US3703039A - Annealing tower - Google Patents

Annealing tower Download PDF

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Publication number
US3703039A
US3703039A US883691A US3703039DA US3703039A US 3703039 A US3703039 A US 3703039A US 883691 A US883691 A US 883691A US 3703039D A US3703039D A US 3703039DA US 3703039 A US3703039 A US 3703039A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
container
alloy shapes
alloy
shapes
opening
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Expired - Lifetime
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US883691A
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert A Hard
Loyal A Stoyell
Claude F Young
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Elkem Metals Co LP
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Union Carbide Corp
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Assigned to ELKEM METALS COMPANY, A NEW YORK GENERAL PARTNERSHIP reassignment ELKEM METALS COMPANY, A NEW YORK GENERAL PARTNERSHIP ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, A NY CORP.
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/84—Controlled slow cooling
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing the friability of cast alloy shapes by controllably cooling them after casting.
  • Alloys such as ferrosilicon, silico-manganese, ferromanganese and the like, properly shaped from molds having predesigned cavity contours, are gravity fed through an insulated tower or tube having a controllable discharge means.
  • the time required for the alloy shapes to flow through the tube can be automatically regulated by adjusting the discharge means, such time being sufficient to controllably cool the alloy shapes at a rate and to a degree required for the particular alloy cast.
  • Another method for producing alloy shapes involves the direct casting of the alloy in molds having predesigned cavity contours.
  • the cast alloy shapes when removed from the molds are air cooled to ambient and then shipped directly to a predetermined location. These alloy castings are still friable and during transit, fines and off-size pieces of the alloy are produced which decreased the net useable quantity of desired alloy shapes.
  • the advantage of the present invention is that the preferred alloy castings are removed from molds and deliberately cooled at a uniform rate and to a final degree that will produce tough, non-friable alloy shapes which can be transported without breaking up into fines and off-size pieces.
  • Another advantage is that by using the annealing tower concept of this invention a continuous annealing process is obtained since alloy shapes can be continuously fed into the top of the tower and automatically discharged out at the bottom.
  • the invention broadly stated, relates to a method and apparatus for producing tough, non-friable cast alloy shapes, such alloys being ferrosilicon, silicomanganese, ferromanganese and the like.
  • the deliberate or positive procedure to toughen the cast alloy shapes is accomplished by controllably cooling the'castings with respect to rate and degree.
  • One method of achieving this is by utilizing a vertically inclined insulated cylindrical structure or tower having an opening on or near the top for receiving hot alloy shapes from molds or the like and an opening at or near the bottom for discharging the relatively cooled castings.
  • the endless type conveyor is suitably positioned adjacent the discharge opening for transporting the gravity fed alloy shapes away from the tower. Without the conveyor the discharge opening would clog up preventing the flow of the alloy shapes through the tower.
  • the time required for the alloy shapes to flow through the tower can be regulated, such time depending on the rate and the degree to which the particular alloy shapes are to be cooled. For example, 50 percent ferrosilicon alloy shapes should be cooled at a maximum temperature decreasing rate about 1 C. per minute until a temperature of about 650 C. is reached. Thereafter the ferrosilicon shapes may be exposed to the open air for cooling down to ambient.
  • the inside of the annealing tower is initially heated to a temperature above 1,000 C. This is preferably accomplished by placing a bed of insulating material such as vermiculite or sand within the tower and then depositing a first batch of hot alloy castings thereon.
  • the insulating material prevents the heat from the alloy castings from escaping and thus quickly brings the temperature within the tower to above l,000 C. ambient.
  • a door blocking the opening at or near the bottom of the tower is then open to a degree necessary to create a draft that can be used to produce a temperature gradient within the tower such that the upper zone or section with be above l,000 C. and the lower zone about 650 C.
  • a conventional type compressor may be employed to force feed additional air up through the tower so as to better regulate the temperature gradient within the tower and to maintain a desired cooling rate for the alloy shapes being fed therethrough. If the cooling rate should increase or the temperature gradient change from that desired then a cover may be placed over the top opening and/or the discharge opening may be completely closed since either of which will stop the draft therein thus causing the temperature decreasing rate to slow down.
  • Adjustable size holes may be circumferentially placed on the tower at different height levels with each level of holes being independently operable to bleed some of the air within the tower so that the temperature at any particular height or level can be regulated as desired.
  • the insulating material initially fed into the tower is discharged through the lower opening onto a conveyor at a rate sufficient to regulate the passage of the alloy shapes through the tower so that the temperature decreasing rate with not exceed that required for the particular alloy being annealed.
