3. Continuous casting: fundamental aspects

Continuous casting is first and foremost a heat exchange process: large quantities of heat are evacuated over a short period of time. The process is limited by the heat exchange between the skin and its surroundings. Cooling takes place in three stages:

• water cooling of the copper ingot mould, until the product has a solid skin strong enough to contain the steel without deforming too much (length "1 m);

• secondary cooling, by water sprinkling (typical lengths " 5 m) ;

• air cooling at the end of the machine (typical lengths "10 m and over").