Flow Speed Control In Continuous Casting

Abstract

An arrangement for controlling flow speed in a mold for continuous casting of metal includes: at least two first front cores with associated first magnetic coils arranged on one side of the mold; at least two second front cores with associated second magnetic coils arranged on an opposite side of the mold in substantial alignment with the first front cores; an external magnetic loop connecting the second front cores to the first front cores, to allow a one-directional magnetic flux to pass through the mold from the first front cores to the second front cores or vice versa; and a control interface enabling independent control of two subsets of the first magnetic coils.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An arrangement for controlling flow speed in a mold for continuous casting of metal, comprising:
 at least two first front cores with associated first magnetic coils arranged on one side of the mold;   at least two second front cores with associated second magnetic coils arranged on an opposite side of the mold in substantial alignment with the first front cores;   an external magnetic loop connecting the second front cores to the first front cores, to allow a one-directional magnetic flux to pass through the mold from the first front cores to the second front cores or vice versa; and   a control interface enabling independent control of two subsets of the first magnetic coils,   characterized in that the front cores are provided with reconfigurable flux-shaping elements for allowing a spatially non-uniform magnetic flux to pass through the mold.   
     
     
         21 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the control interface enables independent control of two subsets of the second magnetic coils. 
     
     
         22 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein said subsets of the first or second magnetic coils are differently positioned with respect to a lateral direction of the mold. 
     
     
         23 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein each of said subsets of the first or second magnetic coils includes one or more magnetic coils. 
     
     
         24 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the control interface is adapted for coordinated control of the magnetic coils associated with pairs of aligned front cores. 
     
     
         25 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the control interface comprises electric terminals for energizing the magnetic coils of each subset. 
     
     
         26 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the control interface comprises a processor. 
     
     
         27 . The arrangement of  claim 26 , further comprising one or more sensors, wherein the processor of the control interface is configured to control the magnetic coils on the basis of sensor data from said sensors representing:
 a temperature distribution in the mold, and/or   a meniscus height profile, meniscus speed, meniscus height fluctuations, or another meniscus characteristic.   
     
     
         28 . The arrangement of  claim 26 , wherein the processor of the control interface is configured to process sensor data with a spatial resolution with respect to a lateral direction of the mold. 
     
     
         29 . The arrangement of  claim 26 , wherein the processor of the control interface is configured to control the magnetic coils on the basis of numerical simulations of the transient flow dynamics in the mold. 
     
     
         30 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the reconfigurable flux-shaping elements comprise a plurality of freely positionable magnetic protrusions. 
     
     
         31 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the external magnetic loop comprises:
 a first and a second level core arranged to interface with the first and second front cores, respectively; and   an external yoke.   
     
     
         32 . The arrangement of  claim 31 , wherein the level cores are retractable away from the mold. 
     
     
         33 . The arrangement of  claim 20 , further comprising a support structure allowing the arrangement to move independently of the mold. 
     
     
         34 . The arrangement of  claim 33 , wherein no part of the arrangement is supported by an oscillation table. 
     
     
         35 . A system for continuous casting of metal comprising:
 a mold;   a metal supply; and   the arrangement of  claim 20 .   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , which is a thin slab caster.