JP3492678B1 - Container, molten metal supply system and molten metal supply method - Google Patents

Abstract

A container, a molten metal supply system, and a molten metal supply method capable of safely supplying a molten metal. SOLUTION: This container is a container for supplying a molten metal, which can accommodate the molten metal, and has a container main body having a first opening at an upper part, and the molten metal accommodated in the container main body. A flow path through which metal can flow inside and outside, and a lid having a second opening smaller in diameter than the first opening and arranged to cover the first opening of the container main body; A second opening of the lid is provided to be openable and closable,
A hatch communicating with the inside and outside of the container and having a through hole for mounting a valve for releasing the pressure in the container when the pressure in the container becomes a predetermined value or more.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container, a molten metal supply system and a molten metal supply method, which are used, for example, for conveying molten aluminum.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a factory where a large number of die-casting machines are used to mold aluminum, the aluminum material is often supplied from outside the factory as well as inside the factory. In this case, the container containing the molten aluminum is transported from the material supply side factory to the molding side factory, and the material in the molten state is supplied to each die casting machine ( For example, Patent Document 1
reference).

[0003]

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-8-20826 (paragraph [002
6], FIG. 4).

[0004]

The present inventors have proposed a technique for supplying the material from such a container to the die-cast machine side by utilizing the pressure difference. That is, this technique is to pressurize the inside of the container and draw out the molten material in the container to the outside through the pipe introduced into the container.

However, the container disclosed in Patent Document 1 alone has a problem that a sudden discharge of the molten metal occurs when the pressure in the container rapidly increases during the supply of the molten metal.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a container capable of safely supplying molten metal, a molten metal supply system and a molten metal supply method. .

[0007]

In order to solve such a problem, the container according to the main aspect of the present invention contains molten metal.
Can be adjusted by adjusting the pressure difference between the inside and outside
It is possible to supply molten metal to the
A container mounted and transported to a point of use , the container main body having a first opening in an upper portion, a flow path capable of circulating the molten metal housed in the container inside and outside, and the container is arranged so as to cover the first opening of the body, said a lid having a first second opening of diameter smaller than the opening, openable of the lid to the second opening of the lid
A hatch provided on the upper surface , which communicates the inside and outside of the container, and which is provided with a through hole for attaching a relief valve for releasing the pressure in the container when the pressure in the container becomes a predetermined value or more. , The relief attached to the through hole
And a valve .

[0008]

According to one aspect of the present invention, the second opening is located near the center of the lid, or the through hole is located near the center of the hatch.

[0010]

A system according to another aspect of the present invention is a molten metal supply system for supplying the molten metal from a first factory producing the molten metal to a second factory having a use point of the molten metal. To contain molten metal
Can be adjusted to the outside by adjusting the pressure difference between the inside and outside.
It is possible to supply molten metal and it is installed by a carrier vehicle.
Is a container to be conveyed to the point of use, the upper
A container body having a first opening in part, communicate the inside and the outside of said container, a flow path capable of flowing through the molten metal, are arranged so as to cover the first opening of the container body A lid having a second opening with a diameter smaller than the first opening, and a second opening on the lid that can be opened and closed.
A hatch provided on the surface side, which communicates the inside and outside of the container, and which is provided with a through hole for attaching a relief valve for releasing the pressure in the container when the pressure in the container exceeds a predetermined level, and , A relief valve attached to the through hole
Doo and vessel equipped with a transport vehicle for transporting put the container between said first plant and said second plant,
Is provided.

A system according to still another aspect of the present invention is a molten metal supply method for supplying the molten metal from a first factory producing the molten metal to a second factory having a use point of the molten metal. It contains molten metal
Can be controlled by adjusting the pressure difference between inside and outside
It is possible to supply molten metal to the
A container that is placed and transported to the point of use ,
A container body having a first opening in the upper part, a flow path that communicates the inside and outside of the container and allows the molten metal to flow, and is arranged so as to cover the first opening of the container body . A lid having a second opening with a diameter smaller than the first opening, and a second opening on the lid that can be opened and closed.
A hatch provided on the surface side, which communicates the inside and outside of the container, and which is provided with a through hole for attaching a relief valve for releasing the pressure in the container when the pressure in the container exceeds a predetermined level, and , A relief valve attached to the through hole, the molten metal is contained in a container, the container is mounted on a transportation vehicle, and the container is transported from the first factory to the second factory. to, characterized in that.

In the present invention, the flow path for circulating the molten metal extends from the position near the bottom of the container body on the inner circumference of the container body toward the upper part of the outer circumference of the container body. That is, in the present invention, as compared with the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-20826, a member such as stalk exposed to the molten metal in the container is not necessary, so that it is not necessary to replace parts such as stalk. . Further, in the present invention, since a member that interferes with preheating such as stalk is not arranged in the container, workability for preheating is improved,
Preheating can be performed efficiently. Further, after the molten metal is stored in the container, it is often necessary to scoop out oxides and the like on the surface of the molten metal. This work is difficult to do if there is stalk inside. According to the present invention, since there is no structure such as stalk inside the container, workability can be improved.

Here, as the molten metal supply method using the container according to the present invention, (a) a step of introducing the molten metal into the container from the outside of the container by making the inside of the container into a negative pressure state than the outside (B) a step of leading the molten metal out of the container to the outside of the container. Here, the negative pressure state means that pressure outside the container> pressure inside the container.
In addition to depressurizing the inside of the container, when pressurizing outside the container,
Further, it includes the case where the pressure inside the container is reduced and the pressure outside the container is increased.

By thus introducing the molten metal into the container by utilizing the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the container, a member for drawing the molten metal into the container, for example, a furnace for supplying the molten metal through a pipe. It will be better if the and the container are connected. For example, since it is not necessary to connect the furnace for supplying the molten metal to the container via the gutter member, the chances of the molten metal coming into contact with air are dramatically reduced, and the oxidation of the molten metal supplied into the container is minimized. Is possible. Therefore, the work of removing the oxide is not required, the workability can be improved, and the molten metal containing almost no oxide can be supplied.

The step (b) is characterized in that the molten metal is led from the inside of the container to the outside of the container by making the inside of the container into a positive pressure state more than the outside of the container. For example, the container communicates with the inside and outside of the container. A first pipe which is provided in order to allow the molten metal to flow therethrough, and in the step (a) and the step (b), the molten metal is introduced and withdrawn using the first pipe. It is characterized by

The positive pressure state means that the pressure inside the container> the pressure outside the container. In addition to the case of pressurizing the inside of the container, the case of depressurizing the outside of the container and the case of further pressurizing the inside of the container and depressurizing the outside of the container are also included.

In the present invention, since the molten metal can be supplied from the molten metal supply furnace to the container and the molten metal from the container to the server by using, for example, a common first pipe, It can be very simple.
However, the present invention also includes the case where different pipes are used for introducing and discharging molten metal.

In the molten metal supply method of the present invention, the container comprises a second pipe provided so as to communicate the inside and the outside of the container, and the step (a) and the step (b) include the second pipe.
It is characterized in that decompression and pressurization in the container are carried out using the above piping. By thus performing decompression and pressurization in the container with the common pipe, the structure of the container can be made very simple.

Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to introduce the molten metal into and out of the container simply by providing the first and second pipes to the container. This makes it possible not only to simplify the structure but also to drastically reduce the oxidation of the molten metal.

In the method for supplying molten metal of the present invention, the step (a) comprises a step of depressurizing the inside of the container to introduce the molten metal into the container from the outside of the container, and It is characterized by comprising a step of detecting and a step of controlling the pressure in the container according to the detected liquid level. This makes it possible to supply an appropriate amount of molten metal into the container, regardless of the system configuration on the server side, for example.

In the method for supplying molten metal of the present invention, the step (a) further comprises a step of replacing the space in the container with an inert gas after introducing the molten metal. Thereby, it becomes possible to further suppress the oxidation of the supplied molten metal in the container.

In the molten metal supply method of the present invention, the container is provided with a first pipe which is provided so as to communicate the inside and outside of the container and through which the molten metal can flow. Effective inner diameter is greater than approximately 50 mm and approximately 100 m
It is characterized by being smaller than m. A more preferable inner diameter is about 65 mm to about 80 mm. This is a finding obtained by the inventors as a result of investigating the relationship between the pipe diameter and the pressure required for pressure feeding.

