Process Comparison Strip Production
To produce steel strips several technologies are known:
Concept
Mainstrip twin roll casting is casting liquid steel between two counter-rotating water-cooled copper roll sleeves, crystallising a shell, which solidifies to a strip at the exit. The product then is led through one- or two 4-high-rolling mill stand(s). The rolled strip after that is cooled on the exit side, where it is coiled and rolled at the end. The concept can contain an induction heating- or cooling device before the first rolling mill stand, depending on the steel quality to be cast and the machine configuration.
The “window” diagram shows an example case for a 1 m diameter roll, 1’250 wide, imposed by the physical constraints. The volume can be changed by different roll diameters and casting widths.
The shown potential is based on a casting width of 1’250 mm. Production increases with strip width.
Smaller casting roll diameters offer thinner strips at a lower volume.
Large rolls are operating at relatively low heat extraction to the maximum possible. Therefore large roll developments have significant strategic opportunities to lift casting output and offer a better geometry between the rolls for crystallization.
The maximum realistic production rate potential increases with the roll diameter.
