TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a nozzle, a casting apparatus and a casting method,
and more particularly to a nozzle, a casting apparatus and a casting method capable
of suppressing a clogging phenomenon via an electrochemical deoxidation reaction.
RELATED ART
[0002] Continuous casting process is a process in which a ladle containing a refined molten
steel is placed in a continuous casting apparatus and then molten steel in a liquid
state is transformed into a solid cast-piece by moving from the ladle to a mold through
a tundish. In this connection, a submerged entry nozzle is located at the bottom of
the tundish and moves the molten steel from the tundish to the mold, and is immersed
in the molten steel and contacts with the molten steel for a long time. Therefore,
an excellent durability is required. The submerged entry nozzle is made of Al
2O
3-C material, which is composed of alumina (Al
2O
3), which is excellent in a fire resistance and a corrosion resistance against a molten
metal, and graphite (C), which has a small wettability in relation to an inclusion
(slag component) and a small expansion amount and a good thermal conductivity.
[0003] The submerged entry nozzle is a cylindrical refractory that acts as a flow path to
supply the molten steel from the tundish to the mold. During the movement of the molten
steel into the submerged entry nozzle, a clogging layer grows from an inner wall of
the nozzle toward a center of the nozzle due to a temperature drop, an interfacial
reaction at an interface between the molten steel and the nozzle inner wall, and an
inclusion adhesion to the nozzle inner wall in the molten steel. This nozzle clogging
causes interruption of the continuous casting process, which causes adverse effects
such as a productivity and a cast-piece quality deterioration, etc. Therefore, in
order to prevent such nozzle clogging, a porous type submerged entry nozzle which
supplies inert gas from an inside of the nozzle to the molten steel to prevent adhesion
of the inclusion by bubbles, a melting loss type nozzle which introducing a refractory
which reacts with aluminum oxide which is mainly causing the nozzle clogging to form
a low melting point compound to melt the nozzle clogging layer together with a nozzle
material, and a refractory material which inhibits an adhesion of the inclusion or
a contact with the molten steel are introduced.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure provides a nozzle, a casting apparatus and a casting method
capable of preventing a nozzle clogging phenomenon via an electrochemical deoxidation
reaction during the casting.
[0005] The present disclosure provides a nozzle, a casting apparatus and a casting method
for improving a casting process efficiency and a productivity.
[0006] A nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may including: a nozzle
body having an inner hollow portion through which a molten steel may move and a discharging
hole through which the molten steel may move outside the inner hollow portion; and
a liner surrounding at least a portion of an inner wall of the nozzle body and containing
MgO stabilized ZrO
2 (MSZ).
[0007] The nozzle body may contain Al
2O
3, wherein the nozzle body may contain 20% by weight to 30% by weight of carbon content.
[0008] The liner may contain 80 to 95% by weight of MgO stabilized ZrO
2 and 5 to 20% by weight of carbon.
[0009] The MgO stabilized ZrO
2 may contain 8 to 15 mol% of magnesia (MgO).
[0010] A dummy ring may be provided on at least one of a top and a bottom of the liner with
respect to a longitudinal direction of the liner.
[0011] The dummy ring may contain a carbon content.
[0012] The dummy ring may have a length of 1 to 2% based on a total length of the liner.
[0013] A casting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may including:
a tundish in which molten steel is received; a submerged entry nozzle connected to
a bottom of the tundish wherein the submerged entry nozzle includes a nozzle body
and a liner surrounding at least a portion of an inner wall of the nozzle body and
containing MgO stabilized ZrO
2 (MSZ); and a power supply electrically connecting the molten steel received in the
tundish and the nozzle body with each other;
[0014] The nozzle body may contain Al
2O
3, and the nozzle body may contain 20% by weight to 30% by weight of carbon content.
[0015] The liner may contain 80 to 95% by weight of MgO stabilized ZrO
2 and 5 to 20% by weight of carbon.
[0016] The MgO stabilized ZrO
2 containing 8 to 15 mol% of magnesia (MgO).