The molten metal supply system of the present invention comprises a container capable of containing the molten metal, a pipe for communicating the inside and outside of the container, and a pipe capable of circulating the molten metal, and the inside of the container. And an exhaust system for exhausting the exhaust gas. Further, the molten metal supply system of the present invention includes a container capable of containing molten metal, a first pipe which communicates the inside and outside of the container and allows the molten metal to flow, and the inside and outside of the container. And a second pipe capable of communicating with each other and exhausting the inside of the container.

In the present invention, since it suffices to connect the molten metal supply furnace to the container through a pipe for drawing the molten metal into the container, the chances of the molten metal coming into contact with air are drastically reduced, and It is possible to reduce oxidation of the supplied molten metal as much as possible. Therefore, according to the present invention,
Oxide removal work is unnecessary, workability can be improved, and molten metal containing almost no oxide can be supplied.

The molten metal supply system of the present invention is characterized in that the opening of the pipe inside the container is below the container. As a result, most of the molten metal supplied from the pipe into the container is supplied below the surface of the molten metal already supplied into the container, that is, most of the molten metal supplied from the pipe is The air in the container is not directly contacted during the supply, and the oxidation of the molten metal can be effectively prevented. Further, since the opening of the pipe is located at such a position, it is possible to supply the molten metal from the container to the server by pressurization using this pipe.

The molten metal supply system of the present invention further comprises means for detecting the liquid level of the molten metal in the container, and means for controlling the exhaust system according to the detected liquid level. To do. This makes it possible to supply an appropriate amount of molten metal into the container. The liquid level detection means is characterized in that the liquid level detection means is provided at a predetermined interval on the ceiling part inside the container, and each tip part includes a pair of electrodes protruding to at least the position of the maximum liquid level in the container. By using such a liquid level detecting means, it is possible to detect the liquid level with a simple configuration even in a high temperature environment in which a metal is melted. The liquid level detecting means may be used in combination with a weight sensor, for example. For example, it is usually possible to measure the amount of molten metal in the container by using a weight sensor and use the liquid level detecting means having the above-mentioned configuration as the maximum liquid level detecting means for emergency. As a result, a safer system can be constructed.

In the method for supplying molten metal of the present invention, the inside of the container is depressurized to suck the molten metal, the container is transported to a use point, and the container is pressurized to supply the molten metal to the use point. It is characterized by here,
For example, the molten metal is aluminum, and transportation to the point of use of the container is carried out through a public road, and at the point of use, molding of aluminum using an aluminum die cast machine using the molten aluminum is performed. Is performed.

According to the present invention, in a production method for producing molten aluminum from solid aluminum, the step of melting aluminum in a furnace, the step of connecting via a pipe between the furnace and the container, A step of depressurizing the inside of the container and introducing molten aluminum from the furnace into the container through the pipe; and pressurizing the inside of the container through the pipe to melt the molten aluminum from the container to the server. And a step of deriving. As a result, it is possible to produce molten aluminum containing little oxide.

The method for producing an aluminum die-cast product of the present invention comprises the steps of melting aluminum in a furnace, connecting the furnace and the container via a pipe, and reducing the pressure in the container. Introducing molten aluminum into the container from the furnace through the pipe, and pressing the inside of the container to derive the molten aluminum from the container to the server through the pipe, A step of supplying the molten metal from a server to an aluminum die cast machine to manufacture an aluminum die cast product. As a result, it becomes possible to efficiently produce a high-quality aluminum die-cast product containing less oxide.

The method of manufacturing an automobile according to the present invention comprises the steps of melting aluminum in a furnace, connecting the furnace and the container via a pipe, and reducing the pressure in the container to connect the pipe. Through the furnace to introduce molten aluminum into the container, pressurize the inside of the container to draw molten aluminum from the container to the server via the pipe, and the aluminum from the server The method comprises the steps of supplying the molten metal to a die-cast machine to manufacture an automobile engine, and assembling an automobile using the manufactured engine. As a result, it becomes possible to efficiently manufacture an automobile having a high-quality engine with less oxide.

The molten metal supply system of the present invention comprises a pressurized molten metal supply container, an elevating mechanism for moving up and down while holding the pressurized molten metal supply container, and a pressurizing device for pressing the pressurized molten metal supply container. And a carrier vehicle having a pressurized gas storage tank for supplying gas.

The transport vehicle of the present invention comprises an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering while holding the pressurized molten metal supply container, and a pressurized gas storage tank for supplying gas for pressurization to the pressurized molten metal supply container. It is characterized by having.

According to the present invention, a pressurized gas storage tank is mounted on a carrier vehicle, and a pressurized gas is supplied from the pressurized gas storage tank to a pressurized molten metal supply container. Since it is pumped, there is no need to tilt the container as in the conventional case. Therefore, for example, it is not necessary to provide a turning mechanism on the forklift, only a lifting mechanism is required, and the mechanism is very simple. Moreover, since the pressurized gas storage tank is used as the pressurizing means, it is not necessary to mount a power generator, which is conceivable when a compressor is mounted, for example, and the size and weight can be reduced. In the factory, it is very easy to replenish the gas.

In the carrying device, a measuring means (for example, a pressure sensor) provided on the fork portion of the fork wrist mechanism for measuring the weight of the container, and based on the measurement result, the pressurized gas storage tank to the container And a control means for controlling the supply of the gas to the.

According to this structure, when the weight of the container becomes less than a predetermined value, it is considered that a predetermined amount of molten metal has been supplied from the container to the other side, and the gas supply is stopped and the molten metal is supplied. Stop. As a result, it becomes possible to supply a specific amount of molten metal with a simple structure without human intervention.

The supply device according to the present invention comprises an airtight region, a means for supplying a metal into the airtight region, a means for receiving the supplied metal in the airtight region, and an oxygen concentration in the airtight region. And means for doing so.

The supply apparatus of the present invention comprises a furnace capable of holding, retaining or heating molten metal, piping for guiding the molten metal to the airtight chamber, and means for adjusting the oxygen concentration of the furnace and the airtight chamber. And means for adjusting the difference between the pressure in the furnace and the pressure in the hermetic chamber.

Further, the supply apparatus of the present invention has a furnace capable of holding, retaining or heating the molten metal, a pipe for guiding the molten metal to the airtight chamber, a pressure in the furnace and a pressure in the airtight chamber. And a means for adjusting the molten metal to be relatively high and sending the molten metal to a use point. The pressure inside the furnace may be adjusted to be relatively lower than the pressure at the point of use, and means for returning the molten metal into the furnace may be further provided.

The supply method of the present invention is to transfer the molten metal in an airtight region where the oxygen concentration or oxygen activity is controlled. Further, the method for producing a metal product of the present invention comprises a step of supplying molten metal in an airtight region where the oxygen concentration is controlled, and a step of shaping the supplied metal.

The oxygen concentration or oxygen activity is adjusted so that the oxidation of the metal is suppressed. The oxygen concentration can be adjusted not only by adjusting the oxygen partial pressure but also by adjusting the total pressure. Further, the temperature may also be adjusted. Hereinafter, even when simply referred to as oxygen concentration, the concept of oxygen activity is included. Depending on conditions such as temperature, pressure and oxygen concentration, not only the oxidation of the metal is suppressed but also the metal may be reduced. In any case, the metal is supplied to the use point in the airtight region while the oxidation is suppressed. The metal supplied here includes, for example, a molten metal or a metal powder (including fine particles and ultrafine particles, the same applies hereinafter). The composition of the metal may be a simple element or an alloy. Examples of means for adjusting the oxygen concentration include an exhaust system and a non-oxidizing gas introduction system. These may be arranged in combination or provided in a plurality of systems. As an exhaust system, an exhaust blower and various vacuum pumps (for example, liquid pumps such as rotary pumps, mechanical booster pumps, water ring pumps, oil diffusion pumps, turbo molecular pumps, ion getter pumps, cryopumps, etc.) can be used as required. They may be selected or used in combination. A vacuum gauge may be provided if necessary. Examples of the non-oxidizing gas include rare gas, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur hexafluoride and the like. These gases may be selected according to the properties of the metal. Non-oxidizing gases may be used in combination.

By adopting such a constitution, in the supplying apparatus of the present invention, the metal can be supplied to the use point in the hermetic zone while suppressing the oxidation of the metal. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the production amount of oxides such as oxide films and slags to an extremely low level and improve the productivity.

