Continuous Casting(CC)is a process in which liquid steel is cooled and solidified into semi-finished steel products in an uninterrupted flow. It is an important process in the manufacturing of steel products. It is widely used in steelmaking industry because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The continuous casting process begins with a liquid steel charge that is preheated with molten steel in a furnace. Then it is poured into a ladle, where it is degassed and alloyed. After this, the liquid steel is cast onto a pre-heated receiving station in an uninterrupted flow. In the receiving station, the steel is further cooled while it flows through a curved channel, which is referred to as straight arc continuous casting. The steel is then solidified and cut into semi-finished products of various sizes and shapes such as billets, blooms and slabs.
The continuous casting process offers several advantages over the traditional batch casting method. It can produce semi-finished steel products in a much faster and more efficient manner. The process also prevents large amounts of scrap and excess oxide layers, resulting in lower costs and improved quality. Furthermore, with continuous casting, the amount of steel re-melting and re-treating is significantly reduced. This helps to maintain the chemical and physical properties of the final product.
Straight arc continuous casting is especially beneficial for the casting of large stainless steel and carbon steel billets, blooms and slabs. The arc method improves the stability of the liquid steel through increased agitation. This produces a more uniform taper and optimized shape. The curved channel of the receiving station provides a greater surface area for the faster and more consistent cooling of the steel. This results in better quality semi-finished steel products with higher strength and dimensional accuracy.
Straight arc CC is also well-suited for the production of complex profile sections such as ship-building plates, crane rails and bridge girders. The curved channel of the receiving station allows for the smoother transition of the steel from the furnace to the final product. This dynamic shape enables the production of more intricate steel products in highly efficient cycles.
Overall, the continuous casting process has revolutionized the steelmaking industry by providing a more efficient and cost-effective production process. The straight arc CC method is particularly beneficial for the production of large billets, blooms and slabs, as well as more complex profile sections. As a result, steel manufacturers are now able to produce high-quality steel products in shorter periods of time, with reduced costs and increased profits.