Continuous casting line having individual roller engagement

Abstract

A continuous casting line, which has a mold for the output of a strand and a strand guide connected to the mold having a plurality of rollers arranged in pairs for transporting the strand in a conveying direction. One or more of the rollers can be engaged so that a thickness reduction of the strand occurs in the strand guide.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A continuous casting installation, comprising: a mold for delivering a strand; and a strand guide adjoining the mold, the strand guide having a number of rollers arranged in pairs for transporting the strand in a conveying direction, wherein at least one of the rollers is adjustable so that a reduction in thickness of the strand takes place in the strand guide, wherein the strand guide includes at least one exchangeable segment having a number of adjustable rollers arranged in pairs. 
     
     
         15 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the rollers include first pairs of rollers that directly adjoin the mold, and pairs of reducing rollers that directly adjoin the first pairs of rollers in the conveying direction, the rollers of the first pairs of rollers being non-adjustable so that no reduction in thickness of the strand takes place in this region of the strand guide, at least one of the rollers of the pairs of reducing rollers being adjustable so that a reduction in thickness of the strand takes place in this region of the strand guide. 
     
     
         16 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 15 , wherein all of the rollers of the pairs of reducing rollers are adjustable. 
     
     
         17 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the strand guide has two or three of the first pairs of rollers. 
     
     
         18 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 17 , wherein the strand guide has eight to fifteen of the pairs of reducing rollers. 
     
     
         19 . The continuous casting installation according claim to  15 , wherein the rollers also comprise last pairs of rollers that adjoin the pairs of reducing rollers in the conveying direction, are preferably adjustable, but do not lead to any further reduction in thickness of the strand. 
     
     
         20 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 19 , wherein the last pairs of rollers are adjustable. 
     
     
         21 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 19 , wherein the casting installation is configured so that during a regular casting process a lowest point of a liquid pool of the strand lies in a region of the last pairs of rollers. 
     
     
         22 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the strand guide has a bending region in which the strand is bent. { 00409382  }  6   
     
     
         23 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 22 , wherein the continuous casting installation is constructed as a vertical bending machine, in which the strand leaves the mold vertically downward, is guided downward by the strand guide and is subsequently at least partially deflected along an arc in a direction of horizontal and transported further. 
     
     
         24 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 14 , further comprising a withdrawal and straightening unit that adjoins the strand guide in the conveying direction, the withdrawal and straightening unit having a number of driven rollers and being configured to withdraw the strand from the strand guide and bend the strand completely into a horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         25 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjustable rollers are hydraulically, magnetically or electromotively actuable. 
     
     
         26 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 25 , wherein the strand guide has at least one hydraulic cylinder in which a piston is hydraulically displaceable for adjusting the adjustable rollers. 
     
     
         27 . The continuous casting installation according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjustable rollers are adjustable into precisely two positions, the two positions being an inactive position, in which no reduction in thickness of the strand takes place at the position concerned in the strand guide, and a reducing position, in which a reduction in thickness of the strand takes place at the position concerned in the strand guide. 
     
     
         28 . A method for casting a strand with a device according to  claim 14 , comprising the steps of adjusting at least one of the rollers of the strand guide so that during casting a thickness of the strand is reduced in the strand guide. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , including reducing the thickness of the strand in the strand guide with the core of the strand not completely solidified. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , including adjusting the adjustable rollers taking process parameters into account and based on a temperature calculation model, with which temperature properties of the strand are determined. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , including determining a position of a lowest point of a liquid pool and/or a strand shell thickness.