Further, metals such as magnesium, calcium and titanium which have a small free energy of formation and high reactivity have a problem that they are easily oxidized in the processes of melting, holding, hot water distribution, pouring and molding. The same applies to metals such as powder whose surface has an excessive free energy. These metals are not only easy to oxidize but also have a risk of ignition and explosion. According to the present invention, such a metal can be safely supplied.

Further, in the metal die casting, when the molten metal is supplied to the die casting apparatus, the metal is oxidized and ignited to impair the strength, precision and appearance of the product. This is remarkable in metals that are easily oxidized and difficult to process, such as magnesium alloys. One reason is that the molten metal is mixed with the oxide of the metal before it is supplied to the cavity. According to the present invention, the quality of the product is improved because the metal is supplied to the die-casting apparatus while being suppressed from being oxidized. This effect will be further enhanced by controlling the oxygen activity in the flow space of the molten metal including the cavity as described later.

When the above metal is melted, a flame retardant such as beryllium may be added to prevent flame. Beryllium is not only known for its low element abundance, but is also an extremely toxic element. For example, it is known that inhaling oxides adversely affects the human body, such as damaging the respiratory organs. And now, beryllium is diffused into the environment through the manufacturing process and the fact that it is contained in products (please also note that the products became waste). The use of such harmful substances
There is a big problem from the viewpoint of worker safety and environmental protection. According to the present invention, since it is not necessary to use such a harmful flameproof gas, the safety of the worker can be ensured and the harmful substances can be prevented from diffusing into the environment.

Next, the container of the present invention will be described. Here, the container can be applied both when it is used in a fixed manner (for example, a melting furnace for molten metal, a holding furnace, etc.) and when it is used movably (for example, a container).

The container of the present invention comprises a frame constituting an airtight region, a heat insulating material arranged inside the frame, and at least one pipe arranged through the frame and the heat insulating material. It is equipped.

The present invention also provides a means for pressurizing the inside of the furnace in a container capable of holding molten metal,
Means for reducing the pressure inside the furnace.

The frame forms a closed space which is an airtight region inside. It also plays a role of maintaining the strength of the entire container and a role of protecting the heat insulating material from the outside. The frame can be made of various metal materials, but the material may be appropriately selected according to the application of the container. This selection is preferably made in consideration of the physical and chemical properties of the contents contained in the container. For example, even if the heat insulating material is broken, the frame is selected so as not to be melted or cracked due to heat of the contents or a chemical reaction with the contents. The same applies to the heat insulating material. For example, various heat resistant bricks are selected according to the application of the container.

The plumbing provides access to the exterior and interior spaces of the frame. A plurality of these pipes may be provided. For example, by connecting an exhaust system to this pipe and reducing the pressure inside, the oxygen concentration and oxygen activity in the airtight region inside can be controlled. Further, for example, by connecting a non-oxidizing gas introduction system to this pipe, the non-oxidizing gas can be supplied inside.

Further, with this piping, such a reduced pressure,
A fluid (molten metal or powder) can be taken out or put in from a container by pressurization. For example, consider the case where a plurality of pipes are provided. The content is assumed to be molten metal. In this case, if a non-oxidizing gas is introduced from the first pipe to pressurize the airtight region, a force for pushing the molten metal to the outside through the second pipe acts. If the first pipe is connected to an exhaust system to reduce the pressure in the airtight region, the molten metal can be sucked from the outside through the second pipe. The piping is heated with a heater or the like as needed. The temperature is preferably set to be higher than the melting point of the contents flowing in the tube. At this time, the exhaust system and the non-oxidizing gas supply system can control not only the movement of the molten metal and the powder but also the oxygen concentration in the system. As described above, one of the major features of the present invention is that the generation of the pressure difference including the reduced pressure state contributes to both the mass transfer of the molten metal and the powder and the prevention of oxidation. Further, when the atmosphere in the pipe becomes oxidative, oxides adhere to the pipe and clog the pipe. In the present invention, not only the oxygen concentration in the pipe is controlled but also the contents can be prevented from being left in the pipe, so that the problem of such clogging can be solved.

Further, the container of the present invention may have a form further comprising means for measuring the temperature in the airtight region and means for adjusting the pressure in the frame according to the measured temperature.

The heat resistance of heat resistant materials such as heat resistant bricks deteriorates with time. For example, when the molten metal is transported using a plurality of containers, the temperature of the molten metal may differ due to the difference in the solids of the containers. At times, the temperature of the molten metal may drop to the extent that it does not meet the needs of the user. In the container of the present invention, the temperature of the airtight region or the molten metal is measured, and the pressure in the frame is controlled by the measured temperature. By adopting such a configuration, the thermal conductivity in the system is controlled by the pressure. For example, for a container in which a temperature drop is observed during the transportation of molten metal, the inside of the frame is decompressed by an exhaust system to suppress the thermal conductivity inside. As a result, the temperature of the molten metal can be maintained regardless of the deterioration of the heat insulating performance of the heat insulating material. It is also possible to reduce the temperature difference between the contents of the plurality of containers. Further, the oxidation of the molten metal can be prevented. The pressure control may be performed not by the temperature itself but by the rate of temperature change (for example, a differential value), and this configuration enables more accurate temperature control of the molten metal.

According to the present invention, in a container capable of delivering molten metal, a frame having an inner surface provided with a heat insulating material, a heater arranged inside the heat insulating material, and means for measuring the temperature of the molten metal are provided. And means for controlling the heater according to the measured temperature.

In the container of the present invention, not only the structure for controlling the pressure in the container according to the measured temperature and the temperature change, but also the temperature for the heater arranged in the container is controlled according to the measured temperature and the temperature change. It may be configured. In the configuration of the present invention, the airtightness of the frame does not matter. As the heater, for example, there is a configuration in which the resistor wiring is exposed inside the heat insulating material. In addition to this, various heaters such as a sheathed heater and a radiant tube may be adopted. Then, the temperature in the container or the temperature of the contents or the temperature change is measured, and the amount of energy (electric power, gas) supplied to the heater is controlled according to the measured value. As a result, the temperature of the molten metal can be maintained regardless of the deterioration of the heat insulating performance of the heat insulating material. It is also possible to reduce the temperature difference between the contents of the plurality of containers. Further, with such a configuration, the temperature of the contents of the container can be accurately controlled. Further, the constitution of the container of the present invention can be combined with the constitution of each container of the present invention described above.

The forming apparatus of the present invention comprises means for forming the metal supplied to the use point, an airtight chamber arranged so as to surround the use point, and means for adjusting the oxygen concentration in the airtight chamber. It is equipped with.

The molding apparatus of the present invention is, for example, injection molding, compression molding or extrusion in which molten metal supplied to a use point is extruded into the space of a core mold (male mold) and a cavity mold (female mold) for molding. It can be applied to various molding devices such as molding and blow molding. In the forming apparatus of the present invention, the metal to be formed is supplied to the use point in a state where the oxygen concentration is adjusted (including depressurization). For supplying metal to the use point, the above-described supply device or container of the present invention can be used. For example, in the conventional metal forming, when the metal is supplied to the device, the metal is oxidized and ignited, resulting in the strength of the product,
It hinders accuracy and appearance. This is remarkable in metals that are easily oxidized and difficult to process, such as magnesium alloys. According to the present invention, since the metal is supplied to the molding apparatus while being suppressed from being oxidized, the quality of the molded product is improved. In the case of a die cast device, it is more effective if the oxygen activity in the flow space of the molten metal including the nozzle, sprue, runner, and gate is controlled. For this purpose, a valve and an exhaust system or a non-oxidizing gas supply system may be provided on the side opposite to the point of use of the molten metal circulation space to adjust the relative pressure difference between the point of use and the oxygen concentration.

A container according to another aspect of the present invention is capable of storing molten metal and has a closed container body having a through hole used for adjusting an internal pressure, and a bottom portion of the container body at an inner circumference of the container body. And a refractory wall provided so as to cover the inner wall of the container body, having a flow path of molten metal that extends to the outside through an opening provided at a position close to It is characterized by.

