Observations in practice during continuous casting of copper-alloy rods in stationary graphite dies

Abstract

In ten years’ experience of continuous casting of copper-alloy rods, with vertical as well as horizontal equipment, some phenomena were observed which affected the anticipated heat transfer and solidification. 1. In a cylindrical die, the thermal contraction of the solidified rod increases the space between the rod surface and the die wall. When wear becomes apparent ill the solidification zone, it might be expected that, as the rod diameter increases, better cooling would cause the solidification interface to move nearer to the die inlet. However, more than 800 thermal measurements have shown that it moves in the other direction. 2. In almost all continuous casting, periodic phenomena are observed on the surface. Explanations are given for most of these, and their relationship to thermodynamic and solidification problems is described. 3. One of the solidification parameters is the casting speed. This speed is really a result of the forward-stop + back-stop method. Given the same solidification speed, the kind of withdrawal method chosen affects the solidification and thermodynamic results.