JP2581153B2 - Semi-solid metal slurry production equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a semi-solid metal slurry.

[Prior Art] In a metal alloy of two or more binary metal elements, in order to obtain a semi-solid metal slurry in which as many fine spherical crystal grains as possible exist in a molten metal in a solid-liquid coexisting temperature range, melting from a solidification starting point is required. Give the metal a shearing force while controlling the temperature,
There is a method of crushing a growing dendrite crystal structure and uniformly mixing fine spherical crystal grains in a molten metal. As a device capable of performing this method, a stirrer disposed in the container is rotated while controlling the temperature of the molten metal supplied into the container by a cooling device and a heating device provided on the outer periphery of the container. There is known a method in which a molten metal is stirred to form a semi-solidified slurry, and the formed semi-solidified slurry is taken out from an outlet provided at a lower portion of a container.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, such a slurry manufacturing apparatus has two steps of a step of forming a semi-solid metal slurry by stirring molten metal in a vessel and a step of discharging the semi-solid metal slurry. During the formation of the semi-solid metal slurry, the discharge is stopped. Therefore, the semi-solid metal slurry cannot be continuously obtained. is there.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, and a stirrer rotatably disposed in a container is rotated so that a supply port provided in the container is rotated. In a semi-solid metal slurry manufacturing apparatus for applying a stirring shear force to the molten metal supplied into the container to turn the molten metal into a semi-solid metal slurry, and discharging the slurry from an outlet provided at the bottom of the container, A plurality of the containers provided with the stirrer are arranged in parallel, the containers are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a vertical line, and a molten metal supply tank is disposed above the containers, and the molten metal supply tank is provided. The supply port of each container is connected to the supply port via a supply pipe, an opening / closing device for selectively opening / closing each supply pipe is provided, and further, a discharge container for collectively connecting the discharge ports of each container is provided. It is characterized by.

[Operation] According to the semi-solid metal slurry manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the molten metal is alternately supplied to each container by selectively opening one of the supply pipes connecting the supply tank and each container. I do. Then, a step of forming a semi-solid metal slurry in one of the containers and a step of discharging the semi-solid metal slurry in the other container are performed, and the operation is continuously repeated by alternately repeating the steps. In addition, even if maintenance such as inspection or repair is required for one of the containers, the production line is not stopped by operating the other container. Further, since each container is inclined, the slurry can be smoothly discharged from the discharge port at the bottom of the container, and a semi-solid metal slurry having a large size can be formed by the discharge container having the discharge ports.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. These are first and second slurry forming mechanisms. These slurry forming mechanisms A and B include a container 2 housed in a cylindrical casing 1 having a top plate 1a.
And a stirrer 3 disposed in the container 2 and a stirrer driving mechanism 5 accommodated in an upper casing 4 on the casing 1.

The container 2 has a hollow cylindrical shape in which a refractory material 7 is provided inside a steel shell 6, and the upper end thereof is fixed to an inner surface of a top plate 1 a of the casing 1, so that the container 2 is housed in the casing 1. Have been.

The upper part of the peripheral wall 2a of the container 2 and the slurry forming mechanism A,
A supply port 8a for supplying molten metal or the like into the container 2 is provided on the mutually facing surfaces of the B, and an inner supply pipe 8 is connected to the supply port 8a. Alternatively, a supply port 9a for supplying the additive substance into the container 2 is provided, and an outer supply pipe 9 is connected to the supply port 9a. The inner supply pipe 8 and the outer supply pipe 9
Are piped in a state of being integrated with each container 2 in advance corresponding to the inclination angle of each container 2.

The inner supply pipe 8 extends upward, and communicates with a molten metal supply tank 11 supported by a table 10 in a space above the slurry forming supplies A and B. Inside the molten metal supply layer 11, there are rod-shaped shutters 12a, 1a for opening and closing the communication state of the inner supply pipes 8 on the slurry forming mechanisms A, B side.
2b (hereinafter, A-side shutter 12a and B-side shutter 12b, respectively)
) Is provided so as to be vertically movable. The outer supply pipes 9 extend horizontally from the peripheral wall 2a of the container 2 and pass through the casing 1.

There is a space 13 between the steel shell 6 and the refractory material 7 on the peripheral wall 2a of the container 2 below the supply pipes 8 and 9,
The space 13 is provided with a heat medium supply pipe 14 for circulating a heat medium for heating the molten metal, and a cooling medium supply pipe 15 for circulating a cooling medium for cooling the molten metal.

A cylindrical stirrer 3 is provided in the container 2 coaxially with the container 2. The stirrer 3 is made of ceramic, and a lower molten metal stirring section 3A is formed in a tapered shape having a polygonal cross section.
A spiral iron piece 16 that generates an induced current as a heating means
Is embedded. The lower end of the stirrer 3 has a smaller diameter than that of the stirrer 3, and has a guide groove 17 around it.
A cylindrical guide member 17 having a formed thereon is fixed integrally with the stirrer 3. The upper part of the stirrer 3 penetrates the top plate 1a of the casing 1, and a flange 3a is formed at the upper end.