In the present invention, since the molten metal flow path is constituted by the refractory wall having high thermal conductivity provided so as to cover the inner wall of the container body, when the molten metal is stored in the container, this storage is performed. The heat of the molten metal being conducted conducts through the refractory wall, and the temperature of the flow path becomes almost equal to that of the molten metal stored. Therefore, the molten metal flowing through the channel will not be cooled in the channel and solidified and adhered to the surface of the channel. That is, when the molten metal solidifies and adheres to the flow path, the flow path (conventional pipe) is likely to be clogged, but the present invention can effectively prevent the flow path from being clogged. Further, in the present invention, since the temperature of the molten metal in which the flow channel is stored is substantially equal to that of the molten metal stored in the flow channel, the viscosity of the molten metal flowing near the surface of the flow channel does not decrease, and the pressure difference from the container is reduced with a smaller pressure difference. Of the molten metal and the introduction of the molten metal into the container can be performed. That is, the container of the present invention comprises a flow path for molten metal composed of a refractory wall having high heat conductivity provided so as to cover the inner wall of the container body, and the flow path has a temperature substantially equal to that of the molten metal stored therein. Therefore, it is very effective for a system in which the molten metal is introduced into and out of the container by utilizing the pressure difference.

Since the container of the present invention is provided with the through hole used for adjusting the internal pressure, for example, by making the inside of the container a negative pressure through the through hole, the inside of the container is passed through the flow path. It is possible to introduce molten metal. In the present invention,
By thus introducing the molten metal into the container via the flow path, the metal attached to the surface of the flow path is washed by the hotter molten metal flowing through the flow path. Therefore, in the present invention, clogging of the flow path can be effectively prevented by providing the through hole used for adjusting the internal pressure.

In the present invention, the flow path for circulating the molten metal extends from the position near the bottom of the container body on the inner circumference of the container body toward the upper part of the outer circumference of the container body. That is, in the present invention, as compared with the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-20826, a member such as stalk exposed to the molten metal in the container is not necessary, so that it is not necessary to replace parts such as stalk. . Further, in the present invention, since a member that interferes with preheating such as stalk is not arranged in the container, workability for preheating is improved,
Preheating can be performed efficiently.

The container according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized by further comprising a heat insulating member interposed between the inner wall of the container body and the fire resistant wall. Since it is necessary to improve the heat retention of the container as a whole, it is lined with a member having high heat insulation performance. A refractory member is lined in the portion that directly contacts the molten metal. In the container of the present invention, a refractory caster material is arranged in a zone separating the inside of the container and the flow path, and the thermal conductivity of this region is intentionally increased. The refractory material is set to have higher density and higher thermal conductivity than the heat insulating material. The refractory material may be, for example, a dense refractory caster, and the heat insulating material may be, for example, a heat insulating caster or a board material.
By adopting such a configuration, in addition to keeping the temperature of the molten metal in the container warm, it becomes easy to supply heat to the flow path. Therefore, the flow passage is less likely to cool due to the influence from the outside, and the clogging of the flow passage can be prevented more effectively. Further, since the viscosity of the molten metal can be suppressed to be small, it becomes possible to introduce the molten metal into and out of the container with a small pressure difference.

The container according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the bottom of the container body is inclined toward the opening so that the opening is at a lower position. As a result, when the molten metal in the container is reduced, the substantial area in which the refractory material near the flow path contacts the molten metal in the container becomes larger than the area in a place apart from the flow path. . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the above-mentioned flow passage from cooling as much as possible, it is possible to prevent clogging of the flow passage more effectively, and it is possible to introduce the molten metal into and out of the container with a smaller pressure difference. Become. In addition, it is possible to efficiently incline the container and draw out the molten metal remaining in the container from the flow channel by reducing the inclination angle and minimizing the clogging of the flow channel.

The container according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an openable and closable hatch is provided on an upper portion of the container body.

According to the present invention, by having such a hatch, it is possible to preheat the container by, for example, opening the hatch and inserting a gas burner before introducing the molten metal into the container. The flow passage is warmed through the material, the clogging of the flow passage can be prevented more effectively, and the molten metal can be introduced into and out of the container with a smaller pressure difference. In the present invention, when the molten metal is introduced into the container through the flow channel, the flow channel can be preheated as described above, which is particularly effective in such a case.

The container according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the through hole is provided in the hatch.

As described above, the container is preheated by the gas burner before the molten metal is supplied into the container. This preheating is done by opening the hatch and inserting the gas burner into the container. Therefore, the hatch is opened every time the molten metal is supplied into the container. In the present invention, since such a hatch is provided with the through hole for adjusting the internal pressure, it is possible to confirm the adhesion of the metal to the through hole for adjusting the internal pressure every time the molten metal is supplied into the container. Then, for example, when metal is attached to the through hole, it may be peeled off each time. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to prevent clogging of pipes and holes used for internal pressure adjustment.

[0068]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall structure of a metal supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the first factory 10 and the second factory 10
The factory 20 is provided, for example, at a place separated via a public road 30.

In the first factory 10, a plurality of die cast machines 11 as use points are arranged.
Each die-casting machine 11 uses molten aluminum as a raw material, and molds a product in a desired shape by injection molding. Examples of the product include parts related to automobile engines. Further, the molten metal may be not only an aluminum alloy but also an alloy mainly composed of another metal such as magnesium or titanium. Each die cast machine 11
A holding furnace (hand-holding furnace) 12 for temporarily storing the molten aluminum before the shot is arranged near the.
Molten aluminum for a plurality of shots is stored in the holding furnace 12, so that molten aluminum is injected into the die casting machine 11 from the holding furnace 12 via the ladle 13 or the pipe every one shot. It has become. Further, each holding furnace 12 is provided with a liquid level detection sensor (not shown) for detecting the liquid level of the molten aluminum stored in the container and a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the temperature of the molten aluminum. It is arranged. The detection results of these sensors are transmitted to the control panel of each die cast machine 11 or the central control unit 16 of the first factory 10.

At the receiving part of the first factory 10, a receiving stand 17 for receiving a container 100 described later is arranged. The container 100 received by the receiving table 17 of the receiving section is delivered to a predetermined die-casting machine 11 by the delivery vehicle 18, and the container 100 is held in the holding furnace 1.
Molten aluminum is supplied to No. 2.
The container 100 which has been supplied is returned to the receiving table 17 of the receiving section by the delivery vehicle 18.

The first factory 10 is provided with a first furnace 19 for melting aluminum and supplying it to the container 100. The container 100 to which the molten aluminum is supplied by the first furnace 19 is also provided. The delivery vehicle 18 delivers the product to a predetermined die cast machine 11.

The first factory 10 is provided with a display section 15 for displaying the need for addition of molten aluminum in each die-casting machine 11.
More specifically, for example, a unique number is assigned to each die-casting machine 11, and the number is displayed on the display unit 15, which corresponds to the number of the die-casting machine 11 in which molten aluminum needs to be added. The number on the display unit 15 is turned on. The operator uses the delivery vehicle 18 based on the display on the display unit 15 to display the container 100.
Is carried to the die-casting machine 11 corresponding to the number, and molten aluminum is supplied. The display on the display unit 15 is performed by the control of the central control unit 16 based on the detection result of the liquid level detection sensor.

The second factory 20 is provided with a second furnace 21 for melting aluminum and supplying it to the container 100. As the container 100, a plurality of types having different capacities, pipe lengths, heights, widths, etc. are prepared. For example, the holding furnace 12 in the die cast machine 11 in the first factory 10
There are plural types having different capacities according to the capacities and the like. However, it goes without saying that the container 100 may be unified into one type and standardized.

The container 100 to which the molten aluminum has been supplied by the second furnace 21 is placed on the transportation truck 32 by a forklift (not shown). The truck 32 carries the containers 100 through the public road 30 to the receiving table 17 of the receiving section of the first factory 10, and these containers 100 are received by the receiving table 17 by a forklift (not shown). . Further, the empty container 100 in the receiving portion is designed to be returned to the second factory 20 by the truck 32.

The second factory 20 is provided with a display section 22 for displaying the need for addition of molten aluminum in each die-casting machine 11 of the first factory 10. The configuration of the display unit 22 is almost the same as that of the display unit 15 arranged in the first factory 10. The display on the display unit 22 is performed by the control of the central control unit 16 in the first factory 10 via the communication line 33, for example. In addition, in the display unit 22 in the second factory 20, it was determined that the molten aluminum was supplied from the first furnace 19 in the first factory 10 of the die-casting machine 11 requiring the supply of molten aluminum. The die cast machine 11 is displayed separately from the other die cast machines 11. For example, the number corresponding to the die-casting machine 11 thus determined blinks. As a result, it is possible to prevent the molten aluminum from being erroneously supplied from the second factory 20 side to the die-casting machine 11 determined to be supplied with the molten aluminum from the first furnace 19. In addition to the above, the display unit 22 also displays the data transmitted from the central control unit 16.

