, floats, distributors
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/007 with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0095 Heating devices in the form of rollers heated by induction H05B6/145

Abstract

A caster tip for a twin roll continuous strip caster for non-ferrous metals. The caster tip includes a caster tip body made primarily of a ceramic material, and an electric resistance heater thermally connected to the caster tip body for pre-heating the caster tip body to a predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A caster tip for a continuous strip caster for non-ferrous metals, wherein the caster tip comprises a caster tip body made primarily of a ceramic material, and an electric resistance heater thermally connected to the caster tip body for pre-heating the caster tip body to a predetermined temperature.

2. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body has an upper surface and a lower surface, and the electric resistance heater is located on and in thermal contact with at least one of the upper and lower surfaces.

3. The caster tip according to claim 2, wherein the electric resistance heater covers at least 30% of the area of said upper and/or lower surface.

4. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body has a width and the electric resistance heater extends across substantially the entire width of the caster tip body.

5. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the electric resistance heater comprises at least one heater panel that includes an electric heating element embedded in a support panel.

6. The caster tip according to claim 5, wherein the support panel comprises a ceramic fibre board or a non-ceramic fiber board.

7. The caster tip according to claim 5, wherein the caster tip body includes at least one recess that receives a heater panel.

8. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the electric resistance heater comprises at least one electric heating element that is embedded within the ceramic material of the caster tip body.

9. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the electric resistance heater comprises at least one electric heating element that is accommodated within a groove formed in a surface of the caster tip body.

10. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body made primarily of a ceramic material that includes fused silica.

11. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body made of a ceramic material that includes fused silica, ceramic fibre, microsilica and a bonding material comprising colloidal silica.

12. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body is made of a ceramic material that has a thermal conductivity at a temperature of 700°

C. in the range of 0.1-30 W/mK.

13. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body includes at least one thermal conductor element having a thermal conductivity greater than that of the ceramic material.

14. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip is used in casting aluminium, wherein the predetermined temperature is in a range of 600-750°

C.

15. The caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip body comprises a top plate and a bottom plate, and the top and bottom plates are spaced from one another to provide a feed slot for liquid metal at a front edge of the caster tip body, and an inlet port for liquid metal at a rear end of the caster tip body.

16. The caster tip according to claim 15, further including a baffle structure between the top and bottom plates for distributing a flow of liquid metal from the inlet port to the feed slot.

17. The caster tip according to claim 15, wherein the front edge of the castor tip body is tapered to fit between a pair of counter-rotating rolls in a twin roll caster.

18. The caster tip according to claim 15, wherein the caster tip body comprises a monolithic cast structure that includes the top plate, the bottom plate and the baffle structure.

19. The caster tip according to claim 15, wherein the caster tip body comprises an assembly of separate cast structures including the top plate and the bottom plate, and optionally the baffle structure.

20. A continuous strip caster for non-ferrous metals, the strip caster including a pair of counter-rotating casting elements and the caster tip according to claim 1, wherein the caster tip is located adjacent a nip between the casting elements and is configured to feed liquid metal into the nip to form a cast strip of metal.

21. The continuous strip caster according to claim 20, wherein the counter-rotating casting elements comprise a pair of counter-rotating rolls, and wherein the caster tip is located adjacent a nip between the rolls.