US3650311A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for homogeneous refining and continuously casting metals and alloys
Assignee: Sandel Industries Inc
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Filing: 1969-05-14
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Granted: 1972-03-21
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Expires: 1989-05-14
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for electroslag remelting to metallurgically refine and cast metal alloys in a controlled environment and confined area under electroslag, consisting of an electro-energized molten flux bath blanketing the molten metal bath. The original constituents of the metal alloys are fed, in a heated or unheated state, to the area of the molten bath until they have been melted and converted into a metallurgically refined molten alloy, and then the refined molten alloy is withdrawn from the confined feeding area to form a product such as by continuous casting. The principal feature, therefore, is the continuous blending and refining to produce a super alloy ingot that possesses low impurity level and has good grain structure. The confined, offset or laterally disposed feeding of the metal alloy entraps any unmelted materials and insured only the casting of the liquified molten metal and permits more accurate control of the different areas of the melt as well as the control of the thermodynamics of the liquid-solid interface formed in the continuous casting area.
Inventors
- 👤 Gale Ray Fritsche
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:42
CPC Classifications
B; B22; B22D; B22D23/00; B22D23/06; B22D23/10; C; C22; C22B; C22B9/00; C22B9/16; C22B9/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of independently controlling the applied heat to said zones to control the level of said liquid-solid interface in the casting mold so that the level of said interface is maintained substantially adjacent the bottom of said metallic constituent bath in said melting and refining zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
The process of claim 2 characterized by the step of erecting a dam in the unitary vessel at the bottom of said metallic constituent bath between said zones above the level of said interface confining the metallic constituents to the melting zone until melted and refined and electro-energizing in accordance with at least one of the heating methods of claim 1 by inserting the same in said dam to control the heat level of said molten metal pool and to control the throat of said casting mold to the level of said interface and regulate the speed of withdrawal of the molten metal in forming an ingot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 2 characterized by arranging at least one electrode over said melting and heating zone and one electrode over said casting zone, establishing an electric arc between said electrodes and said flux bath to electro-energize the same and thereafter adjusting the position of said electrodes relative to said bath to control the applied heat to said zones.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 2 characterized by the step of controlling the thermal gradient through the casting zone to control temperature rates of heating and cooling necessary to produce a shallow concave liquid-solid interface in the ingot being formed below the molten metal pool.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of maintaining the depth of said molten flux to be no greater than approximately one-half the casting diameter of said casting mold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said molten flux is an electro-conductive flux both comprising a fluoride and one or more of the oxides of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, titanium and silicon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of supporting a mandrel within the casting mold to produce tubular ingots.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of supplying multiphase alternating current to the uniform heating method in the form of nonconsumable electrodes inducing, inter alia, a magnetic stirring action in the melting and refining zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by casting the withdrawn molten metal pool at a solidification rate commensurate of the liquification and refining of the bath of molten metallic constituents while maintaining the level of the surface of both said bath and pool.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by generating a liquid-solid interface below the surface of the molten metal pool in said casting mold by controlling the temperature distribution and thermal gradient through the liquid-solid interface and by controlling the rate of cooling of the solidifying ingot being produced at said interface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 11 characterized by controlling the depth of the liquid-solid interface to produce an ingot having micro-segregation dispersion of the metallic constituent content and aligned grain structure relative to the longitudinal length of the ingot formed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of erecting a dam in the unitary vessel at the bottom of said metallic constituent bath between said zones confining the metallic constituents to the melting zone and allowing the refined molten metal to transfer thereover for subsequent continuous casting.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of erecting an annular dam in the unitary vessel at the bottom of said metallic constituent bath, confining the metallic constituents to an annular melting zone and allowIng the refined molten metallic constituents to transfer thereover for subsequent continuous casting centrally of the annular dam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process of claim 14 characterized by electro-energizing in accordance with at least one of the heating methods of claim 1 by inserting the same in the annular dam to control the heat of the molten metal pool in the casting area while continuously casting the refined molten metallic constituents.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
The process of claim 14 characterized by the steps of annularly arranging a plurality of electrodes in the annular melting zone with their ends submerged in the flux bath, supplying multiphase alternating current to the annularly arranged electrodes to supply arc heating inducing an annular directed flow of said metallic constituent bath to produce a thermodynamic energy state causing metallurgical refining of the same and thereafter inducing the refined molten metallic constituents to transfer over the dam for continuous casting.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 16 characterized by the steps of arranging a central electrode in cooperative engagement with the molten flux bath and centrally over the molten metal bath within the annular dam to control vertical temperature gradient therein to produce a uniform continuous casting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 characterized by the steps of supporting the continuously cast ingot from below, weighing the constituents supplied to the feeding area, weighing the supported continuously cast ingot, comparing the measured weights to control the rate of feeding of said metallic constituents and the rate of withdrawing the supported ingot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the steps of continuously discharging a portion of the flux bath, replenishing the flux bath discharged to rehabilitate and maintain the desired level of flux characteristics in the flux bath to produce the desired metallurgical characteristics in the resultant cast ingot.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 characterized by the step of forming a flux crust on the inner surface of the unitary melting vessel prior to feeding said metallic constituents to the melting zone of said metallic constituent bath.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-21 | 1975-09-20 | 1976-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-21 | 1979-09-20 | 1980-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-21 | 1983-09-20 | 1984-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |