US3820587A - Apparatus for making metal ingots - Google Patents

Apparatus for making metal ingots Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3820587A
US3820587A US00847891A US84789169A US3820587A US 3820587 A US3820587 A US 3820587A US 00847891 A US00847891 A US 00847891A US 84789169 A US84789169 A US 84789169A US 3820587 A US3820587 A US 3820587A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
slag
mold
set forth
energy
mold body
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
US00847891A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
E Plockinger
G Kuhnelt
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.)
Gebrueder Boehler and Co AG
Original Assignee
Gebrueder Boehler and Co AG
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AT53069A external-priority patent/AT295764B/de
Application filed by Gebrueder Boehler and Co AG filed Critical Gebrueder Boehler and Co AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3820587A publication Critical patent/US3820587A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D27/00—Treating the metal in the mould while it is molten or ductile ; Pressure or vacuum casting
    • B22D27/04—Influencing the temperature of the metal, e.g. by heating or cooling the mould
    • B22D27/06—Heating the top discard of ingots

Definitions

  • a body of liquid slag is provided in said mold on top of said body of molten metal within [52] 11.8.
  • Heat energy is supplied to said 249/197 body of liquid'slag at a rate corresponding to at least [51] Int. Cl 822d 27/02 120 kilowatt-hours per metric ton of metal in said [58] Field of Search 1'64/250, 251, 252, 50, mold.
  • the slag-confining wall is supplied on the out- 164/51, 52, 48, 122, 123, 359, 348, 337; side thereof with a cooling fluid to cool said slag- 249/78, 105, 202, 174, 197, 106, 198, 199, confining wall sufficiently to maintain a layer of solid 249/200, 201, 108 slag between said wall and said body of liquid slag.
  • the molten metal in said mold is caused to solidify [56] References Cited while those parts of said mold which are contacted by UNITED STATES PATENTS said'metal are kept out of contact with cooling liquid.
  • This invention relates to an apparatus for making ingots from metals, preferably from plain carbon steels or alloy steels, which ingots have a good primary crystallization, a low macrosegregation and a low content of non-metallic inclusions.
  • apparatus consist essentially of an ingot mold, which is closed at the bottom, and one or more fusible or non-fusible electrodes, which are adapted to be lowered from above intosaid mold and may be connected to a source of electric current.
  • the mold may consist, e.g., of cast iron and maybe cooled without need for a separate liquid or gaseous cooling medium.
  • the mold may be filled with molten steel, the free surface of which is covered by a liquid slag layer, and the top portion of the molten steel may be heated as in crop end heating by a supply of electric current to the electrodes which are immersed in the liquid slag layer.
  • the uppermost part of the molten steel immediately below said slag will be heated and maintained in a liquid state until a major part of the steel has progressively solidified from the bottom to form a solid ingot.
  • the crop ends which cannot be used because they are non-homogeneous are smaller in-these ingots, which have also smaller contraction cavities'in their top portion.
  • a refractory lining is provided in the upper part of the mold, which upper part serves to accommodate the liquid slag layer floating on the molten steel.
  • This lining is subjected to the attack by the slag and the molten steel and requires a frequent renewal so that the maintenance costs are high.
  • constituents of the refractory lining enter into solution and change the chemical composition of the liquid slag which is in contactwith the lining; these concontrol of the structure of the ingot.
  • the mold is not cooled with liquid and is pro-' top part is filled with thefliquid slag, that portion of the mostly metallic inside wall surface of thetop partwhich confines the liquid slag is covered by a solidified slag
  • the toppart which serves to accommodate the liquid slag consists of a double-walled hollow body, which may be made, e.g., of metal, and, if desired, may be provided with internal guiding surfaces, and the space between the outside and inside walls is provided with inlet and outlet pipes for supplying and withdrawing the cooling liquid.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 wherein a conventional plasma torch for use with the apparatus of the invention is illustrated.
  • the body 10 of the mold consists, e.g., of cast-iron and is exposed only to the ambient atmosphere rather than cooled by a special medium, such as a liquid.
  • a top part 20 is secured to the mold body and consists of sheet metal elements, e.g., of steel or another material, which are joined by welding.
  • An annular distributing chamber 22 is attached to the top edge of the top part 20 and contains a cooling liquid, such as water.
  • the distributing chamber 22 is connected to the liquid supply conduit 21 and along its underside is provided with outlet openings 23 or spray nozzles for discharging the cooling liquid against the outside of the wall 26 of the top part 20.
  • a trough 24 is provided for collecting the downflowing cooling liquid. This trough communicates with the drain conduit 25.
  • the mold body 10 rests on a bottom plate 40 and is sealed against the same so that the mold body can be filled to its top rim, e.g., with steel, when an ingot is to be cast, without a leakage of steel at the bottom joint.
  • the top part 20 is in sealed engagement with the top edge of the mold body so that premelted slag can be poured in over the level of the molten steel.
