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