Abstract: A casting apparatus in which a stream of molten metal is cast into a casting mold (e.g., an ingot mold) is provided along the stream with a porous refractory body to which supplied droplets of the metal do not adhere. A protective gas, usually nitrogen, is forced through the body to form a curtain or shield around the stream of the melt.

Abstract: A pouring pot for pouring molten metal into a casting mold of a continuous casting apparatus comprises upper and lower pot sections with the upper pot section having a volume sufficiently larger than the effective volume of the lower pot section so as to maintain the molten metal pressure depth and therefore the pressure head substantially constant despite fluctuations in the total amount of molten metal in the pouring pot to thereby effect discharging of the molten metal at a substantially constant flow rate. The upper pot section has a volume at least 20% greater and preferably 20%-40% greater than the effective volume of the lower pot section. The overall volume of the pouring pot is similar to that of conventional low volume pots now in use so that conventional supporting equipment can be used to support the pouring pot.

Abstract: An apparatus for exchanging pouring tubes at a casting vessel having a closeable bottom pour opening of a continuous casting installation. Each pouring tube has an infeed end and an outfeed end for the molten metal, typically steel, flowing therethrough and into a throughflow vessel, such as a continuous casting mold or tundish. Guides serve to move each pouring tube from an approximately horizontal introduction or infeed position into a substantially vertical casting position. The guides are structured such that different paths of movement are provided for the infeed end and outfeed end of the pouring tube, and specifically, the infeed end of the pouring tube moves along an approximately horizontal path of movement and the outfeed end of the pouring tube moves along an approximately vertical path of movement, at least a portion of which vertical path of movement is located within the throughflow vessel.

Abstract: A shrouding apparatus protects a molten metal stream from atmospheric contamination by establishing a protective atmosphere around the molten metal stream. The apparatus is held tightly against the vessel from which the stream is poured. The apparatus includes means for elevating and lowering the shroud, means for aligning the shroud with the pouring stream, and means for introducing a protective atmosphere to the interior of the shroud.

Abstract: A continuous-casting apparatus in which the cover over the mold has an opening whose boundaries or inner edges are rounded and whose corners are rounded. The walls bounding the opening in the cover overlie and mate, as precisely as practicable, with the walls bounding the opening in the mold through which the molten metal flows. In addition, the surfaces of the walls which bound the opening of the cover and the adjacent surfaces of the cover have a fine finish and are coated with friction reducing and molten-metal adhesion-reducing material. The mating of the portions of the walls, the rounded inner edges and corners and the coating suppresses adhesion of spattered molten metal to the walls of the cover.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for treating metal melts with flush gas during continuous casting, the molten metal is led from a tundish having an outflow opening into a mold, while inert flush gas is supplied above the outflow opening of the tundish at a rate of between 30 and 300 Nl per minute, so that the upwardly rising gas bubbles prevent slag particles present on the surface of the metal bath in the tundish from being sucked into the metal stream.

Abstract: A control system and method for controlling the oxygen content in continuously cast metal. The control system includes means for sensing the oxygen content of the molten metal at a first point upstream from the casting mold, either means for measuring the rate molten metal enters the casting mold or means for supplying molten metal to the casting mold at a constant rate, oxygen addition means for adding oxygen to the molten metal before it enters the casting mold, and control means for controlling the oxygen addition means in response to both the rate metal is supplied to the casting mold and the oxygen level of the molten metal at the first point. In the method of the invention, oxygen is added to the molten metal intermediate the first point and the casting mold in response to the oxygen content of molten metal at the first point and the rate molten metal enters the casting mold.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for casting liquid metal in an ingot mold consisting of opposed cooled casting surfaces, at least one of which is convex, and one of which consists of a series of joined shutters. A high pressure is applied to the metal moving between the two surfaces during the solidification of the metal.