How do continuous casting roller tables in steel machinery work together to prevent slag and cooling water intrusion?
Publish Time: 2026-02-11
In modern continuous casting production lines, the continuous casting roller table, as a core conveying and support system, directly carries high-temperature liquid steel billets and operates continuously under intense cooling water spray. Its working environment is extremely harsh: on the one hand, the splashed slag has extremely high adhesion and corrosiveness; on the other hand, the large amount of cooling water is not only used for rapid solidification of the billet but also easily seeps into the roller bearings and transmission mechanisms. Once slag or water intrudes into critical moving parts, it will lead to bearing corrosion, lubrication failure, jamming, and even roller surface deformation, seriously threatening production line safety and billet quality.
1. Multi-stage labyrinth seal structure: physically blocking intrusion paths
Continuous casting roller tables generally adopt a "labyrinth + lip seal" composite sealing system. The labyrinth seal consists of multiple precisely machined annular grooves between the roller shaft and the bearing housing, forming a tortuous channel. Utilizing aerodynamic principles, cooling water and fine slag particles impact the inner wall under inertia and flow back, making it difficult for them to penetrate in a straight line. Building upon this, a high-temperature resistant fluororubber or PTFE lip seal is added to the outer side, tightly adhering to the rotating shaft surface to form a dynamic contact seal, effectively intercepting micron-sized particles and droplets. This "non-contact + contact" dual-insurance design avoids the high wear problem of pure contact seals and compensates for the shortcomings of pure labyrinth seals in preventing hydrostatic water penetration.
2. Positive Pressure Air Seal Technology: Actively Removing Contaminants
In areas with ultra-high cleanliness requirements, some advanced roller tables introduce compressed air positive pressure sealing technology. By continuously introducing clean, dry air into the bearing cavity, an outward-flowing air curtain is formed, actively "blowing away" cooling water mist and suspended steel slag particles from the seal inlet. This method is particularly suitable for high-humidity, high-dust environments, significantly extending grease life and preventing lubrication failure caused by moisture emulsification. Simultaneously, the positive pressure system is equipped with a pressure sensor to monitor seal effectiveness in real time, enabling intelligent early warning.
3. High-Temperature and Corrosion-Resistant Materials Ensure Long-Term Reliability
Since the seals and bearing housings are directly exposed to heat radiation and chemical corrosion, special materials must be selected. Bearings are typically made of high-temperature alloy steel and undergo special heat treatment, allowing for long-term operation above 200℃. Seals use perfluoroether rubber or modified PTFE, with a temperature resistance up to 300℃ and resistance to alkaline corrosion from steel slag. The roller surface is often laser-coated with tungsten carbide or sprayed with a ceramic coating to improve hardness and anti-slag adhesion, reducing the widening of sealing gaps due to surface damage.
4. Drainage and Anti-Slag Structure Design: Eliminating Secondary Pollution Sources
The roller table support and bearing housing bottom are designed with inclined guide grooves and drainage holes to ensure that accidentally seeped cooling water can be quickly discharged, preventing water accumulation that could cause localized corrosion or scaling. Simultaneously, exposed structures avoid horizontal platforms, employing rounded transitions and smooth slopes to prevent steel slag accumulation. Some roller sets also integrate automatic slag removal devices, using high-pressure airflow or mechanical scrapers to remove adhering substances during roller changing intervals, reducing the risk of intrusion at the source.
The protection of the continuous casting roller table against steel slag and cooling water does not rely on a single component, but is a system engineering project deeply integrating sealing structure, materials science, fluid control, and intelligent monitoring. Through multi-level physical barriers, active gas sealing, corrosion-resistant materials, and intelligent operation and maintenance, it maintains "internal and external cleanliness" even under extreme working conditions, providing a solid guarantee for the continuous, efficient, and high-quality operation of the continuous casting process. This is not only a manifestation of ingenious mechanical design, but also a silent cornerstone of the reliability of the modern steel industry.