[0017] A dummy ring may be provided on at least one of a bottom and a top of the liner with
respect to a longitudinal direction of the liner.
[0018] The dummy ring may contain a carbon content.
[0019] The dummy ring may have a length of 1 to 2% based on a total length of the liner.
[0020] The apparatus may include an electrode immersed in the molten steel in the tundish,
and the power supply may apply a power to the electrode and the submerged entry nozzle.
[0021] A casting method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for casting
a cast-piece by injecting a molten steel received in a tundish into a mold through
a submerged entry nozzle, wherein the submerged entry nozzle may include a nozzle
body connected to the tundish, and a liner defined on an inner wall of the nozzle
body and containing MgO stabilized ZrO
2, wherein the molten steel and the nozzle body may be electrically connected with
each other to discharge oxygens contained in the molten steel to the submerged entry
nozzle side.
[0022] When the molten steel and the nozzle body are electrically connected with each other,
the metal oxide produced in the molten steel may be decomposed into an oxygen ion
and a cation, and, then, the oxygen ion may be transferred to the nozzle body through
the liner, such that the oxygen in the molten steel may be discharged to the submerged
entry nozzle side.
[0023] The molten steel and the submerged entry nozzle may be electrically connected with
each other while using the molten steel as a cathode and using the submerged entry
nozzle as an anode.
[0024] In electrically connecting the molten steel and the submerged entry nozzle with each
other, 0.1 to 10 mA/cm
2 of a current density may be applied.
[0025] A dummy ring may be provided on at least one of a top and a bottom of the liner,
and the dummy ring may be dissolved in casting the cast-piece to form a space.
[0026] The nozzle, the casting apparatus and the casting method according to the present
disclosure may suppress or prevent the clogging of the inner hollow portion of the
nozzle, for example, the submerged entry nozzle used in the casting process. That
is, by forming the liner using a solid electrolyte enabling the electrochemical deoxidation
at the inner hollow portion of the nozzle in contact with the molten steel at a casting
temperature and electrically connecting the molten steel and the submerged entry nozzle,
it is possible to suppress or prevent the nozzle clogging due to an inclusion such
as the metal oxide or the like stacking on the inner wall of the submerged entry nozzle
which is contacting the molten steel during casting. Through this, an interfacial
oxygen concentration on the inner wall of the nozzle and a wettability of the inner
wall of the nozzle and the molten steel may be reduced. Thus, the inclusion formation
and the wettability of the molten steel, which are the main causes of the nozzle clogging
are improved, so that the nozzle clogging may be suppressed or prevented. Therefore,
it is possible to solve problems such as suspension of casting result from the nozzle
clogging, thereby improving a casting efficiency and the productivity, and it is possible
to improve a quality of the cast-piece manufactured using this. Further, a lifetime
of the nozzle may be increased to reduce a time and cost of replacing the nozzle.
[0027] Further, since the liner is formed using the solid electrolyte having an excellent
ion conductivity inside the submerged entry nozzle, a power consumption for inhibiting
the inclusion formation may be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028]
Figure 1 is a schematic view of a casting apparatus according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle applied to a casting apparatus according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a deoxidation reaction occurring in an inner hollow
portion of a nozzle during the casting.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a change in an internal structure of the
nozzle during the casting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] An embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference
to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to an
embodiment disclosed below, but may be embodied in various different forms. An embodiment
of the present disclosure, however, is provided in order to make the present disclosure
complete and to give a complete knowledge of the invention to those of ordinary skill
in the art. The drawings may be exaggerated or expanded to illustrate an embodiment
of the present disclosure, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements
throughout.
[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a casting apparatus according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle applied to
a casting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3
is a schematic diagram of a deoxidation reaction occurring in an inner hollow portion
of a nozzle during the casting, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a change
in an internal structure of the nozzle during the casting.
