Belt casting of molten metal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the casting of metals in which a molten stream of metal is atomized into a spray of highly liquid droplets. The droplets are deposited on a moving substrate such as an endless belt provided with side dams. The droplets flow in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the substrate and are contained by the side dams. The droplets may have an average size of 300 microns and the spray may have a liquid to solid ratio of at least 50%. This arrangement overcomes the problems of splashing and turbulence caused by the relative flow between the melt and the belt in regular belt casting and overcomes porosity problems associated with spray casting.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of casting metal .[.strip.]. comprising; providing a moving substrate having edge dams thereon for the containment of the molten metal in a direction transverse to the movement of said substrate,   atomizing a stream of molten metal into highly liquid droplets,   depositing said spray of droplets; onto said moving substrate with a highly liquid content such that the deposited metal flows in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the substrate against the edge dams, and   causing said deposited molten metal to solidify as said substrate moves the metal in a direction away from the spray being deposited.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the average size of said droplets is at least 300 microns. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid to solid ratio of said droplets is at least 50%. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 2 wherein the liquid to solid ratio of said droplets is at least 70%. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus for the production of .[.strip.]. material comprising; a source of molten metal:   a moveable substrate having side dams associated therewith,   atomizing means for atomizing said molten stream into a spray of molten droplets of highly liquid content,   said atomizer being positioned such that said spray of droplets are deposited on said moving substrate, said spray being sufficiently deposited so that the molten metal flows transverse to the direction of movement of said substrate against said side dams, and   means for causing said deposited metal to solidify as said substrate moves the metal away from the spray being deposited.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the average size of the droplets produced by said atomizing means is at least 300 microns. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said atomizing means atomizes said molten metal into droplets having a liquid to solid radio of 50% or greater. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said substrate system comprises an endless belt having an upper run upon which said droplets are deposited.