  • Subsequent batches of alloy shapes may then be deposited directly on top of prior batches to provide a continuous automatic annealing process.
  • a bed of insulating material may be added between batches of alloy shapes when the temperature difference between them exceeds about C. It may also be advantageous under certain conditions to add an insulating material at the same time with the alloy shapes so as to form an overall composite that can be fed through the tower at a regulated rate which will insure that the alloy shapes cool no faster than desired.
  • the compressor can be utilized to increase the air flow through the tower to increase the rate.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevated side view of an annealing towe with a variable speed conveyor.
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines A-A.
  • FIG. 3 is a view of the grid selector attachedat the end of the conveyor.
  • FIGS. 1 and/or 2 there is shown in FIGS. 1 and/or 2 a cylindrical tower 1 having an insulating liner 21 made of tire brick, castable refractory or the like all of which is supported by steel brackets 2.
  • a cover 3 On top of the tower a cover 3 is placed over a receiving opening 4.
  • the bottom portion of the tower is cut at an angle between about 30 and about 60 and preferable about 45 thereby exposing an elliptical shaped opening.
  • Insulating cover plate 5, having an elliptical shape corresponding to the exposed opening, is rigidly secured to the tower wall thus sealing the opening.
  • An arcuate discharge or exit opening 6 is cut into the lower portion of the longest wall segment of the tower.
  • Side plates 7 are secured on each side of discharge opening 6 to provide a restraining or guiding structure for discharging alloy pieces. Insulating cover plate could also be extended somewhat and squared off to mate with vertical type side plates 7 so as to provide an inclined type extended chute segment.
  • Door 8 is vertically disposed and slidably mounted on side plates 7 by any suitable means and is shown in a partially opened position.
  • Variable speed endless belt conveyor 9 is driven by motor 10 and located adjacent discharge opening'6. The angle the conveyor makes with vertical door 8 can vary between about and about 90 and is shown at an angle about 55.
  • Screening grid 13, shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, having parallel side plates 12, is positioned adjacent the end of the conveyor so that as the alloy shapes are deposited thereon the offsizes 22 will pass through predetermined openings 23 in the grid and fall into container 14 while the desired sizes 11 will be guided into container 15.
  • the annealing process for the alloy shapes is automatic from the time they are deposited into the tower until they are fed into container'lS.
  • At least one level of horizontally disposed bleed holes are circumferentially placed around the tower and mate with holes 18 in annular rings 19. By rotating rings 19, holes 20 can be opened to any degree from a fully closed position to a fully opened position.
  • Air compressor means 24 could also be connected to holes 20 by suitable conduits 25 so as to force air into the tower at any particular level thereby providing a more regulated cooling apparatus.
  • door 8 is closed and a bed of insulating material such as vermiculite or sand is initially fed into the tower through opening 4 to a height sufficient to at least 6.
  • Metal cast alloy shapes ll preshaped in special cavity molds, are introduced through opening 4 onto the bed of insulating material. The heat from the alloy sizes quickly increases the temperature within the tower to above l,000 C. ambient.
  • discharge door 8 is partially open, if necessary, to provide a draft or convection type air flow within the tower that causes the lower portion of the tower to cool faster than the top portion since the heat rises to the top. When the lower zone of the tower reaches about 650 C., the alloy shapes within this zone could then be discharged through opening 6.
  • cover 3 is placed over opening 4 or door 8 is closed to terminate the convective air flow.
  • a temperature gradient can be created within the tower such that a temperature of about 650 C. can be maintained in the lower section while a temperature of above 1,000 C. can be maintained in the top section.
  • compression means 16 forces air through holes 17 located in plate cover 5.
  • bleed holes 20 may be open, if necessary, to bleed off some of the convective air flow within or to force feed air into the tower thus providing a means for producing a temperature gradient within the tower that can be regulated at various levels.
  • the opening of door 8 to different heights also affects the flow rate of the alloy shapes through the tower thus providing an additional means for controllably cooling them.
  • Conveyor 9 may contain an endless type belt having apertures 26 smaller than the desired alloy sizes so as to pass only alloy fines and off-size pieces therethrough while conveying the desired alloy sizes to a predetermined collection or depositing point. Off-size pieces shall be interpreted to include material added with the alloy sizes for insulation purposes or the like.
  • EXAMPLE A cast iron mold containing 12 pockets was used to produce truncated pyramid shapes of 50 percent ferrosilicon to meet a 5-inch by 2-inch specification, such specification requiring that at least percent of the alloy shapes pass through a 5-inch screen with a maximum of 10 percent passing through a 6-inch screen and a maximum of 10 percent passing through a 2-inch screen.
  • Several controlled temperature casts from a 1,000-lb. induction furnace were used in the mold to produce about 3,000 pounds of 50 percent ferrosilicon shapes.
  • a bed of vermiculite was deposited into a 6- foot, 6-inch high annealing tower having an outside diameter of 2 feet and an inside diameter of 20 inches.
