Metal casting and rolling line

• US 10,913,107 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 02/09/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novelis Incorporated (Hindalco Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novelis Incorporated (Hindalco Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Felberbaum, Milan, Das, Sazol Kumar, Mariaux, Aurele, Bendzinski, Duane E., Bezencon, Cyrille, Barker, Simon William, Bassi, Corrado, Kamat, Rajeev G., Piroteala, Tudor, Talla, Rajasekhar, Wagstaff, Robert Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Roe, Jessee R
• Application Number:
  US15/717,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20180117650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 1/26 by hot-rolling , e.g. Steckel hot mill
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 1/463 in a continuous process, i.e. the cast not being cut before rolling
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 13/22 for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting, i.e. in-line rolling of steelmethods therefor B21B1/46; continuous casting B22D11/00, e.g. into moulds with rolls B22D11/06
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 15/00 Arrangements for performing additional metal-working operations specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 2001/225 by hot-rolling
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 2003/001 Aluminium or its alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 2015/0057 Coiling the rolled product
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/003 Aluminium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/0605 formed by two belts, e.g. Hazelett-process
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/0631 formed by a travelling straight surface, e.g. through-like moulds, a belt
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/1206 for plastic shaping of strands rolling mills B21B1/46
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/126 for cutting
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/002 by rapid cooling or quenching; cooling agents used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/047 of alloys with magnesium as the next major constituent

Abstract

A continuous casting and rolling line for casting, rolling, and otherwise preparing metal strip can produce distributable metal strip without requiring cold rolling or the use of a solution heat treatment line. A metal strip can be continuously cast from a continuous casting device and coiled into a metal coil, optionally after being subjected to post-casting quenching. This intermediate coil can be stored until ready for hot rolling. The as-cast metal strip can undergo reheating prior to hot rolling, either during coil storage or immediately prior to hot rolling. The heated metal strip can be cooled to a rolling temperature and hot rolled through one or more roll stands. The rolled metal strip can optionally be reheated and quenched prior to coiling for delivery. This final coiled metal strip can be of the desired gauge and have the desired physical characteristics for distribution to a manufacturing facility.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

continuously casting a metal strip using a continuous casting device;

hot or warm rolling the metal strip at a reduction of thickness of approximately 50%-70% after the metal strip exits the continuous casting device; and

maintaining a peak metal temperature that is approximately 15°

C.-150°

C. below a solidus temperature of the metal strip for a duration of approximately 1-10 minutes between casting the metal strip and rolling the metal strip.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein continuously casting the metal strip comprises continuously casting the metal strip at a thickness of 7 mm-50 mm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein hot or warm rolling comprises hot rolling at temperatures of at least approximately 400°

C.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein hot or warm rolling the metal strip comprises reducing a thickness of the metal strip by approximately 50%-70% using a single rolling stand.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein continuously casting the metal strip comprises passing liquid metal through a pair of rollers to extract heat from the liquid metal and solidify the liquid metal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising coiling the metal strip into a coil after hot or warm rolling the metal strip.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein hot or warm rolling the metal strip comprises:

extracting heat from the metal strip within a bite of a rolling stand; and

applying force to the metal strip to reduce a thickness of the metal strip, wherein the force applied is sufficient to recrystallize the metal strip at a temperature of the metal strip when the force is applied.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein extracting heat and applying the force occur in a single rolling stand.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein extracting heat occurs in a first rolling stand and applying the force occurs in a subsequent rolling stand.

10. A metal casting and processing system, comprising:

a continuous belt casting device for casting a metal strip at a first speed;

a coiling device associated with the continuous belt casting device for coiling the metal strip into an intermediate coil; and

an uncoiling device for receiving the intermediate coil, the uncoiling device operatively coupled to at least one hot rolling stand at a second speed for reducing a thickness of the metal strip to a desired thickness, wherein the first speed is decoupled from the second speed.

11. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, further comprising a soaking furnace positioned inline between the continuous casting device and the one or more rolling stands.

12. The metal casting and processing system of claim 11, wherein the soaking furnace is configured to maintain the metal strip at a peak metal temperature that is approximately 15°

C. 150°

C. below a solidus temperature of the metal strip for a duration of approximately 1 10 minutes.

13. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, wherein the continuous casting device is arranged to cast the metal strip at a thickness of 7 mm-50 mm.

14. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, wherein the at least one hot rolling stand is configured to roll the metal strip at hot or warm rolling temperatures of at least approximately 400°

C.

15. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, further comprising a supplementary coiling device positioned downstream of the one or more rolling stands for coiling the metal strip into a coil.

16. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, wherein the at least one hot rolling stand is a single rolling stand configured to reduce a thickness of the metal strip by approximately 50%-70%.

17. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, wherein the at least one hot rolling stand is configured to extract heat from the metal strip within a bite of the at least one hot rolling stand and apply a force to the metal strip to reduce a thickness of the metal strip, wherein the force applied is sufficient to recrystallize the metal strip at a temperature of the metal strip when the force is applied.

18. The metal casting and processing system of claim 10, wherein the at least one hot rolling stand comprises a plurality of rolling stands.

19. A method, comprising:

preheating a metal strip to a temperature at or above a rolling temperature;

hot rolling the metal strip, wherein hot rolling the metal strip comprises passing the metal strip through a final hot rolling stand at the rolling temperature while applying force to the metal strip sufficient to reduce a thickness of the metal strip and recrystallize the metal strip at the rolling temperature; and

quenching the metal strip, wherein quenching the metal strip occurs immediately after hot rolling the metal strip.