Patent ID: 7799151
Filing Date: 2010-09-21
Classification: B21B

Abstract:
1. A method for making steel slabs, comprising the steps of: casting a continuous steel strip in a caster; severing the continuous strip into discrete slabs, each of the slabs having a surface temperature in excess of the austenite-to-ferrite transformation completion temperature of the steel; moving the slabs from the caster to a reheat furnace along at least one continuous conveyor path from amongst a plurality of alternative continuous conveyor paths, all of which lead to the reheat furnace and convey the slabs from the caster to the reheat furnace, without removing the slabs from the conveyor path, while exposing the slabs to ambient air temperature, the at least one conveyor path having a sufficient length and predetermined speed to ensure that only the surface layers of the respective slabs cool enough through a selected depth of penetration to transform from an austenite microstructure, to ensure that substantially less than the entirety of each of the respective slabs transforms from its austenite microstructure prior to introduction into the reheat furnace, the surface layers of the respective slabs cooling to a maximum temperature of about 1200° F. as a result of said movement along said at least one continuous conveyor path; and conveying the slabs successively to and into the reheat furnace.