PURPOSE: To complete solidification in a target position and to maintain a max. quantity of heat content by setting the flow rates of cooling water in respective cooling zones in accordance with the instruction in a calculating section for optimum cooling patterns, determining the correction values for the flow rates of the cooling water and instructing the same to a flow rate setting section.

CONSTITUTION: Detection signals for the surface temp. of ingots are inputted from respective temp. detectors for casting materials to a cooling controller. In a scheduling section 101, information for casting positions and the drawing speeds of pinch rolls is inputted thereto, and schedule values are inputted to a calculating section 102 for optimum cooling patterns and an estimating section 103 for cooling condition of casting materials. In the section 103, the quantity of heat contained at each tracking point and the origin of shells are calculated. The cooling patterns are instructed to a determining section 104 for flow rates which assigns flow rates in respective flow rate controllers for supply water. The information on the target temp. of the casting material is inputted to a detecting section 105 for temp. deviation from the section 102, and the information on the actual temp. of the casting material is inputted thereto from the temp. detectors of the casting material then said section calculates temp. differences. Optimum correction quantity is determined by said information on the temp. deviation and the sensitivity factor values from the calculating section of optimum cooling patterns.