Method and apparatus for sealing an ingot at initial startup

1. A method comprising the steps of:

positioning first and second spaced annular sealing members abutting and extending radially inwardly from a passage wall inner periphery which defines a passage which communicates with an interior chamber containing a continuous casting mold and with atmosphere external to the interior chamber;

inserting an ingot starter stub through the sealing members into the interior chamber so that an end of the stub is disposed in the mold and each of the sealing members abuts an outer periphery of the starter stub so that at least one of the sealing members forms a substantially airtight seal with the outer periphery of the starter stub; and

moving inert gas into a first space defined between the sealing members, the outer periphery of the starter stub and the passage wall inner periphery by moving the inert gas through a gas inlet port which is formed in the passage wall and extends from an outer surface of the passage wall to the inner periphery of the passage wall between the first and second sealing members.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the sealing members is formed of a ceramic braided material.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of exhausting inert gas from the first space into the external atmosphere through the ceramic braided material.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the other of the sealing members is a high temperature polymer based sealing ring.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second sealing members is a high temperature polymer based sealing ring.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inserting comprises the step of inserting the ingot starter stub through the sealing members so that each of the sealing members forms a substantially airtight seal with the outer periphery of the starter stub.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inserting comprises the step of inserting the ingot starter stub through the sealing members so that the first sealing member forms a substantially airtight seal with the outer periphery of the starter stub and the second sealing member does not form an airtight seal with the outer periphery of the starter stub; and further comprising the step of moving inert gas from the first space between the second sealing member and the outer periphery of the starter stub.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first sealing member is formed of a material which is permeable to the inert gas; and further comprising the step of moving inert gas from the first space through the material which forms the first sealing member.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving comprises the step of moving inert gas into the first space at a pressure in excess of the pressure of ambient atmosphere external to the interior chamber.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving comprises moving the inert gas from an inert gas supply into the gas inlet port via a gas conduit which is connected to and extends outwardly from the outer surface of the passage wall.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the gas conduit is entirely external to the interior chamber and has an exit end connected to the gas inlet port adjacent the outer surface of the passage wall and adjacent the first and second sealing members.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of evacuating air from the interior chamber after the step of inserting.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of backfilling the evacuated interior chamber with inert gas.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of transferring molten metal into the mold to initiate formation of a heated metal casting connected to the starter stub whereby the metal casting and starter stub together form an ingot.

15. A method comprising the steps of:

positioning first, second and third spaced annular sealing members abutting and extending radially inwardly from a passage wall inner periphery which defines a passage which communicates with an interior chamber containing a continuous casting mold and with atmosphere external to the interior chamber;

inserting a starter stub through the sealing members into the interior chamber so that an end of the stub is disposed in the mold and each of the sealing members abuts an outer periphery of the starter stub so that at least one of the sealing members forms a substantially airtight seal with the outer periphery of the starter stub; and

moving inert gas into a first space defined between two of the sealing members, the outer periphery of the starter stub and the passage wall inner periphery.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of moving inert gas into the first space comprises moving the inert gas through a gas inlet port which is formed in the passage wall and extends from an outer surface of the passage wall to the inner periphery of the passage wall between the first and second sealing members.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of moving additional inert gas into a second space defined between the second and third sealing members, the outer periphery of the starter stub and the passage wall inner periphery by moving the additional inert gas through a gas inlet port which is formed in the passage wall and extends from an outer surface of the passage wall to the inner periphery of the passage wall between the second and third sealing members.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the sealing members is one of a ceramic braided sleeve and a high temperature polymer based sealing ring.

19. A method comprising the steps of:

positioning an annular sealing member abutting and extending radially inwardly from a passage wall inner periphery which defines a passage which communicates with an interior chamber containing a continuous casting mold and with atmosphere external to the interior chamber;

inserting an ingot starter stub through the sealing member into the interior chamber so that an end of the stub is disposed in the mold and the sealing member abuts and forms a substantially airtight seal with the outer periphery of the starter stub to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the interior chamber via the passage;

evacuating air from the interior chamber after the step of inserting;

supplying inert gas adjacent the sealing member so as to allow leakage of the inert gas around the outer periphery of the starter stub past the sealing member through the passage into the interior chamber during the step of evacuating;

backfilling the evacuated interior chamber with inert gas; and

transferring molten metal into the mold to initiate formation of a heated metal casting connected to the starter stub whereby the metal casting and starter stub together form an ingot.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of backfilling comprises backfilling the evacuated interior chamber with inert gas to provide within the interior chamber an inert atmosphere consisting essentially of inert gas; and

further comprising the step of maintaining the inert atmosphere within the interior chamber during the step of transferring.