  • the walls of the top part are covered on the, inside with a layer 51 of solidified slag. Owing to the cooling on the outside of the top part, this solidified slag cannot be melted even when the liquid slag layer is heated to a high temperature by a supply of electric current or other energy.
  • One or more fusible electrodes are disposed over the mold body 10 and adapted to be lowered into and lifted from the slag layer disposed over the level of the molten steel.
  • Two terminals of a source of alternating current are respectively connected to the electrode 60 and via the bottom plate 40 to the ingot 30 so that the circuit is closed by the slag layer 50 when the electrode is or the electrodes are immersed in said slag layer.
  • the power source and all conductors of this circuit are dimensioned for a supply of energy of .at least kilowatt-hours per metric ton of the weight of the ingot at a voltage of 30-100 volts. This supply of energy is required to ensure a high purity of the ingot and a dense, segregation-free structure in all portions of the ingot.
  • one or more non-fusible electrodes are disposed over the mold body and mold top part and adapted to be lifted and lowered.
  • the circuit will be closed so that the slag will be heated by resistance heating.
  • Plasma torches or other energy sources may be used rather than current-supplying electrodes to heat the slag cover.
  • Such a conventional plasma torch 80 is illustrated in FIG. 2 and comprises a rod-shaped electrode 81 and tubular counterelectrode 82 which surrounds the electrode 81 and is open at its lower end.
  • the tubular counter-electrode 82 has an inlet pipe 83 through which an ionizable gas, such as argon, can be introduced.
  • An A.C. current source 84 is connected between electrodes 81, 82. (The current source can also be a DC. current source.)
  • Steel ingots made with the aid of the apparatus according to the invention have after solidification a good primary crystallization, a perfectly dense structure and a low content of non-metallic inclusions everywhere. If the solidification rate is properly controlled, for instance, the apparatus may be used to make ingots which are free of the known V-segregation near the axis of the ingot.
  • the mold is to be arranged in a pit or in an evacuated container, it is advantageous to provide the mold with a metallic top part consisting of a double-walled hollow body, which may be provided in its interior with surfaces for guiding the liquid flowing through.
  • the top part may consist of welded sheet steel elements and the guiding surfaces are preferably helical so that the cooling water flows around the inside wall of the top part from bottom to top substantially along a helix at an adequate velocity.
  • the use of a doublewalled top part affords the advantage that the draining of the cooling water does not depend on a natural gradient but the conduits may be laid out as desired, e.g., through the wall of the evacuated vessel.
  • Apparatus for making metal ingots which comprises an ingot mold body having an open bottom and top and being free of means for a liquid cooling of said mold body,
  • said mold top part comprising a slag-confining wall having an outside surface and an inside surface adapted to confine a body of liquid slag which is heated by the supply of energy, said liquid slag floating on top of said molten metal in said mold body,
  • energy-supplying means operable to supply heating energy to said body of liquid slag at an energy supply rate corresponding to at least kilowatthours per metric ton of metal in said mold body when the latter is filled with metal to capacity
  • cooling means operable to supply a cooling fluid to said outside surface in order to cool said slagconfining wall sufficiently to maintain a layer of solid slag between said inside surface and said liquid slag when said mold is filled with metal to capacity and is being operated with said energysupplying meansto supply heating energy to said liquid slag at said energy supply rate;
  • annular distributing chamber surrounding said slag-confining wall at the top thereof and formed with peripherally spaced outlets directed against said outside surface
  • annular trough disposed under said slag-confining wall and arranged to collect said cooling liquid flowing down on said outside surface
  • At least said outside surface is inclined outwardly relative to the vertical axis of said mold body.
  • said energy-supplying means comprise electrode means which are disposed over said mold top part and adapted to be lowered into and lifted from said body of liquid slag, and
  • a source of electric current electrically connected to said electrode means and to said bottom closure.
  • cooling means are operable to supply a cooling liquid to said outside surface to cool said slag-confining wall.
  • said mold top part comprises an annular outer wall spaced around said slag confining wall and defining an annular cooling chamber therewith,
US00847891A 1969-01-20 1969-08-06 Apparatus for making metal ingots Expired - Lifetime US3820587A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT53069A AT295764B (de) 1967-12-05 1969-01-20 Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Blöcken

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3820587A true US3820587A (en) 1974-06-28

Family

ID=3493056

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00847891A Expired - Lifetime US3820587A (en) 1969-01-20 1969-08-06 Apparatus for making metal ingots
US414393A Expired - Lifetime US3916978A (en) 1969-01-20 1973-11-09 Process for making metal ingots

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US414393A Expired - Lifetime US3916978A (en) 1969-01-20 1973-11-09 Process for making metal ingots

