Continuous Casting Center

The Continuous Casting Center (CCC) is a cooperative research program at the Colorado School of Mines, uniting the university, the steel industry, and the National Science Foundation. Founded in 1991 and directed by Professor Brian G. Thomas, CCC develops comprehensive mathematical models of the continuous casting of steel and related processes to enhance understanding, optimize operations, and solve real-world manufacturing challenges.

Ladle

A 200-ton ladle of molten steel, carried by overhead crane from the steelmaking furnace. Positioned over the tundish, it opens to pour steel from its bottom.

Tundish

A bathtub-shaped holding vessel that supplies a steady flow of steel to the mold. Its flow pattern floats out inclusions while avoiding short-circuiting and surface turbulence. (Shown: a water model.)

Submerged Entry Nozzle

A ceramic nozzle that carries steel from the tundish into the mold, shielded from the air. A slide-gate plate throttles the flow. (Shown: a glowing SEN just pulled from a mold.)

Mold

A bottomless mold of four water-cooled copper plates. Steel freezes against the walls into a solid shell; the assembly oscillates to prevent sticking. Narrow faces slide to cast widths of 0.5–2 m.

Strand

Below the mold the strand bends through the spray chamber, its surface cooled by water sprays between support rolls. The interior is still molten, held by a hot, soft shell.

Torch Cutoff

An oxy-acetylene torch travels with the moving strand and cuts across it to make slabs of the desired length.

Slabs

Finished slabs, stacked and ready for rolling. Surface “oscillation marks” form near the meniscus from the mold’s slow (~1 Hz) vibration during casting.

Continuous casting, at a glance — hover any stage for a photo and detail; select it to read more.

Continuous Casting Center

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