Next, the operation of the metal supply system configured as described above will be described.

The central controller 16 monitors the amount of molten aluminum in each holding furnace 12 via the liquid level detection sensor provided in each holding furnace 12. Here, when it becomes necessary to supply molten aluminum to a holding furnace 12, the central control unit 16 detects the “unique number” of the holding furnace 12 by a temperature sensor provided in the holding furnace 12. "Temperature data" of the holding furnace 12, the holding furnace 12
"Form data" regarding the form (described later), final "time data" when the molten aluminum disappears from the holding furnace 12, "traffic data" of the public road 30, and "molten aluminum" required by the holding furnace 12. The “quantity data”, “temperature data”, etc. are transmitted to the second factory 20 side via the communication line 33. In the second factory 20, these data are displayed on the display unit 22. Based on these displayed data, the operator empirically empirically puts the container 1 in the holding furnace 12 immediately before the holding furnace 12 runs out of molten aluminum.
00 is reached, and the shipping time of the container 100 from the second factory 20 and the shipping temperature of the molten aluminum are determined so that the molten aluminum at that time has a desired temperature. Alternatively, these data are loaded into, for example, a personal computer (not shown), and the holding furnace 1 is used immediately before the molten aluminum disappears from the holding furnace 12 using a predetermined software.
2 so that the container 100 arrives and the molten aluminum at that time reaches a desired temperature. It may be displayed. Alternatively, the temperature of the second furnace 21 may be automatically controlled according to the estimated temperature. The amount of molten aluminum to be contained in the container 100 may also be determined based on the above “quantity data”.

Truck 3 with container 100 placed at the time of shipment
When 2 starts and arrives at the first factory 10 through the public road 30, the container 100 is received from the truck 32 on the receiving stand 17 of the receiving section.

Thereafter, the received container 100 is delivered to a predetermined die-casting machine 11 together with the receiving table 17 by the delivery vehicle 18, and the container 100 is held in the holding furnace 1.
Molten aluminum is supplied to 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, in this example, by sending high-pressure air from the receiver tank 101 into the sealed container 100, the molten aluminum contained in the container 100 is discharged from the pipe 56 and is held in the holding furnace. 12 are supplied. In FIG. 2, 103 is a pressurizing valve and 104 is a leak valve.

Here, there are various heights of the holding furnace 12, and the piping 56 is installed by the lifting mechanism provided in the delivery vehicle 18.
Is adjustable so that the tip of the is located at the optimum position on the holding furnace 12. However, depending on the height of the holding furnace 12, there are cases where the lifting mechanism alone is not sufficient. Therefore, in the present system, as the “morphological data” regarding the form of the holding furnace 12, data regarding the height of the holding furnace 12 and the distance to the holding furnace 12 is sent to the second factory 20 side in advance, and the second factory 20 is sent. On the side, based on this data, the optimum form, for example, the container 100 having the optimum height is selected and delivered.
In addition, the container 100 of the optimal size according to the amount to be supplied
You may choose to deliver.

Next, a container (pressurized molten metal supply container) 100 suitable for the system configured as described above will be described.
A description will be given based on FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the container 100, and FIG. 4 is a plan view thereof.

In the container 100, a large lid 52 is arranged in an upper opening 51 of a bottomed, cylindrical main body 50. Flanges 53 and 54 are provided on the outer circumferences of the main body 50 and the large lid 51, respectively, and the main body 50 and the large lid 51 are fixed by fastening bolts 55 between these flanges. The main body 50 and the large lid 51 are, for example, made of metal on the outside and made of a fireproof material on the inside, and a heat insulating material is interposed between the metal and the fireproof material on the outside.

At one location on the outer periphery of the main body 50, there is provided a pipe mounting portion 58 having a flow path 57 communicating with the pipe 56 from the inside of the main body 50.

Here, FIG. 5 shows the pipe mounting portion 5 shown in FIG.
8 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outside of the container 100 is made of a metal frame 100a and the inside is made of a refractory material 100b, and the heat insulation between the frame 100a and the refractory material 100b is smaller in thermal conductivity than the refractory material. The material 100c is inserted. The flow path 57 is formed in the refractory material 100b provided inside the container 100. That is, the flow path 57 is separated from the inside of the container by the refractory member having a large thermal conductivity. By adopting such a configuration, heat radiation from the inside of the container is easily transmitted to the flow path. A heat insulating material is arranged outside the refractory member outside the flow path (on the side opposite to the inside of the container). As the refractory material, one having higher density and higher thermal conductivity than the heat insulating material is used. Examples of the refractory material include dense refractory ceramic materials. Further, examples of the heat insulating material include heat insulating caster, board material, and other heat insulating ceramic materials.

The flow path 57 in the pipe mounting portion 58 extends toward an upper portion 57b on the outer periphery of the main body 50 through an opening 57a provided on the inner periphery of the main body 50 at a position near the bottom 50a of the container main body. . The pipe 56 is fixed so as to communicate with the flow path 57 of the pipe mounting portion 58. The pipe 56 is
It has a Γ-shaped shape, so that the one end port 59 of the pipe 56 faces downward. More specifically, the one end port 59 of the pipe 56 is inclined about 10 ° with respect to the perpendicular. By providing such an inclination, for example, when the molten metal led out from the one end port 59 flows down to the server side, the water droplets are less likely to be scattered from the molten metal surface.

The inner diameters of the flow path 57 and the pipe 56 subsequent thereto are substantially equal to each other, and preferably about 65 mm to 85 mm. Conventionally, the inner diameter of this type of pipe has been about 50 mm. This is because it was thought that when the pressure was more than that, a large pressure was required when the molten metal was discharged from the pipe by pressurizing the inside of the container. On the other hand, the present inventors prefer that the inner diameter of the flow path 57 and the pipe 56 subsequent thereto be 65 mm to 85 mm, which is much larger than 50 mm, more preferably 70 mm to 80 mm, and further preferably 7 mm.
It was found to be 0 mm. That is, when the molten metal flows upward in the flow path or the pipe, two parameters, the weight of the molten metal itself existing in the flow path or the pipe and the viscous resistance of the inner wall of the flow path or the pipe, affect the flow of the molten metal. It is considered that it has a great influence on the resistance to be hindered. here,
When the inner diameter is smaller than 65 mm, the molten metal flowing in the flow path is affected by both the weight of the molten metal itself and the viscous resistance of the inner wall at any position. A region that is hardly affected by the viscous resistance of 1 begins to occur, and the region gradually becomes larger. The effect of this region is so great that the resistance to the flow of molten metal begins to drop. When the molten metal is discharged from the container, it is sufficient to pressurize the container with a very small pressure. That is, conventionally, the influence of such a region is not taken into consideration at all, and only the weight of the molten metal itself is considered to be a variable factor of the resistance that obstructs the flow of the molten metal.
The inner diameter was set to about 50 mm for reasons such as workability and maintainability. On the other hand, when the inner diameter exceeds 85 mm, the weight of the molten metal itself becomes very dominant as the resistance to obstruct the flow of the molten metal, and the resistance to obstruct the flow of the molten metal becomes large. According to the result of the trial production by the present inventors, 7
The inner diameter of about 0 mm to 80 mm is sufficient to press the pressure inside the container with a very small pressure, and 70 mm is most preferable from the viewpoint of standardization and workability. That is, the pipe diameter is 5
It is standardized in units of 0 mm, 60 mm, 70 mm, ..., 10 mm, and the smaller the pipe diameter, the easier the handling and the better workability.

An opening 60 is formed in the center of the large lid 52.
And a hatch 62 to which a handle 61 is attached is arranged in the opening 60. The hatch 62 is a large lid 52
It is located slightly higher than the top surface. Hatch 62
It is attached to the large lid 52 via a hinge 63 at one location on the outer periphery of the. As a result, the hatch 62 can be opened and closed with respect to the opening 60 of the large lid 52. Further, bolts 64 with handles for fixing the hatch 62 to the large lid 52 are attached to two positions on the outer periphery of the hatch 62 so as to face the position where the hinge 63 is attached. The hatch 62 is fixed to the large lid 52 by closing the opening 60 of the large lid 52 with the hatch 62 and rotating the bolt 64 with a handle. In addition, the bolt 62 with a handle can be reversely rotated to release the fastening and the hatch 62 can be opened from the opening 60 of the large lid 52. Then, with the hatch 62 opened, the container 100 is opened through the opening 60.
Internal maintenance and gas burner insertion during preheating are performed.