  • the lower portion of the tower was cut at an angle of about 45 and an insulating plate was secured to the wall of the tower thus providing an internal inclined surface which would direct material within the tower to a discharge opening located at the lower portion of the longest wall segment of the tower.
  • the bed of vermiculite filled the tower and covered the discharge opening in the lower portion of the tower.
  • the 50 percent ferrosilicon shapes were deposited on the bed of vermiculite at a temperature in excess of 1,000" C. an vermiculite attached to the bottom of the tower (to simulate an endless type conveyor) for regulating the discharge of the vermiculite from the lower opening thus enabling the alloy shapes to be gravity fed through the tower at a rate where they cooled at a maximum rate of 1 C. per minute till they reached a temperature of about 650 C.
  • the annealing of the alloy shapes is accomplished on an automatic basis wherein a continuous feed of hot alloy shapes are put in one end of the tower and the final annealed shapes are discharged at the other end. Deliberately cooling the alloy shapes at a slower maximum temperature rate than occurs when they are exposed to open air, produces a less friable alloy shape which can withstand the rough handling usually encountered in transit and during unloading at its final destination.
  • An apparatus for controllably annealing cast alloy shapes comprising:
  • a hollow insulated vertically disposed container having an opening in its upper region for receiving alloy shapes and an opening at its lower extremity for discharging alloy shapes;
  • variable speed conveyor positioned adjacent the discharge opening for transporting alloy shapes away from said discharge opening so as to provide space threat for alloy shapes within the container ready to be discharged;
  • a downwardly inclined grid positioned adjacent the end of said conveyor, said grid having apertures small enough to maintain and direct the desired alloy shapes in one direction while being large enough to pass alloy fines and off-size pieces in a different direction.
  • compressor means are added to force air through the container so as to more accurately regulate the convective air flow therein.
  • An apparatus for controllably annealing cast alloy shapes comprising:
  • a hollow insulated vertically disposed container having an opening in its upper region for receiving alloy sizes, an opening at its lower extremity for discharging the alloy shapes and at least one horizontal level of circumferentially disposed adjustable openings for bleeding off a portion of convective air flow within the container;
  • variable speed conveyor positioned adjacent the discharge opening for transporting the alloy shapes away from said discharge opening so as to provide space thereat for alloy shapes within the container ready to be discharged;
  • compressor means are added to force air through the container so as to more accurately regulate the convective air flow therein.
  • compressor means are added for forcing air through at least one horizontal level of said circumferentially disposed openings so as to more accurately regulate the convective air flow therein.
  • An apparatus for controllably annealing cast alloy shapes comprising:
  • a hollow insulated vertically disposed container having an opening in its upper region for receiving alloy shapes and an opening at its lower extremity for discharging alloy shapes;
  • variable speed endless belt conveyor positioned adjacent the discharge opening for transporting alloy shapes away from said discharge opening so as to provide space thereat for alloy shapes within the container ready to be discharged;
  • compressor means for forcing air up through the container in contact with the alloy shapes so as to more accurately regulate the convective air flow therein.
  • said conveyor comprises an endless belt having apertures smaller than the desired alloy shapes so that lines and offsize pieces can pass through the openings in the belt without being transported thereon while the desired alloy shapes are maintained on said belt so that they can be transported away from said discharge opening in the container.
  • An apparatus for controllably annealing cast alloy shapes comprising:
  • a hollow insulated vertically disposed container having an opening in its upper region for receiving alloy shapes, an opening at its lower extremity for discharging alloy shapes and at least one horizontal level of circumferentially disposed adjustable opening for bleeding off a portion of the convective air flow within the container;
  • variable speed endless belt conveyor positioned adjacent the discharge opening for transporting alloy shapes away from said discharge opening so as to provide space thereat for alloy shapes within the container ready to be discharged; and i c. means for regulating the speed of said conveyor so as to control the feed time of said alloy shapes through the container.
  • said conveyor comprises an endless belt having apertures smaller than the desired alloy shapes so that fines and offsize pieces can pass through the openings in the belt without being transported thereon while the desired alloy shapes are maintained on said belt so that they can be transported away from said discharge opening in without being transported thereon while the desired alloy shapes are maintained on said belt so that they can be transported away from said discharge opening in the container.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Heat Treatments In General, Especially Conveying And Cooling (AREA)
  • Silicon Compounds (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
US883691A 1969-12-10 1969-12-10 Annealing tower Expired - Lifetime US3703039A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US88369169A 1969-12-10 1969-12-10