[0031] Referring to Figure 1, the casting apparatus, for example a continuous casting apparatus,
may be provided with a tundish 10 for storing and dispensing a molten steel 60 from
a ladle, which is a container for refined molten steel, a stopper 20 and a sliding
plate 30 for adjusting a flow rate of the molten steel 60, a submerged entry nozzle
40 discharging the molten steel 60 to a mold 50 and the mold 50 for solidifying the
molten steel 60 into a cast-piece 61. Although Figure 1 shows that the stopper 20
and the sliding plate 30 are provided at the same time in order to adjust the flow
rate of the molten steel, in actual operation, either the stopper 20 or the sliding
plate 30 may be used. Further, the casting apparatus may include a power supply 70
for supplying a voltage to the molten steel in the tundish and the submerged entry
nozzle 40.
[0032] Referring to Figure 2, the submerged entry nozzle 40 may include an inner hollow
portion through which the molten steel may move, a nozzle body 41 having a discharging
hole 42 through which the molten steel may move outside, for example to the mold,
a liner 43 configured to surround at least a part of an inner wall of the nozzle body
41 and containing MgO stabilized ZrO
2 (MSZ). Further, although not shown, the submerged entry nozzle 40 may include a slag
line portion 47 surrounding at least a portion of an outer wall of the nozzle body
41.
[0033] The nozzle body 41 may be formed in a cylindrical shape having at least an open top
so as to have the inner hollow portion through which the molten steel may move. Further,
in a lower side of the nozzle body 41, the discharging hole 42 through which the molten
steel may be discharged to the outside from the inner hollow portion may be formed.
The nozzle body 41 may be formed using Al
2O
3-C. In this connection, the nozzle body 41 may contain about 20 to 30 % by weight
of the C content so as to have a conductivity. This is to form a conducting circuit
between the submerged entry nozzle 40 and the molten steel flowing through the submerged
entry nozzle 40.
[0034] The liner 43 may be defined on the inner wall of the nozzle body 41, that is, a surface
contacting the molten steel. The liner 43 may be defined over the entire inner wall
of the nozzle body 41, but may be defined from an upper side of the nozzle body 41
to above of the discharging hole 42. Accordingly, the liner 43 may be defined in a
hollow cylindrical shape having an opening inside of the nozzle body 41 in a vertical
direction along the inner wall of the nozzle body 41.
[0035] The liner 43 is defined on the inner wall of the nozzle body 41 to move oxygen ion
in the molten steel toward the nozzle body 41. The liner 43 may be formed of the MgO
stabilized ZrO
2 (MSZ), which is well-known as a material having an excellent ion conductivity. The
MgO stabilized ZrO
2 is a solid electrolyte having a property that an ion guides electricity in a solid
state, and is applied to a solid fuel cell, a probe for measuring an oxygen concentration
in a molten metal, and the like.
[0036] In the present disclosure, this MgO stabilized ZrO
2 (MSZ) is used as the liner 43 to induce the oxygen ion in the molten steel toward
the nozzle body 41 to suppress or prevent the formation of the inclusion, for example
metal oxides such as SiO
2, Al
2O
3, TiO
2, and the like at the inner wall of the submerged entry nozzle 40.
[0037] During the casting, the oxygen contained in the molten steel forms the metal oxide
at an interface between the molten steel and the inner wall of the submerged entry
nozzle 40 due to its property to be activated at the interface. This produced metal
oxide has a high interfacial energy with the molten steel and is spontaneously moved
and adhered to the inner wall of the submerged entry nozzle 40 in the molten steel.
As this process repeats and continues, a nozzle clogging occurs at the inner hollow
portion of the submerged entry nozzle 40. In the present disclosure, the liner 43
is defined on the inner wall of the nozzle body 41 using the solid electrolyte having
the excellent ion conductivity, and the oxygen ion is induced to the outside by electrically
connecting the molten steel and the submerged entry nozzle 40, that is the nozzle
body 41 so that the adhesion of the metal oxide to the inner wall of the submerged
entry nozzle 40 may be suppressed or prevented.
[0038] A mechanism for preventing the metal oxide formation and adhesion will be described
below.
