Method of Preheating Immersion Nozzle for Continuous Casting

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a method of preheating an immersion nozzle for continuous casting.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As well known in the art, immersion nozzles for continuous casting are used under conditions so severe that they are required to have high spalling resistance. To meet the requirement, they are generally made of an appropriate combination of a fused silica-containing material, a graphite-alumina containing material, a silicon carbide-containing material, a zircon-containing material and a zirconia-containing material. Nozzles made of these materials must be heated thoroughly prior to their use. Preheating has conventionally been performed within an oven located far from the place of use. Gas has been a common medium for preheating but at least two hours are required to heat the nozzle to about 800.degree. C. Furthermore, so much time is involved removing the nozzle from the oven and installing it at a predetermined location that a temperature drop is inevitable in that interval. In addition, installing an object heated to high temperatures is difficult. What is more, if the temperature loss is excessive, cracking of the nozzle may occur or the deposit of inclusions such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the nozzle opening may render tapping impossible.

As a result of various studies directed to a method of preheating free from the above defects it has been found that by using the resistance heat developed by the passage of current directly through an immersion nozzle, the nozzle can be heated without moving it from its operating position. The nozzle employed has a suitable electrical resistivity and is provided with a thermal insulating cover which is of a sufficient thickness so as to allow a substantial shortening of the time otherwise required for preheating. Materials of which the nozzle may be made include mixtures containing electrically conductive graphite and/or silicon carbide.

FIG. 1 is a cross section of a heating apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of a heating apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the dimensions of sample immersion nozzles and the positions at which temperature measurement was made.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between current application time and the resulting temperature increase.

This invention is described by reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates a heating apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of this invention wherein a tap hole opening/closing apparatus 2 (e.g., sliding nozzle valve) disposed at the bottom of melt container 1 comprises a fixed refractory plate 3, a sliding refractory plate 3' driven by a cylinder F, an engaging member 4 at the bottom of the sliding refractory plate 3', an immersion nozzle 6 detachably associated with the engaging member 4 by means of an actuating rod 5, and a nozzle conduit 7. The rod 5 for connecting 4 and 6 is pivotably mounted on a supporting leg 5' attached to the frame of the opening/closing apparatus 2.

The immersion nozzle 6 is made of a refractory material which has a suitable electrical resistivity and is resistant to the corrosive action of the melt and the covering material (powder) of the melt in the mold. A suitable material comprises a mixture of an electrically conductive graphite and/or silicon carbide and at least one member selected from the group consisting of alumina, zircon, zirconia, fused silica and metallic silicon and a binder blended therewith. A nozzle made of such material is provided with terminals 8, 8' at both ends to which current is applied through conductors 12 until the nozzle is adequately heated.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of this invention wherein current is passed through the nozzle 6 which is attached to the actuating rod 5 but does not make an intimate contact with the nozzle engaging member 4. Terminals 8, 8' are provided at both ends of the nozzle 6. In the figures, a heat insulating cover 9 is made, for instance, of fused silica containing fibers and surrounds the outer periphery of the nozzle 6. Also, FIG. 2 shows a voltmeter 10, an ammeter 11 and an A.C. power unit E.

Upon completion of preheating, the terminals for the electric current supply are removed from the nozzle. Tapping can start immediately after the removal of the terminals in the embodiment of FIG. 1, or after removing the terminals and bringing the nozzle 6 into intimate contact with the engaging member 4 by the operation of the rod 5 in the embodiment of FIG. 2. Little temperature drop occurs in either embodiment. The insulating cover 9 may be retained on the nozzle during tapping or the portion that is immersed in the melt may be cut away.

This invention will hereunder be described in the greater detail by reference to the following examples which are given here for illustrative purposes only and are by no means intended to limit the scope of the invention.

An immersion nozzle (500 mm in overall length, 120 mm in outside diameter, and 50 mm in inside diameter) was supplied with a DC current through copper terminals attached to both ends of the nozzle. The increase in temperature was measured at points A, B and C of the nozzle conduit indicated in FIG. 3. A scale-like graphite was placed between each copper terminal and the nozzle to minimize the possible contact resistance. The results of the measurement are set forth in Table 1 and FIG. 5. When an insulating cover about 60 mm thick was used, a temperature of about 800.degree. C. could be obtained in about 50 minutes.

An immersion nozzle (1,250 mm in overall length, 90 mm in outside diameter, and 50 mm in inside diameter) was supplied with a DC current through copper terminals attached to both ends of the nozzle. The increase of temperature was measured at the center D of the nozzle conduit indicated in FIG. 4. The results of the measurement are set forth in Table 2. When an insulating cover about 60 mm thick was used, a temperature of about 724.degree. C. could be obtained in about 120 minutes, and the preheated nozzle performed with good results.

As described above, the application of the preheating method of this invention can be continued up to just before use of the nozzle and hence little temperature loss results. Therefore, not only can cracking of the refractory for the nozzle or formation of the deposit of inclusions within the nozzle be prevented but also the period for preheating can be shortened.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.