System and method for casting and rolling metal

Abstract

The invention essentially relates to a device and a method for casting and rolling metal, wherein at least one first and one second casting line for casting slabs and a rolling train for rolling the casted slabs are provided. The first casting line is designed as a horizontal thin-slab casting system ( 1 ) which comprises at least one dispensing vessel ( 5 ) for a melt and a conveyor belt ( 6 ) running horizontally downstream of the at least one dispensing vessel ( 5 ) in the casting direction. The second casting system is likewise designed as a horizontal thin-slab casting system ( 1 ) and/or as a vertical thin-slab casting system ( 2 ), which comprises at least one mold ( 4 ) for vertically casting slabs and a bending and straightening device ( 7 ) for bending and straightening the vertically casted slabs into a horizontal position. A rolling train ( 11 ) for rolling the casted slabs lies downstream of the at least two casting lines, and the at least two casting lines are designed such that the slabs, each of which is cast using one of the at least two casting lines, can be conveyed to the rolling train ( 11 ).

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An installation for casting and rolling metal, comprising:
 at least a first and a second casting line for casting slabs; means for conveying slabs cast in the first casting line into the second casting line; and a rolling train for rolling the cast slabs; wherein the first casting line is a horizontal thin-slab casting installation, which comprises at least one charging vessel for a melt and one horizontally running conveyor belt downstream of the at least one charging vessel in a casting direction; the second casting line is a horizontal thin-slab casting installation or a vertical thin-slab casting installation, which comprises at least one mold for vertical casting of slabs and a bending and straightening device for bending and straightening the vertically cast slab into a horizontal position; and the rolling train for rolling the cast slabs is arranged downstream of one of the two casting lines, and the two or more casting lines and the means of conveying are configured and arranged so that the slabs cast with each one of the casting lines can be fed to the rolling train.   
     
     
         15 . The installation according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the casting lines is a horizontal thin-slab casting installation, which is followed by the rolling train for rolling the slabs cast in the horizontal thin-slab casting installations. 
     
     
         16 . The installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the casting lines are designed so that it is possible to cast strips of such small thickness that a roughing stand is not necessary for rolling the cast slabs before the slabs enter the rolling train. 
     
     
         17 . The installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the vertical thin-slab casting installation is designed for casting slabs with a thickness of 40 mm to 120 mm, and/or the horizontal thin-slab casting installation is designed for casting slabs with a thickness of 5 mm to 35 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The installation according to  claim 17 , wherein the horizontal thin-slab casting installation is designed for casting slabs with a thickness of 10 mm to 20 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the horizontal thin-slab casting installations are designed for casting high alloy and super alloy steels. 
     
     
         20 . The installation according to  claim 14 , further comprising at least one temperature-adjusting device is arranged downstream of the conveyor belt of the thin-slab casting installations in the direction of casting, and/or at least one temperature-adjusting device is arranged downstream of the bending and straightening device of the vertical thin-slab casting installation in the direction of casting. 
     
     
         21 . The installation according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one temperature-adjusting device is a furnace. 
     
     
         22 . The installation according to  claim 20 , wherein the means for conveying slabs includes conveyors. 
     
     
         23 . The installation according to  claim 22  wherein the conveyors are designed so that the slabs are conveyed into a section of the temperature-adjusting device of another of the casting lines. 
     
     
         24 . The installation according to  claim 20 , wherein the conveyors are pivoting conveyors. 
     
     
         25 . The installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the casting lines are arranged parallel to each other and/or side by side. 
     
     
         26 . The installation according to  claim 14 , including a total of three casting lines arranged parallel side by side, and the rolling train for rolling the slabs cast in the casting lines is arranged downstream of and/or in line with a middle of the three casting lines in the direction of casting. 
     
     
         27 . A method for casting and rolling metal with at least two casting lines for casting slabs, comprising the steps of: casting thin slabs horizontally in at least one casting line; and casting thin slabs horizontally in at least one other casting line; and/or vertically casting slabs and bending the slabs into a horizontal direction, and subsequently feeding the cast slabs to exactly one rolling train. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the horizontally cast thin slabs consist of steels with an aluminum content of up to 10%. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the horizontally cast thin slabs consist of steels with an aluminum content of 1-3%. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the horizontally cast thin slabs consist of carbon steels, low alloy steels, high alloy steels, or peritectic steels.