Method and apparatus for continuous casting of aluminum bearing alloy

A method of continuous casting of a molten aluminum bearing alloy in which a casting space is defined between substantially parallel opposed portions of a pair of traveling endless belts and the molten aluminum bearing alloy is supplied into the casting space to be continuously cast into the shape of a plate, the method comprising:

• air-spraying the plate as it emerges from the casting space;
• water-spraying said plate downstream from said air-spraying;
• preventing water from contacting said plate after it has emerged from the casting space upstream from said air-spraying, by preventing splashing of water from the downstream water-spraying;
• and
• controlling said water-spraying to provide a cooling rate ΔT during solidification of the aluminum bearing alloy so that the cooling rate ΔT ranges between 3 and 6° C./sec. where ΔT=(T−500)/t, T is a temperature when the casting of the aluminum bearing alloy starts, and t is a time in sec. between start of casting and the cooling time when the temperature of the aluminum bearing alloy decreases to 500° C., thereby providing a cooled plate containing a multi-element inter-metallic compound of at least Al—SI—Fe having a particle size of 40-55 μm.