[0039] Referring to Figure 3a, the oxygen contained in the molten steel during the casting
forms the metal oxide and moves to the inner wall of the nozzle body 41. Then, as
shown in Figure 3b, when the molten steel and the nozzle body 41 are electrically
connected, electrons densely surrounding the metal oxide decompose the metal oxide
into the oxygen ion and cations (metal ions). This decomposed oxygen ion is moved
to the liner 43 having the excellent ion conductivity as shown in Figure 3c, and is
discharged to the outside through pores of the nozzle body while forming oxygen gas.
The cations are then absorbed into the molten steel. Through this process, that is,
deoxidation, the oxygen in the molten steel is discharged to the outside the molten
steel, thereby the nozzle clogging may be suppressed of prevented by inhibiting the
formation and adhesion of the metal oxide in the submerged entry nozzle 40.
[0040] The liner 43 may contain 80 to 95% by weight of MgO stabilized ZrO
2 (MSZ) and 5 to 20% by weight of carbon content. In this connection, the MgO stabilized
ZrO
2 (MSZ) may be composed of magnesia (MgO) of about 8 to 15 mol% and the rest of zirconia
(ZrO
2) in order to inhibit a volume change due to a phase change based on a temperature
change. Using the magnesia as a stabilizer in the zirconia as described above, the
zirconia may maintain a relatively stable phase even at the temperature change, so
that it is possible to prevent cracking or damaging of the liner 43 during the casting.
[0041] On the other hand, even if the liner 43 is manufactured using the MgO stabilized
ZrO
2 stable to the temperature change, a volume expansion based on the temperature change
may not be completely suppressed. Further, a coefficient of thermal expansion of the
liner 43 and the nozzle body 41 are different from each other, and the coefficient
of thermal expansion of the liner 43 is larger than the coefficient of thermal expansion
of the nozzle body 41 so that a stress occurs between the liner 43 and the nozzle
body 41 due to the volume expansion of the liner 43 during the casting, may result
in cracking or damaging of the liner 43.
[0042] Therefore, a dummy ring 45 may be formed on at least one of the upper side and the
lower side with respect to the longitudinal direction of the liner 43 in order to
secure a space corresponding to the volume expansion of the liner 43. The dummy ring
45 may be formed to have a length of about 1 to 2% with respect to a length of the
liner 43. When the length of the dummy ring 45 is shorter than the specified range,
the breakage of the liner 43 is inevitable because the dummy ring 45 may not adequately
cope with the volume expansion of the liner 43, and when the length of the dummy ring
45 is longer than the specified range, the nozzle body 41 may be exposed to the molten
steel and the metal oxide may be produced and adhered to the nozzle body 41. The dummy
ring 45 does not have to be formed if it may secure a space according to the volume
expansion of the liner 43, the dummy ring 45 is inevitably formed because it is difficult
to secure the space corresponding to the volume expansion of the liner 43 due to its
manufacturing characteristics of the submerged entry nozzle 40. That is, the process
of manufacturing the submerged entry nozzle 40 includes a press molding process and
a firing process after injecting a raw material constituting the submerged entry nozzle
40 into a molding frame, this is because it is difficult to secure a specific position
that is, the space corresponding to the volume expansion of the liner 43, when the
raw material is injected into the molding frame. Thus, the dummy ring 45 may be formed
of a material having a lower melting point than the contents constituting the liner
43. That is, the dummy ring 45 is formed on either the upper side or the lower side
of the liner 43 when manufacturing the submerged entry nozzle 40, but during the casting,
the dummy ring 45 may be dissolved and removed by a heat of the molten steel to secure
the space for the volume expansion of the liner 43. Thus, the dummy ring 45 may be
manufactured using a carbon-containing material such as graphite having a melting
point higher than a firing temperature and lower than a casting temperature in manufacturing
the submerged entry nozzle 40.
