Method of angle cutting slabs and removing scale

Abstract

An in-line method of producing steel using a continuous caster includes forming a continuous strand of steel from the continuous caster and severing a slab from the continuous strand. An angle between a front face or a rear face of the slab and a line perpendicular to a top surface or a bottom surface of the slab is between about 10° and about 45°. Alternatively, the angle between the front face or the rear face and the line perpendicular to the top surface or the bottom surface is between about 15° and about 35° or between about 20° and about 25°. Primary scale is then removed from the slab with a descaler prior to rolling the slab to a desired thickness. A first waterjet descaler descales only one of the front and the rear faces and only one of the top and bottom surfaces, and a second waterjet descaler descales only the other of the front and the rear faces and only the other of the top and bottom surfaces.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An in-line method of producing steel using a continuous caster, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a continuous strand of steel from the continuous caster; and    severing a slab from the continuous strand, wherein    an angle between a front or a rear face of the slab and a line perpendicular to a top or a bottom surface of the slab is between about 10° and about 45°.    
     
     
         2 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle between the front or the rear face and the line perpendicular to the top or the bottom surface is between about 15° and about 35°.  
     
     
         3 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle between the front or the rear face and the line perpendicular to the top or the bottom surface is between about 20° and about 25°.  
     
     
         4 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising removing scale from the slab with a descaler.  
     
     
         5 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 4 , further comprising rolling the slab to a desired thickness.  
     
     
         6 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 5 , wherein primary scale is removed by the descaler prior to rolling the slab to the desired thickness.  
     
     
         7 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 4 , wherein the descaler is a water sprayer, and water entering the sprayer is at a pressure between about 1600 and about 3200 and at a flow rate between about 12 and about 30 gallons per minute per inch of slab width.  
     
     
         8 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 4 , wherein the descaler is a water sprayer, and water entering the sprayer is at a pressure between about 2500 and about 2800 and at a flow rate between about 21 and about 26 gallons per minute per inch of slab width.  
     
     
         9 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 4 , wherein the descaler descales only one of the front and the rear faces and only one of the top and bottom surfaces.  
     
     
         10 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 9 , further comprising a second descaler, wherein the second descaler descales only the other of the front and the rear faces and only the other of the top and bottom surfaces.  
     
     
         11 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle is between the front face and the bottom surface.  
     
     
         12 . An in-line method of producing steel using a continuous caster, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a continuous strand of steel from the continuous caster; and    severing a slab from the continuous strand; and    removing scale from the slab with a descaler, the descaler including water jets positioned at an attack angle relative to a top or a bottom surface of the slab, wherein    an angle of the water sprayers relative to a front or a rear face of the slab is between about 30° and about 70°.    
     
     
         13 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 12 , wherein the attack angle of the water sprayers relative to the front or the rear face is between about 30° and about 50°.  
     
     
         14 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 12 , wherein the attack angle of the water sprayers relative to the front or the rear face is between about 35° and about 40°.  
     
     
         15 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 12 , further comprising rolling the slab to a desired thickness.  
     
     
         16 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 15 , wherein primary scale is removed by the descaler prior to rolling the slab to the desired thickness.  
     
     
         17 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 12 , wherein water entering the sprayer is at a pressure between about 1600 and about 3200 and at a flow rate between about 12 and about 30 gallons per minute per inch of slab width.  
     
     
         18 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 12 , wherein water entering the sprayer is at a pressure between about 2500 and about 2800 and at a flow rate between about 21 and about 26 gallons per minute per inch of slab width.  
     
     
         19 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 12 , wherein the descaler descales only one of the front and the rear faces and only one of the top and bottom surfaces.  
     
     
         20 . The in-line method of producing steel according to  claim 19 , further comprising a second descaler, wherein the second descaler descales only the other of the front and the rear faces and only the other of the top and bottom surfaces.