US 5,513,692 AGranted

Electromagnetic confinement of molten metal with conduction current assistance

AssigneeInland Steel Company

InventorHoward L. Gerber

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Abstract

An electromagnetic confining apparatus prevents the escape of molten metal through the open end of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally extending members, such as two counter-rotating rolls of a continuous strip caster. The molten metal is located between the two members. The apparatus includes a vertically disposed coil through which flows a time-varying electric current to generate a first horizontal magnetic field adjacent the open end of the gap. A time-varying conduction current is directed through the pool of molten metal adjacent the open end of the gap, in a vertical direction opposite that of the current flow in the adjacent portion of the coil. The flow of conduction current through the molten metal pool generates a second horizontal magnetic field adjacent the open end of the gap and which augments the first horizontal magnetic field to provide a repulsive body pressure which urges the pool of molten metal inwardly away from the open end of the gap.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An electromagnetic confining apparatus for preventing the escape of molten metal through the open end of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally spaced members between which a pool of said molten metal is located, said apparatus comprising:

electrically conductive, confining coil means, adjacent the open end of said gap, for generating a first horizontal magnetic field that extends toward said pool of molten metal through the open end of the gap;
said confining coil means comprising a vertically disposed first confining coil portion facing said open end of the gap and a vertically disposed second confining coil portion electrically connected to said first coil portion and spaced behind and facing said first coil portion;
first conductor means for directing a time-varying electric current through one of said coil portions, in a first vertical direction, and then through the other of said coil portions in a second vertical direction opposite said first vertical direction, to generate said first horizontal magnetic field adjacent the open end of said gap;
second conductor means for directing said time-varying electric current vertically through said molten pool, as conduction current, adjacent the open end of said vertically extending gap, in a direction opposite that of the current flowing through said first coil portion, to generate a second horizontal magnetic field adjacent the open end of said gap;
means, including said confining coil means and said first and second conductor means, cooperating, in the presence of said molten pool, to provide a magnetic repulsive pressure which urges said molten metal inwardly away from said open end of the gap.

2 more elements

An electromagnetic confining method for preventing the escape of molten metal through the open end of a vertically extending gap between two horizontally spaced members between which said molten metal is located, said method comprising the steps of:

providing electrically conductive confining coil means comprising a first vertically disposed confining coil portion facing said open end of the gap and a vertically disposed second confining coil portion electrically connected to said first confining coil portion and spaced behind and facing said first confining coil portion;
directing a time-varying electric current through one of said confining coil portions in a first vertical direction, and then through the other of said confining coil portions in a vertical direction opposite said first vertical direction, to generate a first horizontal magnetic field that extends toward said pool of molten metal through the open end of said gap;
and directing said time-varying electric current vertically through said molten pool, as conduction current, adjacent the open end of said gap, in a direction opposite that of the current flowing through said first coil portion, to generate a second horizontal magnetic field adjacent the open end of said gap;
said previously recited steps cooperating to provide a magnetic repulsive pressure which urges said molten metal inwardly away from said open end of the gap.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.