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Copper Mold Tubes for Graded and Slab CC Machines

In its program, Production and Engineering Company ENCE GmbH highlights the most significant metallurgical equipment; this equipment complies with the highest international quality standards and may be offered to customers at competitive prices.

Description

One of the continuous casting machine components relevant for high quality of semi-finished metal casting products is a mould. The CC machine mould includes the mould tube / plate that contacts directly with liquid metal, steel body fixing the mould and cooling jacket for effective cooling of molten metal.

Copper mold tube / plate is the most critical and high wearing part of the mould. In contact with liquid metal the copper mould forms an ingot by cooling a thin shell of metal and forming a solid crust. By extracting of the still-solidifying ingot and continuous feeding of molten metal to the mould a continuous strand is formed, that format is determined by the mould shape.

The mould quality, especially its wear resistance and service life of contacting surfaces, determines the efficiency and shutdown times of continuous casting machine. The mould service life can be of 20 – 25 tsd. tons of steel.

Engineering Company ENCE GmbH гis ready to supply copper mold tubes for graded and slab casting machines (CC machines) according to own drawings developed on the basis of the customer’s technical assignment or drawings, including those for graded CC machines:

  • Multi-stage tubes with parabolic obliquity
  • Tubes with З and 4-stage obliquity
  • Tubes with one-layer and multilayer internal coating

The billet and slab casting moulds can vary as follows:

  • Length (from 500 mm to 1200 mm):
  • Straight
  • Parabolic
  • Two, three and four – cone shaped straight
  • Multi-cone shaped parabolic
  • Cross section:
  • Round
  • Rectangular or square (up to 200 – 260 mm)
  • Mould plates for slab casting machines

The engineering company ENCE GmbH can also supply special copper mould tubes / plates of special length and geometry based on individual drawings made in accordance with provided customer’s specifications.

According to physical and chemical characteristics of casted metal the mould tubes for casting machines can differ in materials that are used in their construction:

  • Refined copper (99,90 % and more pure),
  • CuAg alloy,
  • CuCrZr alloy,
  • Beryllium bronze

In order to increase the erosion resistance and service life the casting machine mould tubes are special coated. The mould tubes can be provided with different types of internal surface coating:

  • One-layer chromium coating. Thickness from 0,12 to 0,22 mm, hardness 900 HV.
  • One-layer nickel coating. Hardness up to 1200 HV (for different steel grades with high crack susceptibility)
  • Three-layer nickel-cobalt-chromium coating.
Double-layer coating of increased resistance
Why do we offer double-layer coating (NiCo+Cr)?

Usually, single-layer chrome coating is used for inner surface of mould tube. However, since chrome and copper have very different thermal expansion ratios, the coating flakes off easily when heated. Based on the results of performed surveys we offered a coating of increased resistance (NiCo+Cr). Thermal expansion ratio value (NiCo+Cr) is just between chrome and copper ratio values. Besides, (NiCo+Cr) provides strong contact with chrome and copper as well as good thermal stability and increased resistance. The thickness of such coating (NiCo + Cr) is 0.03-0.05 mm, Cr: 0.08-0.12 mm.

Mould tubes for billet continuous casting machines
Mould plates for slab continuous casting machines

Chemical composition for copper casting mould construction materials:



Designation Analysis (mas%)
Indication Element Cu Ag Bi O P Pb Other elements*
Total Excl.
Cu-ETP min
max
99,90(1)


0,0005

0,040(2)


0,005

0,03
Ag. O
Cu-FRHC min
max
99,90(1)



0,040(2)



0,04
Ag. O
Cu-OF min
max
99,95(1)


0,0005

(3)


0,005

0,03
Ag.
CuAg 0,04 min
max
rest
0,03
0,05

0,0005

0,040



0,03
Ag. O
CuAg 0,07 min
max
rest
0,06
0,08

0,0005

0,040



0,03
Ag. O
CuAg 0,10 min
max
rest
0,08
0,12

0,0005

0,040



0,03
Ag. O
CuAg 0,04P min
max
rest
0,03
0,05

0,0005

(3)
0,001
0,007


0,03
Ag. P
CuAg 0,07P min
max
rest
0,06
0,08

0,0005

(3)
0,001
0,007


0,03
Ag. P
CuAg 0,10P min
max
rest
0,08
0,12

0,0005

(3)
0,001
0,007


0,03
Ag. P
CuAg 0,04(OF) min
max
rest
0,03
0,05

0,0005

(3)



0,0065
Ag. O
CuAg 0,07(OF) min
max
rest
0,06
0,08

0,0005

(3)



0,0065
Ag. O
CuAg 0,10(OF) min
max
rest
0,08
0,12

0,0005

(3)



0,0065
Ag. O
Cu-PHC min
max
99,95(1)


0,0005

(3)
0,001
0,006

0,005

0,03
Ag. P
Cu-HCP min
max
99,95(1)


0,0005

(3)
0,002
0,007

0,005

0,03
Ag. P

REMARKS:
The sum of the rest elements is defined as the sum of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, 0, P, Pb, S, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Te and Zn, excluding the elements that are explicit mentioned above.

(1) Including Ag, but not more than 0.015%
(2) Oxygen concentration up to 0.060% is acceptable when agreed between the Manufacturer and the Purchaser.
(3) Oxygen concentration should allow the material hydrogen embrittlement testing according to EN 1976.


Some illustrative examples of copper mould tubes for continuous casting machines already handled by the company ENCE GmbH
Copper mould tube for continuous casting machines, square section 130 mm.

Material:



Material Element Cu Ag Bi O Other elements
CuAg0, 1 min Basis 0,08     Total Excl.
max 0,12 0,0005 0,040 0,03 Ag

Internal coating – chromium coating, 0,1-0,13 mm thick.

Dimensions, mm 130X130X1000 - R9000

Weight - 67,3 kg

Copper mould tube for continuous casting machine, square section 125 mm.

Material:



Material Element Cu Ag Bi O Other elements
CuAg0, 1 min Basis 0,08     Total Excl.
max 0,12 0,0005 0,040 0,03 Ag

Internal coating – chromium coating, 0,1-0,13 mm thick

Dimensions, mm 125X125X900 R5250

Weight - 53,5 kg

Copper mould tube for continuous casting machine as per individual drawing.

Material:



Material Element Cu Ag Bi O Other elements
CuAg0, 1 min Basis 0,08     Total Excl.
max 0,12 0,0005 0,040 0,03 Ag

Internal coating – chromium coating 0,1-0,13 mm thick

Weight - 91 kg

Additional Information

The engineering company ENCE GmbH can provide you with detailed information on continuous casting moulds and submit you with technical and commercial quotation in strict accordance with required conditions. Detailed information on other equipment of the company ENCE GmbH for different metallurgical production plants can be obtained in different languages from the main website for metal industry.