[0043] According to such the structure, a dummy ring 45/liner 43 or a dummy ring 45/liner
43/dummy ring 45 may be formed in the nozzle body 41 along the longitudinal direction
of the nozzle body 41. Before casting, as shown in Figure 4a, there is the dummy ring
45 on the one side of the liner 43, for example, on the upper side, but during the
casting, as shown in Figure 4b, the dummy ring 45 is removed by the heat of the molten
steel to form the space on the upper side or the upper side and the lower side of
the liner 43, by the heat of the molten steel, the liner 43 expands in a volume by
'x' to fill the space formed while the dummy ring 45 is dissolving. Thus, the stress
occurring between the liner 43 and the nozzle body 41 due to the volume expansion
of the liner 43 may be relaxed, thereby cracking or damaging of the liner 43 may be
suppressed or prevented.
[0044] Further, the slag line portion 47 may be defined on the outer wall of the submerged
entry nozzle 40. The slag line portion 47 is configured to enhance a corrosion resistance
against a slag (or a flux 62), the molten steel, and the like, and may be formed above
the discharging hole 42, for example, around a mold level of the molten steel in the
mold. The slag line portion 47 may be formed using various materials, for example,
a mixed material of a calcia·magnesia partially stabilized zirconia, the graphite,
or the like.
[0045] The power supply 70 electrically connects the molten steel in the tundish 10 and
the submerged entry nozzle 40. In this connection, a first electrode rod 72 for supplying
a power to the molten steel in the tundish may be provided, and the submerged entry
nozzle 40 may be used as a second electrode. In order to supply the power to the molten
steel in the tundish, the first electrode 72 may be provided to be immersed in the
molten steel in the tundish, and the first electrode rod 72 may be formed of the same
material as the submerged entry nozzle 40, that is, the nozzle body 41. Further, the
power supply 70 supplies the power, for example, a voltage or a current to the first
electrode 72 and the second electrode (submerged entry nozzle 40) in the way that
the first electrode 72 is as a cathode and the second electrode is as an anode. Thus,
when the power is supplied to the first electrode 72 and the second electrode, the
electrons move from the first electrode 72 to the second electrode side, and the oxygen
ion decomposed at the interface between the molten steel and the submerged entry nozzle
40 moves in the moving direction of the electrons, that is from the molten steel to
the nozzle body 41 side. Therefore, the oxygen ion in the molten steel may move to
the nozzle body 41 side through the liner 43 and may be discharged to the outside,
and through this process, the nozzle clogging by the adhesion of the metal oxide to
the inner hollow portion of the submerged entry nozzle 40 may be suppressed or prevented.
[0046] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a nozzle according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure will be described.
[0047] The nozzle according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a process
of preparing the raw material for forming the submerged entry nozzle 40, a process
of injecting the raw material into the molding frame for forming the submerged entry
nozzle 40 to form the molded product, and a process of forming the submerged entry
nozzle 40 via firing the molded product.
[0048] The process of preparing the raw material may include processes of preparing a raw
material for forming the nozzle body 41, a raw material for forming the liner 43 and
a raw material for forming the dummy ring 45.
[0049] When the raw materials are prepared, each raw material is injected into the molding
frame to form the molded product of the submerged entry nozzle 40. At this time, a
cylindrical core material may be inserted into the molding frame, and a spacer for
forming the liner and the dummy ring may be inserted to be spaced apart from the core
material. Then, between the spacer and the core material, the raw materials for forming
the liner 43 and the dummy ring 45 are sequentially injected, and between the spacer
and the molding frame, the raw material for forming the nozzle body 41 is injected.
After the spacer is removed, the raw materials injected into the molding frame are
pressed to form the molded product for forming the submerged entry nozzle 40.
[0050] Thereafter, the molded product is drawn from the molding frame, and the molded product
is fired at a temperature of about 1000 °C or less in the firing furnace to produce
the submerged entry nozzle 40. In the process of firing the molded product, the dummy
ring 45 may maintain a shape formed during the forming of the molded product.