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (2) US3820587A (fr)
JP (1) JPS5013217B1 (fr)
BE (1) BE744684A (fr)
CH (1) CH524413A (fr)
DE (1) DE2001256B2 (fr)
FR (1) FR2028729B1 (fr)
LU (1) LU60198A1 (fr)
SE (1) SE421877B (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4157110A (en) * 1976-12-08 1979-06-05 Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft (Vew) Method of producing ingots of unalloyed and alloyed steels
US4265295A (en) * 1975-11-17 1981-05-05 Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft (Vew) Method of producing steel ingots
US10357818B2 (en) * 2015-04-01 2019-07-23 Wuxi Lihu Corporation Limited Reusable casting head device

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2250710B2 (de) * 1972-06-07 1974-03-21 Heppenstall Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. (V.St.A.) Vorrichtung zur Blockkopfbeheizung
IT1023209B (it) * 1974-11-11 1978-05-10 Centro Speriment Metallurg Procedimento perfezionate per la produzione di grandi lingotti di acoaiaio
DE2654834C2 (de) * 1976-12-03 1984-05-30 Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke AG (VEW) Wien AT Niederlassung Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke AG (VEW) Verkaufsniederlassung Büderich, 4005 Meerbusch Verfahren zur Blockkopfbeheizung
AT395296B (de) * 1985-06-19 1992-11-10 Boehler Gmbh Verfahren und vorrichtung zur herstellung von bloecken

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2899294A (en) * 1959-08-11 Purification melting process for metal-
US2248628A (en) * 1937-08-28 1941-07-08 Kellogg M W Co Method of casting metal bodies
US2191479A (en) * 1939-02-23 1940-02-27 Kellogg M W Co Manufacture of alloy ingots
US2369233A (en) * 1943-01-26 1945-02-13 Kellogg M W Co Method and apparatus for producing metal
US2441416A (en) * 1945-06-01 1948-05-11 Kellogg M W Co Cooled electrode for metal heating
US3147329A (en) * 1955-07-26 1964-09-01 Union Carbide Corp Method and apparatus for heating metal melting furnaces
US3271828A (en) * 1963-09-20 1966-09-13 Oregon Metallurgical Corp Consumable electrode production of metal ingots
US3268958A (en) * 1963-12-19 1966-08-30 Midvale Heppenstall Company Slow pouring and casting system for ferrous and other metals
GB1169071A (en) * 1967-02-07 1969-10-29 Ass Elect Ind Improvements relating to Electroslag Ingot Production
US3603374A (en) * 1969-02-10 1971-09-07 Heppenstall Co Methods of producing large steel ingots

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4265295A (en) * 1975-11-17 1981-05-05 Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft (Vew) Method of producing steel ingots
US4157110A (en) * 1976-12-08 1979-06-05 Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft (Vew) Method of producing ingots of unalloyed and alloyed steels
US10357818B2 (en) * 2015-04-01 2019-07-23 Wuxi Lihu Corporation Limited Reusable casting head device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
LU60198A1 (fr) 1970-03-19
DE2001256B2 (de) 1976-09-30
FR2028729B1 (fr) 1974-07-12
US3916978A (en) 1975-11-04
FR2028729A1 (fr) 1970-10-16
CH524413A (de) 1972-06-30
SE421877B (sv) 1982-02-08
JPS5013217B1 (fr) 1975-05-17
DE2001256A1 (de) 1970-07-30
BE744684A (fr) 1970-07-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2085450A (en) Apparatus for producing metallic ingots
US3467167A (en) Process for continuously casting oxidizable metals
US3627293A (en) Apparatus for purifying metals by pouring through slag
US3389208A (en) Consumable electrode furnace for electroslag refining
US2102582A (en) Electric induction furnace and method of operating the same
US3820587A (en) Apparatus for making metal ingots
US3768543A (en) Electro-slag furnace for producing continuous ingot
US4132545A (en) Method of electroslag remelting processes using a preheated electrode shield
US2248628A (en) Method of casting metal bodies
US4055215A (en) Hot-top for the production of ingots using an electroslag remelting process
US5963579A (en) Method of heating a molten metal in a continuous casting tundish using a plasma torch, and tundish for its implementation
US4192370A (en) Device for effecting electroslag remelting processes
US8917754B2 (en) Aluminum melting apparatus
US3610318A (en) Electroslag ingot production
JPH0234262B2 (fr)
JPS6150065B2 (fr)
ES2206916T3 (es) Procedimiento de recubrimiento por electroescoria.
JP3035125B2 (ja) タンディッシュの電気加熱装置
US2796452A (en) Apparatus for fusing of metals
JPH0596266A (ja) フイルターダストの溶融方法
CA1067705A (fr) Methode et dispositif de realisation de procedes de refonte de scorie a l'electricite
US1534187A (en) Hot-metal car
SU708711A1 (ru) Устройство дл электрошлакового переплава
SU414867A1 (ru) Электрошлаковый миксер
US3472503A (en) Vacuum degassing apparatus for molten metals