Semi-continuous casting of a steel strip

A method for semi-continuous casting of a strand made of steel in a strand casting machine, wherein the strand casting machine comprises:

• a cooled open-ended mold configured for primary cooling of the strand, followed by
• a strand guide for supporting and guiding movement of the strand, and having secondary cooling located and configured for cooling the strand, followed by
• a tertiary cooling zone for cooling the strand,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• starting casting in the strand casting machine, comprising pouring liquid steel into the open-ended mold while closing off the mold by a dummy bar and so that the liquid steel forms with the dummy bar a fully solidified strand start area which is then followed by a partially solidified strand;
• extracting the partially solidified strand from the open-ended mold;
• supporting and guiding the partially solidified strand in the strand guide, where the partially solidified strand is cooled by the secondary cooling;
• at the end of the casting in the strand casting machine, ending the pouring of liquid steel into the open-ended mold and forming a strand end;
• extracting the strand end from the open-ended mold;
• ending the extraction of the strand end, such that the strand end is then located outside the open-ended mold;
• then ending the secondary cooling;
• receiving and retaining all of the partially solidified strand in the tertiary cooling zone;
• providing controlled or regulated cooling of the partially solidified strand in the tertiary cooling zone until full solidification of the partially solidified strand in the tertiary cooling zone of the strand casting machine, wherein the cooling in the tertiary cooling zone takes place more strongly at the strand start area and in a decreasing manner toward the strand end;
• and
• discharging the strand from the strand casting machine.