Continuous Casting of Thin Aluminum Strips Using the Electromagnetic Levitation

Abstract

In the development of the aluminum (Al) alloys continuous casting, the significant change was involved by replacing the mechanical contact between solidified molten metal and the mould's wall with the electromagnetic force action. Here, the function of the strip's surface shaping takes the special inductor known as the electromagnetic mould (EMM). The method for calculation the horizontal EMM's parameters for continuous casting of the thin strip from the Al alloys is presented. It is based on computing the distribution of the magnetic field using the interaction between an inductor and surface of the shaped molten metal. The operating frequency of alternating current passing through the inductor, which depends on the density, the surface tension, specific electric conductivity of the liquid metal, and the pool thickness, is determined. To shape the upper and bottom peripheries of the strip of 20 Â 150 mm, the system of inductors was developed, and parameters for pouring of the AlSi8.5Cu and AlSn20 alloys were computed. The proposed EMM design considers the magnetic field distribution inside the inductor and the size of air gap between the liquid metal and inductor.