Further, at the center of the hatch 62 or at a position slightly deviated from the center, there is provided a through hole 65 for adjusting the internal pressure for performing depressurization and pressurization in the container 100. A piping 66 for pressurization and depressurization is connected to the through hole 65. The pipe 66 extends upward from the through hole 65, bends at a predetermined height, and extends horizontally from there. The surface of the insertion portion of the pipe 66 into the through hole 65 is threaded, and the through hole 65 is also threaded, whereby the pipe 66 is fixed to the through hole 65 by screwing. It is supposed to be done.

A pressurizing or depressurizing pipe 67 can be connected to one of the pipes 66, and a tank accumulating pressurized gas or a pressurizing pump is connected to the pressurizing pipe. A pressure reducing pump is connected to the pressure reducing piping. Then, by using the pressure difference due to depressurization, the pipe 5
6, molten aluminum can be introduced into the container 100 through the flow path 57 and the flow path 57, and the molten aluminum is led out of the container 100 through the flow path 57 and the pipe 56 by utilizing the pressure difference due to pressurization. Is possible. By using an inert gas such as nitrogen gas as the pressurized gas, it is possible to more effectively prevent the oxidation of the molten aluminum during pressurization.

In the present embodiment, the hatch 62 arranged substantially in the center of the large lid 52 is provided with a pressurizing / depressurizing through hole 65, while the pipe 66 extends in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the pressurizing or depressurizing pipe 67 is connected to the above-mentioned pipe 6
The work of connecting to 6 can be performed safely and easily. Further, since the pipe 66 can be rotated with a small force with respect to the through hole 65 by extending the pipe 66 in this manner, it is extremely difficult to fix or remove the pipe 66 screwed to the through hole 65. It can be performed with very little force, for example without using tools.

A pressure releasing through hole 68 is provided at a position slightly offset from the center of the hatch 62 and opposed to the pressurizing / depressurizing through hole 65, and the pressure releasing through hole 6 is provided.
8, a relief valve (not shown) can be attached. Thereby, for example, when the pressure inside the container 100 becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, the inside of the container 100 is opened to the atmospheric pressure from the viewpoint of safety.

On the large lid 52, two through holes 70 for liquid level sensors, into which two electrodes 69 as liquid level sensors are respectively inserted, are arranged at a predetermined interval. Electrodes 69 are inserted into the through holes 70, respectively. The electrodes 69 are arranged so as to face each other in the container 100, and the tips of the electrodes 69 extend to the same position as the maximum liquid level of the molten metal in the container 100, for example. Then, by monitoring the conduction state between the electrodes 69, the container 1
It is possible to detect the maximum liquid level of the molten metal in 00, and thereby more reliably prevent the excessive supply of the molten metal to the container 100.

On the bottom rear surface of the main body 50, for example, two leg portions 71 having a cross-sectional mouth shape and a predetermined length into which a fork (not shown) of a forklift is inserted are arranged so as to be parallel to each other. In addition, the bottom portion inside the main body 50 has the flow path 5
The whole is inclined so that the 7 side becomes low. As a result, when the molten aluminum is discharged to the outside through the flow path 57 and the pipe 56 by pressurization, so-called hot water remains less. Further, for example, when the container 100 is tilted at the time of maintenance and the molten aluminum is led to the outside through the flow path 57 and the pipe 56, the angle at which the container 100 is tilted can be made smaller, resulting in excellent safety and workability. .

As described above, in the container 100 according to the present embodiment, the hatch 62 is provided with the through hole 65 for adjusting the internal pressure, and the pipe 66 for adjusting the internal pressure is connected to the through hole 65. Every time the molten metal is supplied, it is possible to confirm the adhesion of the metal to the through hole 65 for adjusting the internal pressure. Therefore, it is possible to prevent clogging of the pipe 66 and the through hole 65 used for adjusting the internal pressure.

Further, in the container 100 according to this embodiment,
A through hole 65 for adjusting the internal pressure is provided in the hatch 62, and the hatch 62 is provided substantially at the center of the upper surface portion of the container 100 corresponding to the position where the change of the liquid surface of the molten aluminum and the degree of splashing of droplets are relatively small. Since it is provided, molten aluminum is less likely to adhere to the pipe 66 and the through hole 65 used for adjusting the internal pressure. Therefore, it is possible to prevent clogging of the pipe 66 and the through hole 65 used for adjusting the internal pressure.

Furthermore, in the container 100 according to this embodiment,
Since the hatch 62 is provided on the upper surface of the large lid 52,
The distance between the back surface of the hatch 62 and the liquid surface is longer than the distance between the back surface of the large lid 52 and the liquid surface by the thickness of the large lid 52. Therefore, the possibility that aluminum will adhere to the back surface of the hatch 62 provided with the through hole 65 is reduced, and clogging of the pipe 66 and the through hole 65 used for adjusting the internal pressure can be prevented.

Next, the second furnace 2 in the second factory 20
A supply system from 1 to the container 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, molten aluminum is stored in the second furnace 21. The second furnace 21 is provided with a supply unit 21a, and the suction pipe 201 is inserted into the supply unit 21a. The suction pipe 201 is arranged so that one end port (the other tip portion 201b of the suction pipe 201) is projected from and retracted from the liquid surface of the molten aluminum of the supply unit 21a. That is, one end portion 201a of the suction pipe 201 extends to near the bottom portion of the second furnace 21,
The other tip portion 201b of the suction pipe 201 is led out from the supply portion 21a to the outside. The suction tube 201 has a holding mechanism 2
Basically, it is held inclined by 02. The inclination angle is, for example, about 10 ° with respect to the vertical line, and matches the inclination of the tip of the pipe 56 in the container 100. The tip portion 201b of the suction pipe 201
Is connected to the tip of the pipe 56 in the container 100. By matching the inclination in this way, the tip 201b of the suction pipe 201 and the tip of the pipe 56 in the container 100 can be easily connected. .

A pump 313 for reducing the pressure is installed in the pipe 66.
The pipe 67 connected to is connected. Next, the pump 313
Is activated to reduce the pressure inside the container 100. As a result, the molten aluminum stored in the second furnace 21 is introduced into the container 100 via the suction pipe 201 and the pipe 56.

In this embodiment, in particular, the molten aluminum stored in the second furnace 21 as described above is sucked into the suction pipe 2.
Since it is introduced into the container 100 through 01 and the pipe 56, the molten aluminum does not come into contact with the outside air. Therefore, no oxide is generated,
The molten aluminum supplied using this system is of very good quality. Further, the work for removing the oxide from the container 100 is not required, and the workability is improved.

In this embodiment, in particular, the introduction of the molten aluminum into the container 100 and the extraction of the molten aluminum from the container 100 can be performed using substantially only the two pipes 56 and 312. It can be very simple. Further, since the chances of the molten aluminum coming into contact with the outside air are drastically reduced, the generation of oxides can be almost eliminated.

FIG. 7 shows a manufacturing flow when the above system is applied to an automobile factory.

First, as shown in FIG. 6, the second furnace 21
The molten aluminum stored therein is introduced (received hot water) into the container 100 through the suction pipe 201 and the pipe 56 (step 501).

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the container 100 is transported from the second factory 20 to the first factory 10 by the truck 32 via the public road 30 (step 502).

Next, the first factory (use point) 10
Then, the container 100 is delivered by the delivery vehicle 18 to the die-casting machine 11 for manufacturing an automobile engine.
Molten aluminum is supplied to the holding furnace 12 from 00 (step 503).

Next, in this die casting machine 11, molding of an automobile engine using the molten aluminum stored in the holding furnace 12 is performed (step 50).
4).

Then, an automobile is assembled using the automobile engine and other parts molded in this way,
The automobile is completed (step 505).

In this embodiment, since the automobile engine is made of aluminum containing almost no oxide as described above, it is possible to produce an automobile having an engine with excellent performance and durability.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of the supply device and the molding device of the present invention. Here, an example in which the present invention is applied to die casting of a magnesium alloy will be described.

