TECHNICAL DIRECTORY

Industry
Industry classification Energy Source
Iron & steel Continuous Casting Machine Fuel or Elecricity
Technology Classification Practical Use
Production 1980
Molten steel discharged from a converter (BOF) or electric furnace (EF) is continuously cast
Outline into semi-finished steel materials (semis) such as slabs and blooms by a mold. This
continuous casting machine achieves large energy saving by eliminating some of the
process steps.
Molten steel is continuously charged into the mold. It is control-cooled from outside, and
Principle withdrawn as it is solidified from the surface and formed into semis. This machine eliminates
& the ingot casting, soaking, and slab or billet rolling, and achieves large reduction in fuel and
Mechanism power consumption.

In a conventional process, molten steel from a BOF or EF is poured into ingot molds, and
solidified. After cooled down, the ingot is withdrawn from the mold, heated up again in
a soaking pit, and sent to a slab or billet rolling mill. Continuous casting eliminates these
Description process steps, and directly produces semis by continuously pouring the molten steel into
a mold.

Structure
explanation,
shapes, and/or

Saving Reduction in crude oil equivalent: 25,940 kL/y

effects Reduction of 200,000 kL/t-steel at production of 1,200,000 t/year

Economics Investment amount: 70 - 80 million yen for casting capacity of 1,200,000 t/year
Cost Improvement effect: 500 million yen by energy saving, 2,000 million yen by yield improvement
Investment payback: 3 years
Remark

Example Adopted almost 100% at integrated steel mills in Japan

References “Collection of Energy Conservation Cases 1997 ,” ECCJ

Inquiry ECCJ