Proceedings of the Seminar on Steelmaking, Casting and Non-Ferrous Metallurgy

Title

NEW MICRO-MILL CONCEPTS WITH BELT CASTING TECHNOLOGY (BCT®)

Authorship

Sena, Rafael Oliveira; Wans, Jochen; Austermann, Dirk; Cremers, Hermann

Sena, Rafael Oliveira

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Wans, Jochen

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Austermann, Dirk

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Cremers, Hermann

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5300-33369

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Abstract

Nothing short of revolutionary, Belt Casting Technology (BCT®) is a further leap toward near-net-shape casting. Depending on the BCT® caster type, different production rates and a large variety of product sizes are possible. What makes BCT® casters so special is that they handle alloys previously not suitable for continuous casting. Furthermore, the new technology also copes with crack-critical conventional steel grades impossible to produce by standard continuous casting. Protected from reoxidation, the liquid steel is poured from a conventional ladle into a covered tundish. The steel flows onto the moving horizontal mold consisting of the conveyor belt and internally cooled side dams. There is an inert gas atmosphere above the conveyor belt to protect the solidifying steel. Finally, at the rear end of the caster, a defined gas mix directly influences the solidification structure to form a thin strip. Typical product dimensions are 10-20 millimeters thick and 1,000 - 1,600 millimeters wide, with casting speeds of up to 30 meters per minute. The as-cast strip leaves the conveyor belt horizontally. Behind an enclosed roller table which ensures complete process inertization right up to the end of the table, is a combination of two pinch-roll stands separated by a looper. A second pinch roll unit feeds the strip to a moving hydraulic shear. The full benefits of belt casting technology regarding OPEX and CAPEX can be achieved by inline concepts.

Keywords

Micro-Mill; Near-net-shape; Belt Casting Technology; High-alloy Steel Grades.