The holding furnace 420 is a furnace for holding a molten metal (molten metal). Chamber 4 of holding furnace 420
In this example, 18-8 stainless steel is used as the material of 20a, and an FC plate is used on the inner side for the almer treatment. The molten magnesium alloy 401 is housed in the holding furnace 420. The melting temperature of this holding furnace is maintained by a heater 425. Also holding furnace 4
An exhaust system 421 for exhausting the inside and a non-oxidizing gas introducing system 422 for supplying a non-oxidizing gas are connected to the unit 20. 422b is a gas reservoir. In this example, the exhaust system 421 includes at least one vacuum pump 421b. Further, the non-oxidizing gas introduction system 422 is connected to the holding furnace 420.
It also has the function of pressurizing the inside. Further, the holding furnace 420 is equipped with a pressure sensor (G) 423 for measuring the internal pressure and a temperature sensor 424 for measuring the temperature of the molten metal.
As the pressure sensor 423, a Bourdon gauge, a Pirani gauge, a BA gauge, or the like is selected and used according to the pressure range to be used. As the temperature sensor 424, a thermocouple, a radiation thermometer, or the like can be used.

Molten metal is transferred in the purge chamber 430. The interior of the purge chamber 430 can be kept airtight. Similar to the holding furnace 420, an exhaust system 431 for exhausting the inside and a non-oxidizing gas introducing system 432 for supplying a non-oxidizing gas are connected to the purge chamber 430. In this example, the exhaust system 431 includes at least one vacuum pump 431b. In addition, non-oxidizing gas introduction system 4
32 also has a function of pressurizing the inside of the purge chamber 430.
432b is a gas reservoir. Furthermore, the purge chamber 43
A pressure sensor (G) 433 for measuring the internal pressure is also provided at 0.

A pipe 440 and a bypass pipe 442 are connected between the holding furnace 420 and the purge chamber 430. Four
43 is a bypass valve. A heater 441 such as a resistor is wound around the pipe 440. This heater 441
Due to this, the temperature inside the pipe is kept at a temperature at which the magnesium alloy melts. Now, when the pressure in the purge chamber 430 is made lower than the pressure in the holding furnace 420, the molten magnesium alloy 401 passes through the pipe 440 and the holding furnace 420
Is pushed out into the purge chamber 430. Also the purge chamber 4
When the pressure of 30 is made higher than the pressure of the holding furnace 420, the magnesium alloy 401 remaining in the pipe is removed from the purge chamber 4
It is sucked into the holding furnace 420 from the 30 side. In either case, the oxygen concentration in the system is adjusted so that the metal oxidation is suppressed. Therefore, the metal is safely supplied to the use point in the purge chamber 430 without burning or exploding. Further, since the oxidation of the metal is suppressed, the generation of oxide is also suppressed, or the metal is not oxidized at all. Therefore, it is possible to supply a high-quality metal having a clean surface and no oxide. Further, in the present invention, the oxygen concentration in the system is controlled so that the oxidation of the metal is suppressed, so that it is not necessary to add a harmful flame retardant such as beryllium. Therefore, the working environment is also improved. In addition, no harmful substances are contained in products, scraps (burrs, etc.), and waste (waste of products or defective products). Therefore, it is possible to prevent harmful substances from diffusing into the environment.

Now, the purge chamber 430 is the die casting device 4
It is also a supply point (use point) of 50 molten metals. In this example, the loading chamber 451 of the die cast device 450 is provided so as to protrude into the purge chamber 430. The loading chamber 451 and the purge chamber 430 are hermetically sealed by welding or the like. The loading chamber 451 has an opening, and molten metal (in this case, magnesium alloy 1) is supplied from this opening. The supplied metal is the injection cylinder 4
It is supplied to the mold side by 52. The loading chamber 451 is kept warm by the heater 453. The mold 454a is a cavity mold and the mold 454b is a core mold, and the metal supplied in the space between them is molded into a predetermined shape. The molds 454a and 454b are the mold clamping mechanism 455a.
It is sandwiched by (fixed side) and 455b (moving side).
The mold clamping mechanism 455b on the moving side can be pressurized by the hydraulic cylinder 457.

According to the molding apparatus of the present invention, the supplied metal is not oxidized at the point of use. Therefore, oxides are not mixed in the product, and a high quality product can be obtained. Further, the accuracy is improved, and the effect is remarkable especially in a thin molded product. In addition, the product is not darkened and the appearance is improved.

In general, die-cast molding of magnesium alloy produces 20 to 40% of oxides, resulting in extremely low productivity. According to the present invention, the production of oxide can be suppressed to an extremely low level. Therefore, according to the present invention, productivity can be increased and product cost can be reduced.

Further, the waste discharged in the manufacturing process and the waste generated after using the product contain harmful beryllium and the like. Magnesium alloys are also designated as dangerous goods. According to the present invention, the amount of waste can be reduced, and harmful substances are also unnecessary, so that the cost of treating waste can be reduced. Furthermore, by using the container of the present invention, a magnesium alloy as a dangerous substance can be safely transported.

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the supply device of the present invention. Here, the holding furnace 42 illustrated in FIG.
A configuration in which the melting furnace 410 is provided in the preceding stage of 0 will be described.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the melting furnace of the present invention. The melting furnace 10 is a furnace for melting a metal in a solid state. The structure of the melting furnace 410 is very similar to that of the holding furnace 420. In this example, the material of the chamber 410a of the melting furnace 410 is 18-8 stainless steel, and the inner side of the chamber 410a is an FC plate that is subjected to Almer treatment.
In the melting furnace 410, molten magnesium alloy 4
01 is charged and heated by the heater 415. 416
Is a partition. Further, an exhaust system 411 for exhausting the inside and a non-oxidizing gas introducing system 412 for supplying a non-oxidizing gas are connected to the melting furnace 410. 412b is a gas reservoir. In this example, the exhaust system 411 includes at least one vacuum pump 411b. The non-oxidizing gas introduction system 412 also has a function of pressurizing the inside of the melting furnace 410. Further, the melting furnace 410 is equipped with a pressure sensor (G) 413 for measuring the internal pressure and a temperature sensor 414 for measuring the temperature of the molten metal.

In order to put the solid metal 401b into the melting furnace 410, the airtight door 463 is first opened and the solid metal 401b is introduced into the purge chamber 461 from the outside. The airtight door 463 is closed, and the exhaust system 466 exhausts the inside of the purge chamber 461. The airtight door 464 and the heat insulating door 465 are opened in a state where the bypass 467 is opened and the pressures of the purge chamber 461 and the charging chamber 462 are balanced. Solid metal moves with pushers and drawers. The bottom of the charging chamber 462 has a rotating mechanism, and the solid metal is charged into the melting furnace 410 by this rotation.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the constitution of the container of the present invention. This container (container) 470 includes a frame 471 forming an airtight region, a heat insulating material 472 arranged inside the frame 471, a pipe 473 arranged through the frame 471 and the heat insulating material 472, 47
4 and. Further, a temperature sensor 475 for measuring the temperature in the airtight region is also provided.

The frame 471 forms a closed space which is an airtight region inside. Further, the frame 471 plays a role of maintaining the strength of the entire container 470 and a role of protecting the heat insulating material 472 from the outside. The frame 471 can be made of various metal materials, but the material may be appropriately selected according to the application of the container. This selection is preferably made in consideration of the physical and chemical properties of the contents contained in the container. For example, even if the heat insulating material is broken, the frame is selected so as not to be melted or cracked due to heat of the contents or a chemical reaction with the contents. The same applies to the heat insulating material. For example, various heat resistant bricks are selected according to the application of the container.

Pipes 473, 474 provide access to the exterior and interior spaces of container 470. This pipe may be one or plural. For example, by connecting an exhaust system (not shown) to this pipe 473 to reduce the pressure inside,
It is possible to control the oxygen concentration and oxygen activity in the airtight region inside. Further, for example, by connecting a non-oxidizing gas introduction system to the pipe 473, the non-oxidizing gas can be supplied inside.

