Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202720 | Co-casting of metals by direct chill casting - Apparatus and method of co-casting metal ingots in direct-chill casting apparatus. The apparatus and method employs at least one divider (divider member or divider wall) that separates a casting mold into two or more chambers for receiving molten metal that is combined into a single ingot. The divider may be moved, angled and/or flexed during casting to produce ingots that are designed primarily for rolling into thin plate or sheet. The ingot has at least one outer layer that is thicker adjacent to the side (width) edges than in the center, and/or thicker adjacent to the butt or head regions. This compensates for wiping of the outer layer from the ingot core during rolling. Also, the divider may be outwardly bowed outwardly towards one of the mold walls during the casting run. | 08-28-2008 |
20110139799 | Method of forming sealed refractory joints in metal-containment vessels, and vessels containing sealed joints - An exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a method of preparing a reinforced refractory joint between refractory sections of a vessel used for containing or conveying molten metal, e.g. a metal-contacting trough. The method involves introducing a mesh body made of metal wires into a gap between metal-contacting surfaces of adjacent refractory sections of a vessel so that the mesh body is positioned beneath the metal conveying surfaces, and covering the mesh body with a layer of moldable refractory material to seal the gap between the metal-contacting surfaces. Other embodiments relate to a vessel formed by the method and a vessel section with a pre-positioned mesh body suitable for preparing a sealed joint with other such sections. | 06-16-2011 |
20110140322 | Compressive rod assembly for molten metal containment structure - Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a compressive rod assembly for applying force to a refractory vessel positioned within an outer metal casing. The assembly includes a rigid elongated rod having first and second opposed ends, a threaded bolt adjacent to the first opposed end of the elongated rod, and a compressive structure positioned operationally between the elongated rod and the bolt. Compressive force applied by the bolt to the elongated rod passes through the compressive structure which allows limited longitudinal movements of the elongated rod to be accommodated by the compressive structure without requiring corresponding longitudinal movements of the bolt. Exemplary embodiments also relate to rod structure forming a component of the assembly, and to a metal containment structure having a vessel supported and compressed by at least one such assembly. | 06-16-2011 |
20110198050 | Casting composite ingot with metal temperature compensation - An exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a method of direct chill casting a composite metal ingot. The method involves sequentially casting two or more metal layers to form a composite ingot by supplying streams of molten metal to two or more casting chambers within a casting mold of a direct chill casting apparatus. Inlet temperatures of one or more of the streams of molten metal are monitored at a position adjacent to an inlet of a casting chamber fed with the stream, and the inlet temperatures are compared with a predetermined set temperature for the stream to determine if there is any difference. A casting variable that affects molten metal temperatures entering or within the casting chambers (e.g. casting speed) is then adjusted by an amount based on the difference of the compared temperatures to eliminate adverse casting effects caused by the difference of the inlet temperature and the set temperature. Preferably an adjustment is selected that causes the monitored temperature to approach the set temperature. Another exemplary embodiment provides equipment for operation of the method. | 08-18-2011 |
20110253581 | Molten metal leakege confinement and thernal optimization in vessels used for containing molten metal - Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a vessel used for containing molten metal, e.g. a trough section for conveying molten metal from one location to another. The vessel has a refractory liner made of at least two refractory liner units positioned end to end, with a joint between the units, the units each having an exterior surface and a metal-contacting interior surface. A housing at least partially surrounds the exterior surfaces of the refractory liner units with a gap present between the exterior surfaces and the housing. Molten metal confinement elements, impenetrable by molten metal, are positioned on opposite sides of the joint within the gap, at least below a horizontal level corresponding to a predetermined maximum working height of molten metal held within the vessel in use, to partition the gap into a molten metal confinement region between the elements and at least one other region that may be used to hold equipment such as electrical heaters that may be damaged by contact with molten metal. Another embodiment employs refractory liner units of different thermal conductivity to maximize heat penetration into the molten metal from heaters in the gap, but to minimize heat loss at the inlet and outlet of the vessel where the end units contact the housing. | 10-20-2011 |
