Apparatus and method for magnetically confining molten metal
AssigneeInland Steel Company
InventorsHoward L. Gerber, Richard T. Gass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Molten metal, in the gap between two counter-rotating rolls of a continuous strip-casting apparatus, is prevented from leaking out of an open side of the gap by a magnetic confining apparatus employing the proximity effect to produce a horizontal magnetic field extending through the open side of the gap. The apparatus includes structure for confining the magnetic field substantially to the open side of the gap and for preventing dissipation of the magnetic field away from the open side of the gap.
Claims81
A magnetic confining apparatus employing the proximity effect for preventing the escape of molten metal through the open side of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally spaced members and between which said molten metal is located, said apparatus comprising:
- electrically conductive coil means, adjacent the open side of said gap, for directly generating a horizontal magnetic field which extends through the open side of said gap to said molten metal;
- said coil means being sufficiently proximate to said open side of the gap so that said directly generated horizontal magnetic field has a strength sufficient to exert a confining pressure against the molten metal in the gap;
- said coil means having a surface portion facing the open side of said gap;
- magnetic means, associated with said coil means, and comprising means for concentrating the flow of electric current in said surface portion of the coil means which faces the open side of the gap;
- and non-magnetic, electrical conductor means in electrically conductive relation with said surface portion;
- said non-magnetic, electrical conductor means facing said open side of the gap and comprising means sufficiently proximate to said open side of the gap to confine said magnetic field substantially to said open side of the gap.
A magnetic confining method employing the proximity effect for preventing the escape of molten metal through the open side of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally spaced members and between which said molten metal is located, said method comprising the steps of:
- directly generating, at a location adjacent the open side of said gap, a horizontal magnetic field which extends through the open side of said gap to said molten metal;
- generating said horizontal magnetic field sufficiently proximate to said open side of the gap so that said directly generated horizontal magnetic field has a strength sufficient to exert a confining pressure against the molten metal in said gap;
- confining said magnetic field to said open side of the gap.;
- and providing a low reluctance return path, composed of magnetic material, for said directly generated magnetic field which extends through said open side of the gap.
A magnetic confining apparatus for preventing the escape of molten metal through the open side of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally spaced members and between which said molten metal is located, said apparatus comprising:
- electrically conductive coil means, adjacent the open side of said gap, for generating a horizontal magnetic field which extends through the open side of said gap to said molten metal and exerts a confining pressure against the molten metal in the gap;
- said coil means having a surface portion facing the open side of said gap;
- magnetic means, associated with said coil means, and comprising means for concentrating the flow of electric current in said surface portion of the coil means which faces the open side of the gap;
- and surface portion of said coil means comprising non-magnetic, electrical conductor means facing said open side of the gap;
- said non-magnetic, electrical conductor means comprising means sufficiently proximate to said open side of the gap to confine said magnetic field to said open side of the gap.
A magnetic confining method for preventing the escape of molten metal through the open side of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally spaced members and between which said molten metal is located, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a current-conducting coil adjacent the open side of said gap, with a surface portion of the coil facing said open side of the gap;
- conducting electric current through said coil to generate a horizontal magnetic field which extends through the open side of said gap to said molten metal and exerts a confining pressure against the molten metal in said gap;
- associating the magnetic means with said coil so as to concentrate the flow of electric current in said surface portion of the coil facing the open side of said gap.
- confining said magnetic field substantially to said open side of the gap;
- and providing a low reluctance return path, composed of magnetic material, for said magnetic field which extends through said open side of the gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.