METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRIP CASTING

摘要

An apparatus for continuously casting strip material is disclosed comprising a tundish having an internal cavity for receiving and holding molten metal and an orifice passage defined between two spaced lips in the tundish through which the molten metal is delivered from the cavity to a casting surface located within about 0.120 inch of the orifice passage and movable past the orifice passage at a speed of from 200 to 10,000 linear surface feet per minute. In the present invention at least one aperture is provided through the tundish to a portion of the internal cavity of the tundish and a removable plug is disposed in the aperture. The aperture must be large enough to divert molten metal in the internal cavity therethrough, and thereby reduce the metallostatic head pressure at the orifice passage below that pressure necessary to cast strip material. A method of substantially instantaneously stopping a casting operation is disclosed comprising the step of selectively removing a plug from an appropriately sized aperture in communication with a tundish cavity.