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US3703039A true US3703039A (en) 1972-11-21

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US (1) US3703039A (de)
JP (1) JPS508977B1 (de)
AT (1) AT316030B (de)
BE (1) BE760110A (de)
CA (1) CA962171A (de)
DE (1) DE2060229C3 (de)
FR (1) FR2080888B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1329754A (de)
LU (1) LU62204A1 (de)
NO (1) NO134247C (de)
SE (1) SE384042B (de)
ZA (1) ZA708318B (de)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2116887A (en) * 1982-03-20 1983-10-05 Acme Conveyors & Constr Cooling foundry castings

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1468301A (en) * 1922-06-24 1923-09-18 Boggs Mfg Corp Sorting-machine belt
US1581522A (en) * 1921-08-30 1926-04-20 Stehmann Harry Device for burning cement, magnesite, lime, etc.
US1844782A (en) * 1926-10-30 1932-02-09 Krupp Fried Grusonwerk Ag Apparatus for cooling loose material
US1904128A (en) * 1924-03-19 1933-04-18 Fuller Lehigh Co Method of burning fuel
US1968545A (en) * 1932-05-23 1934-07-31 John R Van Arsdale Roasting device
US3433283A (en) * 1968-04-03 1969-03-18 Ohio Ferro Alloys Corp Method of reducing friability of ferro-alloys

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1581522A (en) * 1921-08-30 1926-04-20 Stehmann Harry Device for burning cement, magnesite, lime, etc.
US1468301A (en) * 1922-06-24 1923-09-18 Boggs Mfg Corp Sorting-machine belt
US1904128A (en) * 1924-03-19 1933-04-18 Fuller Lehigh Co Method of burning fuel
US1844782A (en) * 1926-10-30 1932-02-09 Krupp Fried Grusonwerk Ag Apparatus for cooling loose material
US1968545A (en) * 1932-05-23 1934-07-31 John R Van Arsdale Roasting device
US3433283A (en) * 1968-04-03 1969-03-18 Ohio Ferro Alloys Corp Method of reducing friability of ferro-alloys

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2080888B1 (de) 1974-04-26
LU62204A1 (de) 1971-08-13
JPS508977B1 (de) 1975-04-09
DE2060229C3 (de) 1973-11-08
DE2060229A1 (de) 1971-06-16
BE760110A (fr) 1971-06-09
SE384042B (sv) 1976-04-12
AT316030B (de) 1974-06-25
NO134247C (de) 1976-09-08
CA962171A (en) 1975-02-04
NO134247B (de) 1976-05-31
ZA708318B (en) 1971-09-29
FR2080888A1 (de) 1971-11-26
DE2060229B2 (de) 1973-04-26
GB1329754A (en) 1973-09-12

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AS Assignment

Owner name: ELKEM METALS COMPANY, A NEW YORK GENERAL PARTNERSH

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, A NY CORP.;REEL/FRAME:003882/0761

Effective date: 19810626

Owner name: ELKEM METALS COMPANY, 270 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, N

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, A NY CORP.;REEL/FRAME:003882/0761

Effective date: 19810626