US3785633A - Means for atomizing molten metal - Google Patents

Means for atomizing molten metal Download PDF

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Publication number
US3785633A
US3785633A US00250922A US3785633DA US3785633A US 3785633 A US3785633 A US 3785633A US 00250922 A US00250922 A US 00250922A US 3785633D A US3785633D A US 3785633DA US 3785633 A US3785633 A US 3785633A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
container
furnace
connection part
tank
cooling
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00250922A
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English (en)
Inventor
G Karlsson
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ABB Norden Holding AB
Original Assignee
ASEA AB
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ASEA AB filed Critical ASEA AB
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3785633A publication Critical patent/US3785633A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F9/00—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof
    • B22F9/02—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes
    • B22F9/06—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material
    • B22F9/08—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying
    • B22F9/082—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying atomising using a fluid
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F9/00—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof
    • B22F9/02—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes
    • B22F9/06—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material
    • B22F9/08—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying
    • B22F9/082—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying atomising using a fluid
    • B22F2009/0888—Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes starting from liquid material by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying atomising using a fluid casting construction of the melt process, apparatus, intermediate reservoir, e.g. tundish, devices for temperature control

Definitions

  • the furnace and container (crucible Foreign Appllcimon Priority Dam or ladle) are enclosed in a tank wherein they can be May 12, 1971 Sweden 6133/71 subjected to vacuum.
  • the container- is raisable and lowerable with respect to the cooling section, so that a [52] US. Cl. 266/34 V, 266/34 R closure valve can be inserted between them when suc- [51] Int. Cl. C2lc 7/10 tion is being applied.
  • the present invention relates to a means for atomizing a molten metal or metal alloy.
  • the device is of a type known per se, comprising a furnace for tapping into a casting ladle, and a cooling section, the furnace and casting ladle both being enclosed in a vacuum and- /or protective gas tank.
  • the two disintegrating jets operate at such a distance from each other that after contact with the first jet, the stream of molten metal is substantially entirely deflected owing to the kinetic energy of this disintegrating jet, before the still molten stream of metal meets the second disintegrating jet.
  • the melt is here disintegrated into free drops which form the desired powder particles after solidification. This is one method of obtaining such disintegration, and there are also other methods.
  • solidification is facilitated by blowing gas, suitably inert gas, of lower temperature through the disintegrating parts of the melt.
  • gas suitably inert gas
  • the gas is allowed to circulate in the cooling dome and is intended to cool down the molten particles to solidification.
  • melts having low oxygen content are normally used, it may be difficult to prevent oxidation of the surface of the particles, and when high-alloyed steel is atomized the problem is that the alloy constituents in steel usually form extremely stable oxides which are difficult to reduce.
  • both furnace and casting ladle have been located in a vacuum and/or protective gas tank having evacuating members of conventional type, for example multi-stage vapour jet ejection pumps and diffusion pumps which can effect a pressure in the tank of, for example, Torr, possibly before protective gas is allowed in.
  • evacuating members of conventional type, for example multi-stage vapour jet ejection pumps and diffusion pumps which can effect a pressure in the tank of, for example, Torr, possibly before protective gas is allowed in.
  • One problem here is to be able to connect the atomizing part to the casting ladle after a vacuum valve has been opened without the vacuum or the protective gas atmosphere in the tank being lost and at the sme time to maintain all the advantages achieved by an efficient atomizing equipment, for example of the type described above.
  • the device according to the invention provides a satisfactory solution of these problems and is characterised in that the casting ladle, which is provided with heat-retaining members and a bottom tapping hole, can be raised and lowered near the connection means to the cooling section, the casting ladle in its raised position exposing a lower space in which the vacuum valve can be moved to close the tank and in its lower position being connectable to the connecting means in or near which are arranged conventional nozzles for blowing gas or gas/liquid to disintegrate the tapping stream.
  • FIG. 1 is a detailed view of the casting ladle, furnace and atomizing part
  • FIG. 2 is a total view of an equipment.
  • a furnace 12 for heat-retaining and possibly for heating a melt for example steel such as high-alloyed steel, is arranged tiltably in a vacuum tank 11 (partly shown in FIG. 1).
  • the furnace may be of crucible type with low or high frequency coils.
  • a stirrer may also be arranged with this furnace (or the singlephase feeding current can be switched to multi-phase stirring current) so that the melt can be degassed in the vaccum chamber (pressure for example 10' Torr).
  • melt from the furnace 12 is tapped into a casting ladle 13, possibly water-cooled and exchangeable and provided with heat-retaining members 14 such as one or more inductor coils to prevent the melt from freezing in the main space of the ladle and its bottom tapping opening 15.
  • the heat-retaining members permit long storage times in the ladle and the ladle can be tapped at the desired rate, continuously or intermittently. This is important since the tapping often takes a long time. 1
  • the ladle 13 is shown in lowered position, but melt from thefurnace 12 can also be tapped into the casting ladle when it is raised to the position 16 shown in broken lines (see double arrow position A).
  • a space 17 is exposed below the casting ladle, in which a vacuum sealing valve 18 can be inserted to sealing position for the tank 11.
  • the casting ladle 13 When the valve (18) has been opened the casting ladle 13 can be lowered to a centered position near the tank wall 19.
  • the ladle can be centered there against a number of conical pins 20, pins or holes being arranged in the lower side of the ladle and corresponding holes or pins in the wall of the tank and parts connected to it.
  • the ladle 13 has a lower connection part or sealing ring 21 which, in lowered position, is connected to an atomizing part 22 where there is a central opening 23 for the stream of melt and blowing nozzles 24, 25 for inert gas (argon, nitrogen, etc.) for disintegrating the stream into drops (see above).
  • the sealing ring 22 is detachably applied at a gas supply part 26 with gas supply conduits, partly annularly arranged (27, 28).
  • the sealing ring 22 and the part 26 are applied on an annular plate 29 which provides a connection part to the cooling means 30 (cooling dome, granulating tank), and connected to this plate by means of an elastic bellows 31 so that vertical movements of the dome 30 or connecting members 22, 26 may be permitted.
  • the ring 22 and the part 26' may be permanently or detachably attached together.
  • the bellows 31 is also shown in FIG. 2, together with the vacuum tank 11, furnace l2 and casting ladle 13.
  • the motor for tilting the furnace is shown at 32, and
  • the entire vacuum part can be displaced with relation to the cooling dome 30, as can be seen.
  • the devices operates in the following manner: When the furnace 12 has been charged, the vacuum valve 18 between the tank 11 and cooling dome (granulating tank) 30 is closed. In the meanwhile a cooling ladle 33 is placed below the dome 30 with the help of a transport trolley 34. When this is done, the dome is pressed with the help of hydraulic devices 35 on its upper side against the bellows 31.
  • the cooling dome is evacuated to a pressure of about 1 mm Hg, after which the dome and cooling ladle 33 are filled with inert gas (argon) to atmospheric pressure.
  • the evacuated vacuum tank is then filled with inert gas to the same pressure and the vacuum valve 18 between the furnace tank 11 and the cooling dome 30 is opened.
  • the casting ladle 13 (possibly one of several alternative ladles) is filled and applied in its lower position. Argon gas is supplied to the nozzles 24, 25 and the granulation is initiated.
  • valve 18 between the furnace vacuum tank 11 and the cooling dome 30 is closed.
  • the furnace vacuum tank and granulating tower are evacuated and filled with air.
  • the water-cooled casting ladle is exchanged when necessary and the cooling dome lifted (at 35), and the lower part with the cooling.
  • the cooling dome may possibly be provided with a suction fan and cyclone for removal of dust.
  • the dome (granulation tower) is filled with argon through the cooling ladle 33.
  • the argon gas is drawn out of the cooling dome (granulation tower) 30 by a cyclone fan which thus removes a not inconsiderable amount of the dust particles in the argon gas.
  • the outlet from the cooling dome also has a vacuum valve.
  • the entire atomization may take place completely or partially under vacuum instead of in a protective gas atmosphere.
  • Means for atomizing a molten metal or metal alloy comprising a furnace for tapping into a container and a cooling section with a connection part, a tank enclosing the furnace and container and provided with at least one vacuum sealing valve, said container being provided with heat-retaining means and a bottom tapping hole, said container being raisable and lowerable with respect to the connection part to the cooling section, the container in its raised position exposing a lower space in which the vacuum sealing valve can be moved in order to close the tank, and in its lowered position engaging the connection part, and nozzles for fluid, at least partly gas, to disintegrate the tapping stream associated with the connection part.
  • Means according to claim 1 having a cooling dome, the connection part engaging the upper part of the cooling dome and elastically displaceable in relation to the dome by means of elastic members.
  • the vacuum tank with furnace and container being movably arranged in relation to the cooling dome after the casting ladle has been raised and the valve sealed.
  • connection part comprises a sealing ring with a melt opening and gas nozzle and a gas supply part.

