Strip Casting of Low Melting Point Alloys in a Single-belt Caster: Heat Transfer Evaluation and Strip Characterization

摘要

Using a single belt caster, several casting experiments have been carried out using a Pb-Sn-Sb low melting point alloy. The strip were characterized in terms of secondary dendrite arm spacings. Thermocouples were inserted into the strips during casting. The temperatures were used to deduce heat fluxes at the interface between the strip and the cooling belt. Secondary dendrite arm spacings in the range of 2 to 6 urn were obtained. The variations of thickness of the strips across the width were relatively small, especially in the central regions. Improvements in the liquid metal feeding system will be implemented to reduce these variations even more. The estimated heat fluxes at the interface between the strip and the belt can be represented by a function expressed by the following equation, q = a/(1+b.t~2), where "a" and "b" are constants and "t" is the contact time. Constant "a" was mainly a function of the casting speed and constant "b" a function of the strip thickness. Values of "a" and "b" in the range of 5 x 10~5 to 7.7 x 10~5 W/m~2 and 0.107 to 0.92 s~(-2), respectively, were obtained.