By such decompression and pressurization, the pipe 474 is
Through, fluid (molten metal or powder) can be taken in or out of the container. If a non-oxidizing gas is introduced from the pipe 473 to pressurize the airtight region, the molten metal can be pushed out through the pipe 474. Further, if the pipe 473 is connected to an exhaust system to reduce the pressure in the airtight region, the molten metal can be sucked from the outside through the pipe 474. The pipe 474 is heated by a heater or the like as necessary. The temperature is preferably set to be higher than the melting point of the contents flowing in the tube. At this time, the exhaust system and the non-oxidizing gas supply system can control not only the movement of the molten metal and the powder but also the oxygen concentration in the system. As described above, one of the major features of the present invention is that the generation of the pressure difference including the reduced pressure state contributes to both the mass transfer of the molten metal and the powder and the prevention of oxidation. Further, when the atmosphere in the pipe 474 becomes oxidative, oxides are attached to the pipe and the pipe is clogged. In the present invention, not only is the oxygen concentration in the pipe 474 controlled, but it is also possible to prevent the contents from remaining in the pipe, so that the problem of such clogging can be solved.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a joint that can be used for connecting pipes. The container of the present invention can play a role substantially equivalent to the holding furnace 420 in the above-described embodiment. That is, instead of the holding furnace 420,
One or more containers 470 can be used. At this time, the pipe 474 may be connected to the pipe 440 on the side to which the metal is supplied (for example, the purge chamber 430).

The pipe 474 and the pipe 440 can be connected by a joint 475, for example. The joint 475 includes a gasket 476 and is airtightly connected to the pipe 474 and the pipe 440. When the gasket 476 is made of resin, it is preferable to cool the vicinity of the gasket with a water cooling head 477 or the like. If a gasket such as copper or gold is used, the water cooling head 477 can be omitted.
Further, the joint 475 can be used for connecting the pipe 473 to the exhaust system and the gas introduction system.

FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the constitution of the container of the present invention. In this container 480, the frame 47
1 has an opening, and this opening is hermetically sealed by a lid 471b. The container 480 is connected to the exhaust system 476 by a pipe 473.

The temperature sensor 475 causes the molten metal 4
The controller 477 controls the exhaust system 476 according to the measured temperature and the rate of change of the temperature. For example, the opening and closing of the valve 476b is controlled by the controller 477. By adopting such a configuration, in the container of the present invention, the thermal conductivity in the system can be controlled by the pressure.

The heat resistance of heat resistant materials such as heat resistant bricks deteriorates with time. For example, when the molten metal is transported using a plurality of containers, the temperature of the molten metal may differ due to the difference in the solids of the containers. At times, the temperature of the molten metal may drop to the extent that it does not meet the needs of the user. In the container of the present invention, for example, for a container in which a temperature drop is observed during the transportation of molten metal, the inside of the frame can be depressurized by an exhaust system to suppress the internal thermal conductivity to a small level. As a result, the temperature of the molten metal can be maintained regardless of the deterioration of the heat insulating performance of the heat insulating material. It is also possible to reduce the temperature difference between the contents of the plurality of containers. Further, the oxidation of the molten metal can be prevented. The pressure control may be performed not by the temperature itself but by the rate of temperature change (for example, a differential value), and this configuration enables more accurate temperature control of the molten metal.

FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the constitution of the container of the present invention. The container 490 includes a frame 471 having a heat insulating material 472 arranged on the inner surface and a lid 471b, a heater 491 arranged inside the heat insulating material 472, a temperature sensor 475 for measuring the temperature of the molten metal 401, and a measured temperature. Alternatively, the controller 492 that controls the heater 475 according to the temperature change rate is provided. For example, the temperature of the metal 401 is appropriately managed by controlling the power source 493 that supplies electric power to the heater 491 according to the rate of change in temperature measured by the temperature sensor 475. In this embodiment, the airtightness of the container does not matter from the viewpoint of temperature control. Of course, it is preferable to adjust the internal pressure and oxygen concentration. This should be the case when containing particularly unstable metals.

In this example, the container 490 is mounted on the loading platform 494 of a truck or a ship. The electrode 495 is exposed on the loading platform 494, and the container is placed at a predetermined position to ensure electrical connection with the electrode 496 on the container side. Reference numeral 497 is an insulating member such as an insulator.
In this case, the power supply 493 can be mounted on the truck. It may also be shared with the truck battery. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to deliver and supply high quality metal.

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining an example of a metal delivery model using the supply device and the container of the present invention.

When using a molten metal, for example, there are roughly three possible modes. The first is to install a melting furnace or a holding furnace near the point of use or in a factory with molding equipment. The second is the case where a small melting furnace is provided for each molding device. The third is a case where the metal is melted at a predetermined place and the melted metal is delivered to the use point. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied in any case, and brings about improvement in quality, improvement in safety, improvement in productivity, and reduction in energy cost. The second example described above is considered to be the worst in terms of energy. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the holding furnace 420 of the present invention or the containers 470, 48 of the present invention are provided near the point of use.
0 and 490 may be arranged. The metal is in good condition and is delivered safely. With such a configuration, energy costs are significantly reduced. Furthermore, the cost of the melting furnace and the cost of the installation space that were individually placed at the use points are eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a metal supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between a container and a holding furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG.

5 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a supply system from the second furnace to the container in the second factory according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an automobile using the system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a melting furnace of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of the container of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of a joint that can be used for connecting pipes.

FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the configuration of the container of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the configuration of the container of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining an example of a metal delivery model using the supply device and the container of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

50 body 50a bottom of body 57 channels 57a Channel opening 57b Upper part of main body 100 containers 101 receiver tank 313 Pump for decompression

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI B22D 41/50 510 B22D 41/50 510 41/54 41/54 46/00 46/00 (72) Inventor Kazunori Suzuki Tsutsumi-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture 66 Teraike, Hoei Shokai Co., Ltd. (72) Koji Iyoda, 66 Tsujimachi Teraike, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Hoei Shokai, Inc. (56) References JP-A 2-52164 (JP, A) JP-A 8-20826 (JP, A) JP-A 51-123725 (JP, A) JP-A 2001-340957 (JP, A) JP 2002-254158 (JP, A) JP 2002-254159 (JP, A) JP 2002-254160 (JP, A) JP 2002-254161 (JP, A) Patent 3323489 (JP, B2) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B22D 35/00 B22D 17/30 B22D 39/06 B22D 41/00 B22D 41/12 B22D 41/50 510 B22D 41/54 B22D 46/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A molten metal can be accommodated and
Supplying molten metal to the outside by adjusting the pressure difference
It is possible to use it by loading it with a carrier vehicle.
A container to be transported until note, a container body having a first opening at the top, a flow path capable of flowing through the molten metal accommodated in the container in and out, first the container body And a lid having a second opening having a diameter smaller than that of the first opening, and a second opening of the lid that is openable and closable on the upper surface side of the lid. For communicating the inside and outside of the container to release the pressure inside the container when the pressure inside the container exceeds a predetermined level.
Container, wherein the hatch through hole for mounting the relief valve is provided, by including a relief valve attached to the through hole. 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the second opening is located near the center of the lid . 3. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the through hole is located near the center of the hatch. 4. A molten metal supply system for supplying the molten metal from a first factory producing the molten metal to a second factory having a use point of the molten metal, the system being capable of containing the molten metal. Can adjust the pressure difference between inside and outside
It is possible to supply molten metal to the outside by
It is carried by the carrier and transported to the point of use.
A container that includes a container body <br/> having a first opening at the top, communicating the inside and the outside of said container, a flow path capable of flowing through the molten metal, the said container body The second opening having a diameter smaller than that of the first opening.
A lid having an opening and a second opening of the lid which is openably and closably provided on the upper surface side of the lid, communicates the inside and outside of the container, and when the pressure in the container exceeds a predetermined value. A hatch provided with a through hole for attaching a relief valve for releasing the pressure in the container, and a hatch attached for the through hole .
And a transport vehicle for loading and transporting the container between the first factory and the second factory. system. 5. A molten metal supply method for supplying the molten metal from a first factory producing the molten metal to a second factory having a use point of the molten metal, wherein the molten metal is contained. Can adjust the pressure difference between inside and outside
It is possible to supply molten metal to the outside by
It is carried by the carrier and transported to the point of use.
A container that includes a container body <br/> having a first opening at the top, communicating the inside and the outside of said container, a flow path capable of flowing through the molten metal, the said container body The second opening having a diameter smaller than that of the first opening.
A lid having an opening portion of the lid and a second opening portion of the lid which is openably and closably provided on the upper surface side of the lid and communicates the inside and the outside of the container, and when the pressure in the container exceeds a predetermined value. A hatch provided with a through hole for attaching a relief valve for releasing the pressure in the container, and a hatch attached for the through hole .
Molten metal is stored in a container provided with a relief valve, and the container is mounted on a transportation vehicle and transported from the first factory to the second factory. Method.