Importance

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Abstract

The local thickness across the width of a cast sheet is regulated by controlling the crown of the work rolls in a twin roll continuous casting machine producing the sheet. The work roll crowns are controlled by providing differential cooling in a plurality of cooling subsystems along the length of the rolls. The work rolls contain inlet and outlet water plenums which are connected to peripheral cooling channels between a core and an outer shell of each roll. Water flow to the cooling subsystems is controlled by a movable sleeve within the outlet plenum. In a first position of the sleeve, water is permitted to flow through all areas of the work rolls providing an even heat removal. In a second position, a greater portion of water flows through cooling subsystems in the center portion of the work rolls resulting in increased removal of heat from the center area of the core, reducing the temperature in this area, and thus reducing the crown of the work roll. The sleeve in each roll may be moved incrementally between the first and second positions to provide incremental control over the size of the work roll crowns and the resulting crown of the sheet produced by the rolls. A water manager diverts inlet water to the off-center inlet plenums in the core while removing discharge water from the central outlet plenum. The water manager provides a fluid-tight bearing for a linear actuator acting on the sleeve.

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First Claim