20120160442 | Elimination of Shrinkage Cavity in Cast Ingots - An exemplary embodiment provides a method of eliminating a shrinkage cavity in a metal ingot cast by direct chill casting. The method involves casting an upright ingot having an upper surface at an intended height. Upon completion of the casting, the lower tip of the spout is maintained below the molten metal near the center of the upper surface. The metal flow through the spout is terminated and a partial shrinkage cavity is allowed to form as metal of the ingot shrinks and contracts. Before the partial cavity exposes the lower tip of the spout, the cavity is preferably over-filled with molten metal, while avoiding spillage of molten metal, and then the flow of metal through the spout is terminated. These steps are repeated until no further contraction of the metal causes any part of the upper surface to contract below the intended ingot height. | 06-28-2012 |
20120241118 | REDUCTION OF BUTT CURL BY PULSED WATER FLOW IN DC CASTING - The invention provides a method of reducing butt curl during DC casting of a metal ingot. The ingot is cast in at least two stages, including an initial casting stage and then a steady-state casting stage carried out at higher casting speed. The emerging ingot is cooled by directing a liquid coolant onto its outer surface. During the first casting stage, the liquid coolant is directed in the form of at least two streams, including a constant first stream in the form of a series of first jets, and an intermittent second stream in the form of a series of second jets. The first and second jets impact the outer surface at locations spaced from each other peripherally and/or longitudinally of the ingot. Both the first and second streams experience film boiling when they contact the ingot. The invention includes apparatus for the method. | 09-27-2012 |
20130248136 | IN-SITU HOMOGENIZATION OF DC CAST METALS WITH ADDITIONAL QUENCH - The invention relates to a method and apparatus for direct chill casting ingots with in-situ homogenization. Large particles of eutectic material may form in the solid ingot and the metal may exhibit macrosegregation of alloying components, especially when large ingots are cast in this way. This can be alleviated by applying a first liquid coolant to the ingot emerging from the mold, removing the first liquid coolant at a certain distance along the ingot by means of a wiper, and then applying a second liquid coolant to perform a quench at a greater distance along the ingot. The quench raises the level of the molten sump in the ingot, which helps to overcome the indicated problems, without affecting the desired temperature rebound of the ingot shell (usually at least 425° C. (797° F.)) for a time effective to cause in-situ homogenization. | 09-26-2013 |
20140117596 | MOLTEN METAL LEAKAGE CONFINEMENT AND THERMAL OPTIMIZATION IN VESSELS USED FOR CONTAINING MOLTEN METALS - A vessel used for containing molten metal, e.g. a trough section for conveying molten metal from one location to another. In some embodiments, the vessel employs refractory liner units of different thermal conductivity to maximize heat penetration into the molten metal from heaters in the gap, but to minimize heat loss at the inlet and outlet of the vessel where the end units contact the housing. | 05-01-2014 |
20140262119 | INTERMITTENT MOLTEN METAL DELIVERY - Automated processes that dynamically control rate of delivery of molten metal to a mold during a casting process. Such automated processes can use dynamic metal level variation, control pin pulses and/or oscillation during the mold fill and transient portion of the cast. It has been found that such pulses keep metal flowing in a manner that addresses problems, particularly at the beginning of an ingot cast, associated with metal meniscus contracting and pulling away from the mold on the short faces and corners. | 09-18-2014 |
20140326426 | IN-SITU HOMOGENIZATION OF DC CAST METALS WITH ADDITIONAL QUENCH - The invention relates to a method and apparatus for direct chill casting ingots with in-situ homogenization. Large particles of eutectic material may form in the solid ingot and the metal may exhibit macrosegregation of alloying components, especially when large ingots are cast in this way. This can be alleviated by applying a first liquid coolant to the ingot emerging from the mold, removing the first liquid coolant at a certain distance along the ingot by means of a wiper, and then applying a second liquid coolant to perform a quench at a greater distance along the ingot. The quench raises the level of the molten sump in the ingot, which helps to overcome the indicated problems, without affecting the desired temperature rebound of the ingot shell (usually at least 425° C. (797° F.)) for a time effective to cause in-situ homogenization. | 11-06-2014 |