An apparatus (100) to cast a tube (36) of sluggish material, said apparatus (100) comprising:
- at least one cylindrical casting mold (20), configured with a first operative apertured end (20a) and a second operative apertured end (20b), wherein the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) is configured with at least two guide path grooves (78) around a circumference of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20);
- a heating means (42), configured to heat the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20), said heating means (42) configured above an operative top of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20);
- at least one set of rollers (32, 34) comprising a driving roller (34) and an idler roller (32), each of the rollers of the at least one set of rollers (32, 34) configured to abut an operative outer surface of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) in the at least two guide path grooves (78), and further configured to spin the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) in an operative configuration of the apparatus (100);
- a driving member (38), configured to drive the at least one set of rollers (32, 34) at desired speeds wherein the driving member (38) is a motor and drive control unit, configured to spin the driving roller (34) and in-turn spin the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) and the idler roller (32);
- at least one tank (10), configured to store a refractory coating material therein;
- a spray nozzle (40), configured to be connected to the at least one tank (10), and further configured to introduce the refractory coating material through the first operative apertured end (20a) of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) and traverse a length of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) towards a second apertured end (20b), wherein the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) is spinning at a first speed in the range of 400 RPM-600 RPM to uniformly coat an operative inner surface of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) with a coat of a predetermined coating thickness in a first operative configuration of the apparatus (100);
- two pre coated end plates (72), each of the pre coated end plates (72) configured to be attached at each operative end of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) in a second operative configuration of the apparatus (100), each of the pre coated end plates (72) defined by a circular-disc shaped plate, and with an outer diameter (OD) of each of the pre coated end plates (72) being matched to fit at a groove (80) at an inner diameter (ID) of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20), and each of the pre coated end plates (72) having a through-hole thereon;
- gaskets (82) placed between each of the pre coated end plates (72) and the groove (80) configured at both operative aperture ends (20a, 20b) of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20);
- at least one tundish (50), configured to receive a molten sluggish material (60) from a ladle and change a direction of flow of the molten sluggish material (60) in a desired direction;
- a reinforced snout (70), configured to be connected to the at least one tundish (50), the reinforced snout (70) configured to introduce the molten sluggish material (60) in to the operative inner surface of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) through the second operative apertured end (20b), wherein the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) is spun at a second speed in the range of 2400 RPM-3000 RPM in the second operative configuration of the apparatus (100), wherein the reinforced snout (70) is configured to be located axially flush with the second operative aperture end (20b) while introducing the molten sluggish material (60) in to the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20), wherein an opening at a tundish end of the reinforced snout (70) has diameter in the range of 10 mm to 10.5 mm (0.394 inches to 0.413 inches) and has an opening at a mold end of the reinforced snout (70) in the range of 4.5 to 5.5 mm (0.177 inches to 0.217 inches), the opening at the mold end of the reinforced snout (70) being spaced apart from the second operative apertured end (20b) of the pre coated end plates (72) by a distance of 7 to 10 mm (0.276 inches to 0.394 inches);
- and
- cooling means (44), configured to cool the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20);
- the cooling means (44) configured below an operative bottom of the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20), the cooling means (44) selected from an air-based cooling unit or a water-based cooling unit;
- wherein, the at least one set of rollers (32, 34) is configured to spin the at least one cylindrical casting mold (20) at a first predetermined speed in the first operative configuration and at a second predetermined speed in the second operative configuration to cast the tube (36) of a predetermined inner diameter (ID), a predetermined outer diameter (OD) and a predetermined length.