Casting equipment and casting method using same

Abstract

A casting equipment for producing a casting with a large cross-section for a very thick steel material includes: a casting part with a passage for a molten steel for casting the molten steel into a casting; a support part arranged separately from the casting part for receiving and supporting the casting in at least one of the sides of the casting; and a solidifying part arranged outside the casting provided with a first quality control device for solidifying the casting. A casting method includes: preparing a molten steel for casting; casting the molten steel in the casting part with the passage opened or closed into a casting; conveying the casting to the solidifying part; and conveying the solidified casting to a subsequent process so as to improve the quality of the casting, thus increasing substantially the yield rate of castings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A casting installation comprising:
 a casting unit defining a passage through which molten steel passes and for casting the molten steel into a slab; and   a solidification unit comprising:
 a support unit disposed spaced apart from the casting unit and receiving the slab from the casting unit and disposed on at least any one place of sides of the slab to support the slab; and 
 a first quality controller provided on an outside of the slab to induce solidification of the slab. 
   
     
     
         2 . The casting installation of  claim 1 , wherein the first quality controller comprises:
 a first stirrer disposed in proximity to an outside of the slab and able to elevate in a longitudinal direction of the slab;   a second stirrer provided spaced apart below the first stirrer and able to elevate in the longitudinal direction of the slab; and   a first heater installed so as to be able to move forward and backward in a region directly above the slab and configured to heat an upper portion of the slab.   
     
     
         3 . The casting installation of  claim 2 , wherein the first stirrer has coils wound around the slab and disposed in the form of a circle. 
     
     
         4 . The casting installation of  claim 1 , wherein the casting unit comprises:
 an accommodation unit having a space in which the molten steel is accommodated;   a drawing machine drawing the slab from the accommodation unit to a lower portion; and   a second quality controller provided on an outside of the passage.   
     
     
         5 . The casting installation of  claim 4 , wherein the accommodation unit comprises a mold configured to form the passage through which the molten steel supplied to a tundish passes, and the mold is formed so that the slab has a thickness of 800 mm or less and a width of 2000 mm or less. 
     
     
         6 . The casting installation of  claim 4 , wherein the second quality controller comprises:
 a stirring unit comprising at least one stirrer disposed on an outside of the mold and configured to stir at least any one of the molten steel and unsolidified molten steel inside the slab; and   a second heater installed so as to be able to move forward and backward in a region directly below the mold and configured to heat an upper portion of the slab.   
     
     
         7 . The casting installation of  claim 6 , wherein the stirring unit comprises:
 a third stirrer disposed in proximity to the mold and able to elevate in a drawing direction of the slab; and   a fourth stirrer provided spaced apart below the third stirrer and able to elevate in the drawing direction of the slab.   
     
     
         8 . The casting installation of  claim 7 , wherein the third stirrer has coils wound around the mold or the slab and disposed in the form of a circle. 
     
     
         9 . The casting installation of  claim 1 , wherein a pusher for separating the slab from the drawing machine is provided to the casting unit and the pusher is installed so as to be able to reciprocally move forward and backward toward the solidification unit. 
     
     
         10 . The casting installation of  claim 1 , wherein a transfer unit transferring the slab from the casting unit to the solidification unit or from the solidification unit to an outside of the solidification unit is provided. 
     
     
         11 . A casting method comprising:
 providing molten steel to prepare casting;   casting the molten steel in a casting unit allowing a passage through which the molten steel passes to be opened or closed;   transferring a slab produced through the casting to a solidification unit; and   transferring the slab to a post-process after solidification of the slab is completed.   
     
     
         12 . The casting method of  claim 11 , wherein the casting of the molten steel is repeated in the casting unit after the slab is transferred to the solidification unit. 
     
     
         13 . The casting method of  claim 12 , wherein, when the casting of the molten steel is repeated, the transferring the slab to the solidification unit is performed while the molten steel is transferred to the casting unit so that preparing the casting is performed. 
     
     
         14 . The casting method of  claim 11 , wherein when the casting of the molten steel is a single casting, that is one time casting, the solidification of the slab is completed in the casting unit or after the slab is transferred to the solidification unit. 
     
     
         15 . The casting method of  claim 11 , wherein the molten steel is cast at a casting rate 0.3 m per minute or less.