US 12,134,126 B2
Method and strand guide device for operating a cooling chamber
Andreas Naujock, Oberhausen (DE); Klaus-Peter Eberwein, Erkrath (DE); Lothar Fischer, Kaarst (DE); Jochen Wans, Meerbusch (DE); Axel Weyer, Wuppertal (DE); Ulrich Wiegard, Leverkusen (DE); and Judith Ahrens, Kaarst (DE)
Assigned to SMS group GmbH, Düsseldorf (DE)
Filed by SMS group GmbH, Düsseldorf (DE)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/357,102.
Claims priority of application No. 102022207735.0 (DE), filed on Jul. 27, 2022; and application No. 102023206241.0 (DE), filed on Jun. 30, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0033818 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B22D 45/00 (2006.01); B22D 11/00 (2006.01); B22D 11/124 (2006.01)
CPC B22D 45/005 (2013.01) [B22D 11/005 (2013.01); B22D 11/124 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a continuous caster (100), comprising:
deflecting a cast strand (13) after it exits a mold (40) of the continuous caster (100) into a horizontal orientation in a strand guide device (10) arranged downstream of the mold;
cooling the cast strand (13) as it passes through a cooling chamber (1) inside the strand guide device (10) by spraying a coolant (33) onto the cast strand (13) causing steam (5) to form inside the cooling chamber (1), wherein the steam (5) forms, at least together with sucked-in secondary air, a steam-air mixture (5′) which is at least partially saturated with the coolant (33); and
extracting the steam-air mixture (5′) from the cooling chamber (1) using a suction device (20) which comprises
a suction fan (8),
a suction opening (3) opening into the cooling chamber (1), and
a suction duct (7) connecting the suction opening (3) and the suction fan (8); and
depleting the steam-air mixture (5′) by a separator (6) arranged inside the cooling chamber (1) in front of the suction opening (3) of the suction device (20); and
draining condensed steam-air mixture (5′) from the separator (6) into a waste water channel (24) inside the cooling chamber (1).
 
6. A method for operating a continuous caster (100), comprising:
deflecting a cast strand (13) after it exits a mold (40) of the continuous caster (100) into a horizontal orientation in a strand guide device (10) arranged downstream of the mold;
cooling the cast strand (13) as it passes through a cooling chamber (1) inside the strand guide device (10) by spraying a coolant (33) onto the cast strand (13) causing steam (5) to form inside the cooling chamber (1), wherein the steam (5) forms, at least together with sucked-in secondary air, a steam-air mixture (5′) which is at least partially saturated with the coolant (33); and
extracting the steam-air mixture (5′) from the cooling chamber (1) using a suction device (20) which comprises
a suction fan (8),
a suction opening (3) opening into the cooling chamber (1), and
a suction duct (7) connecting the suction opening (3) and the suction fan (8); and
depleting the steam-air mixture (5′) by a separator (6),
wherein preconditioned steam-air mixture (5′) after passing the suction fan
to an extent of a first portion is returned to the cooling chamber (1); and/or
to an extent of a second portion is supplied to a conditioning device (Z) to there be further conditioned.
 
7. A method for operating a continuous caster (100), comprising:
deflecting a cast strand (13) after it exits a mold (40) of the continuous caster (100) into a horizontal orientation in a strand guide device (10) arranged downstream of the mold;
cooling the cast strand (13) as it passes through a cooling chamber (1) inside the strand guide device (10) by spraying a coolant (33) onto the cast strand (13) causing steam (5) to form inside the cooling chamber (1), wherein the steam (5) forms, at least together with sucked-in secondary air, a steam-air mixture (5′) which is at least partially saturated with the coolant (33); and
extracting the steam-air mixture (5′) from the cooling chamber (1) using a suction device (20) which comprises
a suction fan (8),
a suction opening (3) opening into the cooling chamber (1), and
a suction duct (7) connecting the suction opening (3) and the suction fan (8); and
depleting the steam-air mixture (5′) by a separator (6); and
blowing additional air (14) into the cooling chamber (1) by a pressure fan (4), the pressure fan (4) being installed opposite the suction opening (3) of the suction device (20).