Abstract: The abnormality is detected during a flow thereof through the mold. The detection is achieved by means of at least a pair of upper and lower temperature detecting elements, located along the flow of the casting metal. The abnormality is determined to exist when a temperature inversion, that is T.sub.U .ltoreq.T.sub.L, takes place. The symbols T.sub.U and T.sub.L denote the temperatures measured by the upper and lower temperature detecting elements, respectively, in which a relationship, that is T.sub.U >T.sub.L, stands under a normal casting operation.

Abstract: In the equipment for continuous casting of steel, an improved method for cooling a continuous cast slab or the like by which a hot slab can be transferred directly to a rolling step. In accordance with the improved method, the continuous cast slab is subjected to indirect cooling by means of cooling a series of guide rolls with a gas-liquid mist, or if the equipment length is limited, the slab is subjected to direct cooling by means of a gas-liquid mist cooling step, and then to the indirect cooling step in a subsequent process.