[0051] When the casting is performed using the thus formed submerged entry nozzle 40, the
dummy ring 45 is dissolved and removed by a heat of the molten steel, thereby the
space corresponding to the volume expansion of the liner 43 may be easily secured
at the upper portion or the lower portion of the liner 43. Accordingly, when the volume
of the liner 43 is expanded by the molten steel during the casting, the space in which
the dummy ring 45 is removed may prevent cracking or damaging in the liner 43.
[0052] Hereinafter, a method for casting a cast-piece using a casting apparatus according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.
[0053] The casting method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is a method
of casting the cast-piece 61 by injecting the molten steel 60 in the tundish 10 into
the mold 50 through the submerged entry nozzle 40, oxygen contained in the molten
steel may be discharged to the submerged entry nozzle side by electrically connecting
the molten steel 60 and the submerged entry nozzle 40.
[0054] A circuit may be configured to electrically connect the molten steel 60 and the submerged
entry nozzle 40 prior to casting. The circuit is configured to immerse the first electrode
72 into the molten steel in the tundish and connect the first electrode 72 and the
second electrode, that is, the nozzle body 41 using a wire. Then, the first electrode
72 and the second electrode are connected to the power supply 70 provided outside
by the wire.
[0055] Then, when casting starts, the molten steel 60 in the tundish 10 is injected into
the mold 50, and the power is supplied to the first electrode 72 and the nozzle body
41, which is the second electrode, by the power supply 70. In this connection, the
first electrode 72 is set to be the cathode and the second electrode is set to be
the anode so that the current flows from the first electrode 72 to the second electrode
side.
[0056] The power supplied to the first electrode 72 and the second electrode by the power
supply 70 may be adjusted to have a current density of about 0.1 to 10 mA/cm
2. This is because the liner 43 defined on an inner portion the nozzle body 41 has
the very high ion conductivity, so that oxygen ion may smoothly move even if the relatively
small current flows. In this connection, when the current density is smaller than
the suggested range, an ionization of the metal oxide and the movement of the oxygen
ion are not smoothly carried out. Further, since the ionization of the metal oxide
and the movement of the oxygen ion are smoothly carried out within the suggested range
of the current density, it is not necessary to make the current density larger than
the suggested range.
[0057] When the power is supplied to the first electrode 72 and the second electrode thus,
the electrons move from the first electrode 72 to the nozzle body 41 which is the
second electrode, and thus the current flows from the first electrode 72 to the second
electrode. Describe again with reference to Figure 3, when the power is supplied to
the first electrode 72 and the second electrode, the electrons are concentrated around
the metal oxide produced on the inner wall side of the submerged entry nozzle 40,
the metal oxide is decomposed into the oxygen ion and the cations. The oxygen ion
thus decomposed moves in the moving direction of the electrons, that is, from the
molten steel to the nozzle body 41. At this time, the oxygen ion is transferred to
the nozzle body 41 through the liner 43 produced in the inner wall of the submerged
entry nozzle 40. Since the liner 43, the solid electrolyte, is permeable only to the
oxygen ion, the cations dissolve into the molten steel and are absorbed. This process
is continuously performed while the power is supplied, and it is possible to suppress
or prevent the metal oxide from being produced and adhered to the inner wall of the
submerged entry nozzle 40. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the nozzle clogging
which may be caused by the formation and adhesion of the metal oxide.
[0058] Hereinafter, test results using a casting apparatus according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure will be described below.
[0059] For the test, the submerged entry nozzle was manufactured forming the liner with
the solid electrolyte on the inner wall portion of the submerged entry nozzle and
the other portion without the liner. Using the submerged entry nozzle thus produced,
casting was performed under a test facility of a 13-ton scale of the molten steel.
In this connection, the power was supplied such that 2 mA/cm
2 of the current density was applied. Further, in order to accelerate the nozzle clogging,
a condition which may be producing a large amount of the Al
2O
3 inclusion in the molten steel was applied. Thereafter, the submerged entry nozzle
used in the test was cut and an inside thereof was observed.
[0060] As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the inclusion layer of 0.3 mm
or less was adhered to the region where the liner was defined, and in the region B
where the liner was not defined, a mixture of the inclusion and an impurity had the
inclusion layer of about 1.8 to 3.5 mm.
