SPRAY NOZZLE FOR AND METHOD OF COOLING A CONTINUOUSLY CAST STRAND

• Main Authors: HELMS, JIMMY L, TEGTMEIER, RICHARD J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 07.12.1982
• Subjects: CASTING; CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; TRANSPORTING

A continuous casting installation has a curved secondary cooling zone in which a partially solidified, continuously cast strand originally having a generally vertical orientation is turned towards the horizontal while being cooled. Spray nozzles are provided for spraying the upper and lower surfaces of the strand, as well as the sides of the strand, with cooling fluid during passage of the strand through the curved cooling zone. The spray nozzles for cooling the sides of the strand have slot-like openings which curve in the same direction as the curved cooling zone. These spray nozzles thus produce curved spray patterns. This makes it possible to reduce the number of spray nozzles required to cool the strand in the curved cooling zone thereby simplifying spray nozzle alignment problems. Furthermore, by appropriate selection of the radius of curvature of the slot-like openings, the spray nozzles for the sides of the strand may be positioned farther away from the strand than previously. This reduces the chances of damage to the nozzles in the event of rupture of the strand and an accompanying escape of molten material from the interior of the strand.