The stirrer driving mechanism 5 includes upper and lower bearings 18 provided on the upper casing 4, a vertical shaft 19 rotatably supported by the bearings 18, and rotated by a driving device (not shown).
A fluid pressure cylinder 20 provided on a flange 19a formed at the lower end of the vertical shaft 19 and moving the stirrer 3 up and down, and a stirrer interposed between the stirrer 3 and the flanges 3a and 19a of the vertical shaft 19 to rotate the stirrer 19 3 to be transmitted to the key 3.

The piston rod 20a of the fluid pressure cylinder 20 has a vertical shaft 1
The piston rod 20a moves up and down through the flange 19a of the stirrer 3.
is engaged with a. Thus, the stirrer 3 moves up and down in the container 2 by the operation of the fluid pressure cylinder 20 (expansion and contraction of the piston rod 20a), and rotates together with the vertical shaft 19 via the key 21.

At the lower part of the container 2, a discharge container 24 for discharging a semi-solid metal slurry composed of a steel shell 22 and a refractory material 23 is attached. The discharge container 24 has a circular cross section, and has a diameter that increases downward, and a refractory material 23 forming an upper end thereof is attached to a lower end of the container 2 so as to be coaxial with the container 2. Further, a heat medium supply pipe 25 for circulating a heat medium for heating the semi-solid metal slurry is disposed between the iron shell 22 and the refractory material 23 inside the discharge container 24.

When the discharge container 24 is attached to the container 3, the upper opening of the discharge container 24 is used as a slurry discharge port 26, and the guide member 17 is inserted into the discharge port 26 and the stirrer 3 is at the lowest position. The outlet 26 is closed by the stirrer 3.

The discharge container 24 is connected to those of the slurry forming mechanisms A and B, thereby forming one discharge container 24A. The discharge containers 24A allow the respective discharge ports 26 of the slurry forming mechanisms A and B to be connected. The slurry discharged collectively from each discharge port 26 is discharged from the lower opening 24a of the discharge container 24A. At both ends of the discharge container 24A, a weir plate 27 driven by a hydraulic cylinder or the like (not shown) and capable of opening and closing the lower opening 24a is attached via a pin 28.
Thereby, the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the lower opening 24a formed by the discharge container 24A and the weir plate 27 is rectangular.

Below the discharge container 24A, a twin-roll type continuous casting machine (not shown) for receiving the discharged semi-solid metal slurry and casting the same into, for example, a plate shape is provided.

In the figure, reference numeral 29 denotes a gas exhaust pipe provided in the upper casing 4, and reference numeral 30 denotes a molten metal.

Next, an operation method of the semi-solid metal slurry manufacturing apparatus having the above-described configuration and an operation associated therewith will be described.

The stirrer 3 is lowered by operating the fluid pressure cylinder 20 to lower the stirrer 3 and rotating the vertical shaft 19 in a state where the gap between the lower end of the stirrer 3 and the upper surface of the refractory material 23 of the discharge container 24 is extremely small. Then, an electric current is generated by energizing the iron piece 16 to circulate the heat medium through the heat medium supply pipes 14 and 25. Thus, the stirrer 3 is heated to a desired temperature by the induced current, and the refractory materials 7 and 23 of the container 2 and the discharge container 24 are each heated to a desired temperature by the heat medium.

When the stirrer 3 and each of the refractory materials 7 and 23 are heated to a predetermined temperature, the shutters 12a and 12b disposed in the molten metal supply tank 11 are opened, and the molten metal in the molten metal supply tank 11 is formed into a slurry. When a predetermined amount of molten metal is supplied into each container 2 of the mechanisms A and B, the shutters 12a and 12b are closed.

After the molten metal is supplied into each container 2, a heating medium is supplied to the heating medium supply pipe 14 and a cooling medium is supplied to the cooling medium supply pipe 15 as necessary, and further, heating by the induced current of the stirrer 3 is continued. While the temperature of the molten metal 30 is controlled by performing or stopping, the stirring and shearing force of the molten metal is applied by the rotation of the stirrer 3 to crush the growing dendrite crystal structure and to form uniform fine spherical crystal grains in the molten metal. And the molten metal is made into a semi-solid metal slurry.

When the predetermined semi-solid metal slurry is formed, the stirrer 3 is raised by the fluid pressure cylinder 20 on the slurry forming mechanism A side, and a gap is formed between the lower end of the stirrer 3 and the upper surface of the refractory material 23 of the discharge container 24, The solidified metal slurry is supplied from the container 2 on the slurry forming mechanism A side to the twin-roll continuous casting machine via the discharge port 26 and the discharge container 24.