[0061] Through this test, it was confirmed that when the liner containing the solid electrolyte
is formed on the submerged entry nozzle and the molten steel and the submerged entry
nozzle are electrically connected, the oxygen in the molten steel is removed and the
formation and adhesion of the metal oxide at the inner wall of the submerged entry
nozzle is prevented.
[0062] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and
described, those skilled in the art will be understood that the present disclosure
is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is intended to cover
alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit
and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly,
the technical protection scope of the present disclosure should be defined by the
following claims.
Industrialabilitv
[0063] According to the present disclosure, the nozzle, the casting apparatus and the casting
method may improve the productivity of the cast-piece by suppressing or preventing
the nozzle clogging in the continuous casting process for casting the cast-piece.
1. a nozzle comprising:
a nozzle body having an inner hollow portion through which molten steel moves, and
a discharging hole defined therein through which the molten steel moves outside the
inner hollow portion; and
a liner surrounding at least a portion of an inner wall of the nozzle body and containing
MgO stabilized ZrO2 (MSZ).
2. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle body contains Al2O3, wherein the nozzle body contains 20% by weight to 30% by weight of carbon content.
3. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the liner contains 80 to 95% by weight of
MgO stabilized ZrO2 and 5 to 20% by weight of carbon.
4. The nozzle of claim 3, wherein the MgO stabilized ZrOz contains 8 to 15 mol% of magnesia
(MgO).
5. The nozzle of claim 4, wherein a dummy ring is provided on at least one of a top and
a bottom of the liner with respect to a longitudinal direction of the liner.
6. The nozzle of claim 5, wherein the dummy ring contains a carbon content.
7. The nozzle of claim 6, wherein the dummy ring has a length of 1 to 2% based on a total
length of the liner.
8. A casting apparatus comprising:
a tundish receiving molten steel therein;
a submerged entry nozzle connected to a bottom of the tundish, wherein the submerged
entry nozzle includes a nozzle body, and a liner surrounding at least a portion of
an inner wall of the nozzle body, wherein the liner contains MgO stabilized ZrO2 (MSZ); and
a power supply electrically connecting the molten steel received in the tundish and
the nozzle body with each other.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the nozzle body contains Al2O3,
wherein the nozzle body contains 20% by weight to 30% by weight of carbon content,
wherein the liner contains 80 to 95% by weight of MgO stabilized ZrO2, and 5 to 20% by weight of carbon, wherein the MgO stabilized ZrO2 contains 8 to 15 mol% of magnesia (MgO).
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a dummy ring is provided on at least one of a top
and a bottom of the liner with respect to a longitudinal direction of the liner.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus includes an electrode immersed in
the molten steel in the tundish,
wherein the power supply applies a power to the electrode and the submerged entry
nozzle.
12. A casting method for casting a cast-piece by injecting molten steel received in a
tundish into a mold through a submerged entry nozzle,
wherein the submerged entry nozzle includes a nozzle body connected to the tundish,
and a liner defined on an inner wall of the nozzle body, wherein the liner contains
MgO stabilized ZrO2,
wherein the method includes electrically connecting the molten steel and the nozzle
body with each other to discharge oxygens contained in the molten steel to a side
of the submerged entry nozzle.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein when the molten steel and the nozzle body are electrically
connected with each other, metal oxides produced in the molten steel are decomposed
into oxygen ions and cations, and, then, the oxygen ions are transferred through the
liner to the nozzle body, such that oxygens in the molten steel are discharged to
a side of the submerged entry nozzle.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the molten steel and the submerged entry nozzle are
electrically connected with each other while using the molten steel as a cathode and
using the submerged entry nozzle as an anode.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein in electrically connecting the molten steel and the
submerged entry nozzle with each other, 0.1 to 10 mA/cm2 of a current density is applied.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein a dummy ring is provided on at least one of a top
and a bottom of the liner, wherein the dummy ring is dissolved during casting the
cast-piece to form a space.