Instrumentation of a side wall of a continuous casting mold with optical waveguides

Abstract

First, an auxiliary cut-out (11, 16) is formed in a side wall (1) of a continuous casting mold. That cut-out extends, in the longitudinal direction, at least over the cut-out length (L) of the useful cut-out (10) and has an auxiliary cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Then, an additional element (13, 14, 17) is inserted into the auxiliary cut-out (11, 16), and extends, in the longitudinal direction, at least over a cut-out length (L) of a later useful cut-out (10) and bounds the useful cut-out (10) orthogonally to the longitudinal direction at least over part of the periphery of the useful cut-out. The useful cut-out (10) is formed by inserting the additional element (13, 14, 17) into the auxiliary cut-out (11, 16). The useful cut-out (10) is closed all around orthogonally to the longitudinal direction. Orthogonally to the longitudinal direction, the useful cut-out has a (correspondingly small) useful cross-section and a maximum useful extent (d3). The useful cross-section is defined in such a way that an optical waveguide (9) can be reversibly inserted into the useful cut-out. The production method makes it possible that a ratio of the cut-out length (L) to the maximum useful extent (d3) is 100:1 or greater.

1 . A method for introducing a useful cut-out into a side wall of a continuous casting mold, wherein the useful cut-out extends over a cut-out length in a longitudinal direction of the useful cut-out, is closed all around orthogonally to the longitudinal direction and has orthogonally to the longitudinal direction a useful cross section and a maximum useful extent, wherein the useful cross section is determined so that an optical waveguide is reversibly insertable into and removable from the useful cut-out;
 first introducing an auxiliary cut-out into the side wall, wherein the auxiliary cut-out extends at least over the cut-out length of the useful cut-out in the longitudinal direction and the auxiliary cut-out has orthogonally to the longitudinal direction an auxiliary cross section that is greater than the useful cross section;   inserting an additional element into the auxiliary cut-out, the additional element is formed as a rod with at least one groove arranged on its outer side or is formed as a tube and the rod or the tube extends at least over the cut-out length of the useful cut-out in the longitudinal direction, wherein inserting the additional element into the auxiliary cut-out, forms the useful cut-out; and   wherein, seen orthogonally to the longitudinal direction, the surfaces of the rod that bound the groove also bound the useful cut-out over part of its circumference and the side wall bounds the useful cut-out over the remaining part of its circumference or the inner side of the tube bounds the useful cut-out over its entire circumference.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall has a cold side and a warm side;
 the method comprising:   forming the auxiliary cut-out as a groove that is open toward the cold side of the side wall, only partially filling the auxiliary cut-out toward the cold side with the additional element so that part of the auxiliary cut-out remains toward the cold side, and as seen from the additional element, filling the auxiliary cut-out from the cold side with a filling material.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming the auxiliary cut-out as a closed cut-out, seen orthogonally to the longitudinal extent.   
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising the additional element substantially filling the auxiliary cut-out with the additional element. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the additional element consists of the same material as the side wall. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the cut-out length to a maximum useful extent of a useful cut-out is at least 100:1. 
     
     
         7 . A side wall of a continuous casting mold, comprising:
 a useful cut-out in the side wall, the useful cut-out extending over a cut-out length in a longitudinal direction of the useful cut-out, the useful cut-out is closed all around orthogonally to the longitudinal direction and has a useful cross section and a maximum useful extent;   wherein the useful cross section is determined such that an optical waveguide is reversibly insertable into the useful cut-out;   an additional element is arranged in the side wall, the additional element being formed as a rod with at least one groove arranged on an outer side of the additional element or as a tube that extends at least over the cut-out length of the useful cut-out in the longitudinal direction;   seen orthogonally to the longitudinal direction, surfaces of the rod that bound the groove also bound the useful cut-out over part of a circumference thereof, and the side wall bounds the useful cut-out over the remaining part of the circumference thereof or the inner side of the tube bounds the useful cut-out over the entire circumference thereof; and   wherein the additional element is completely surrounded by material toward the cold side of the side wall.   
     
     
         8 . The side wall as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising the additional element is coated toward the cold side with a coating material. 
     
     
         9 . The side wall as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising:
 the side wall has an auxiliary cut-out extending at least over the cut-out length of the useful cut-out in the longitudinal direction, the auxiliary cut-out is formed as a closed cut-out, seen orthogonally to the longitudinal extent, and has orthogonally to the longitudinal direction an auxiliary cross section that is greater than the useful cross section, and in that the additional element is inserted into the auxiliary cut-out.   
     
     
         10 . The side wall as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the auxiliary cut-out is formed as a bore. 
     
     
         11 . The side wall as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the additional element substantially fills the auxiliary cut-out. 
     
     
         12 . The side wall as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the additional element consists of the same material as the side wall. 
     
     
         13 . The side wall as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a ratio of the cut-out length to the maximum useful extent is at least 100:1. 
     
     
         14 .- 18 . (canceled)