At this time, the semi-solid metal slurry is guided downward while spirally rotating around the guide member 17 along the guide groove 17a of the rotating guide member 17, and then drops from the lower end of the guide member 17. Is discharged.

After the semi-solid metal slurry is discharged from the container 2 on the slurry forming mechanism A side, the semi-solid metal slurry is subsequently discharged from the container 2 on the slurry forming mechanism B side in the same manner as described above.

While the semi-solid metal slurry is being discharged from the slurry forming mechanism B side, the fluid pressure cylinder on the slurry forming mechanism A side
The stirrer 3 is lowered by 20 to close the discharge port 26, the A-side shutter 12a is opened, and the molten metal in the molten metal supply tank 11 is supplied into the container 2 on the slurry forming mechanism A side, and the slurry is formed as described above. The mechanism A forms a semi-solid metal slurry.

After the discharge of the semi-solid metal slurry from the slurry forming mechanism B is completed, the semi-solid metal slurry is subsequently discharged from the slurry forming mechanism A.

As described above, a continuous operation can be performed by alternately repeating the step of forming a semi-solid metal slurry for one of the slurry forming mechanisms A and B and the step of discharging the semi-solid metal slurry for the other. it can.

Further, even when maintenance such as inspection or repair is required for one of the slurry forming mechanisms A and B, the production line is not stopped by operating the other side.

In addition, the discharge containers 24A of the slurry forming mechanisms A and B collectively include the respective discharge containers 24 and have a large area. Therefore, when the semi-solid metal slurry is simultaneously discharged from the slurry forming mechanisms A and B, the width of the discharge container 24A is reduced. A wide semi-solid metal slurry is discharged, so that a wide cast body can be obtained.

Further, since each of the slurry forming mechanisms A and B is inclined at a predetermined angle, the rotation of the stirrer 3
There is also an advantage that the semi-solid metal slurry discharged from the liquid crystal is dropped downward, and the semi-solid metal slurry is easily discharged.

Further, since the outer supply pipes 9 are provided in the slurry forming mechanisms A and B, respectively,
It is possible to supply a molten metal different from the molten metal in the molten metal supply tank 11 or an additive substance into the container 2, mix them in the container 2, and form a semi-solid metal slurry of the alloy. is there.

In the above embodiment, two slurry forming mechanisms, A and B, are provided. However, three or more of them are provided, and these inner supply pipes are communicated with the molten metal supply tank 11,
The discharge containers may be connected.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the semi-solid metal slurry manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, by rotating the stirrer rotatably disposed in the container, the supply port provided in the container is used to rotate the inside of the container. A semi-solid metal slurry producing apparatus for applying a stirring shear force to the molten metal supplied to the container to convert the molten metal into a semi-solid metal slurry, and discharging the slurry from an outlet provided at the bottom of the container. Are arranged in parallel with each other, the containers are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a vertical line, and a molten metal supply tank is disposed above the containers so that the molten metal supply tank and each container The supply port is communicated with the supply port via a supply pipe, an opening / closing device for selectively opening / closing each supply pipe is provided, and further, a discharge container for collecting the discharge port of each container is provided. Because it is a feature, while selectively supplying molten metal to each container by selectively opening one of the supply pipes connecting the supply tank and each container, one of the containers is semi-solidified metal. The process of forming the slurry and the process of discharging the semi-solidified metal slurry to another container, and by repeating the process alternately, a continuous operation can be performed. Even if maintenance such as repair is required, the production line is not stopped by operating the container on the other side. Further, since each container is inclined, the slurry can be smoothly discharged from the discharge port at the bottom of the container, and a semi-solid metal slurry having a large size can be formed by the discharge container having the discharge ports.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention. 2 ... container, 3 ... stirrer, 8, 9 ... supply pipe, 8a, 9a ...
… Supply port, 11… Molten metal supply tank, 12a, 12b …… Shutter (opening / closing device), 24A …… Discharge container, 26 …… Discharge port, 30
...... Molten alloy.

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Sato 1st Shin-Nakahara-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Pref. 58-96848 (JP, U) JP 56-20944 (JP, B2)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A stirrer, which is rotatably disposed in a container, is rotated to apply a stirring and shearing force to the molten metal supplied into the container from a supply port provided in the container to convert the molten metal into a semi-solid metal. In a semi-solid metal slurry manufacturing apparatus that forms a slurry and discharges the slurry from a discharge port provided at the bottom of the container, a plurality of the containers provided with the stirrer are arranged in parallel, and the containers are arranged in a vertical line. Inclined at a predetermined angle to
An opening / closing device that arranges a molten metal supply tank above the containers and connects the molten metal supply tank to the supply port of each container via a supply pipe, and selectively opens and closes each supply pipe. A semi-solid metal slurry manufacturing apparatus, further comprising: a discharge container that collectively includes the discharge ports of the containers.