Landscapes

  • Furnace Details (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Steel In Its Molten State (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Metal Powder And Suspensions Thereof (AREA)
US00250922A 1971-05-12 1972-05-08 Means for atomizing molten metal Expired - Lifetime US3785633A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE06133/71A SE352260B (sv) 1971-05-12 1971-05-12

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3785633A true US3785633A (en) 1974-01-15

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00250922A Expired - Lifetime US3785633A (en) 1971-05-12 1972-05-08 Means for atomizing molten metal

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3785633A (sv)
FR (1) FR2137777B1 (sv)
GB (1) GB1379927A (sv)
SE (1) SE352260B (sv)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4025249A (en) * 1976-01-30 1977-05-24 United Technologies Corporation Apparatus for making metal powder
US4365944A (en) * 1980-06-30 1982-12-28 Leybold Heraeus Gmbh Plant with a tundish for producing metal powder
US6602554B1 (en) * 2000-01-14 2003-08-05 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Liquid atomization method and system
CN105033200A (zh) * 2015-09-18 2015-11-11 山东钢铁股份有限公司 一种真空冶炼铸造设备及工艺

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1604019A (en) * 1978-05-31 1981-12-02 Wiggin & Co Ltd Henry Atomisation into a chamber held at reduced pressure
JPS5471071A (en) * 1977-11-16 1979-06-07 Kawasaki Steel Co Apparatus for producing metal powder
SE8006244L (sv) * 1980-09-08 1982-03-09 Asea Ab Forfarande for framstellning av metallpulver med stor renhet

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3692443A (en) * 1970-10-29 1972-09-19 United States Steel Corp Apparatus for atomizing molten metal

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3692443A (en) * 1970-10-29 1972-09-19 United States Steel Corp Apparatus for atomizing molten metal

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4025249A (en) * 1976-01-30 1977-05-24 United Technologies Corporation Apparatus for making metal powder
US4365944A (en) * 1980-06-30 1982-12-28 Leybold Heraeus Gmbh Plant with a tundish for producing metal powder
US6602554B1 (en) * 2000-01-14 2003-08-05 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Liquid atomization method and system
CN105033200A (zh) * 2015-09-18 2015-11-11 山东钢铁股份有限公司 一种真空冶炼铸造设备及工艺

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2137777B1 (sv) 1976-08-06
DE2222830B2 (de) 1975-07-10
FR2137777A1 (sv) 1972-12-29
DE2222830A1 (de) 1972-11-23
SE352260B (sv) 1972-12-27
GB1379927A (en) 1975-01-08

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