Upgrading billet caster at LD shop No. 1 by introducing ladle turret and enhanced mould cooling with associated facilities

摘要

The production of top class finished products at competitive costs in an environment-friendly manner, keeping the safety of men and machines uppermost is the biggest challenge facing the steel industry today. Due to the non-availability of a ladle turret, the use of ladles with porous plugs, though desirable for making quality steels, was avoided due to safety reasons. The ladle with liquid steel used to be placed on a structural stand above the tundish on the casting floor. The casting sequence was dependent on the timely replacement of the empty ladle with two EOT cranes. The installation of a Ladle turret was therefore considered a necessity to produce quality steels; especially with longer casting sequence-length, even while ensuring the safety of the continuous casting (CC) machine and the related personnel, in the event of Ladle failure. Similarly, enhancements in mould cooling, and the introduction of internal cooling of the withdrawal and straightener rolls, were considered essential for increasing casting speeds, sequence length and the casting of quality steels.