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US3287769A - Vacuum melting and casting apparatus - Google Patents

Vacuum melting and casting apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3287769A
US3287769A US334355A US33435563A US3287769A US 3287769 A US3287769 A US 3287769A US 334355 A US334355 A US 334355A US 33435563 A US33435563 A US 33435563A US 3287769 A US3287769 A US 3287769A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
casting
melting
chill
mould
electrode
Prior art date
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Expired - Lifetime
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US334355A
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English (en)
Inventor
Hess Ernst-Gunter
Portal Marcel Louis
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European Atomic Energy Community Euratom
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European Atomic Energy Community Euratom
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Publication date
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B4/00—Electrothermal treatment of ores or metallurgical products for obtaining metals or alloys
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D18/00—Pressure casting; Vacuum casting
    • B22D18/06—Vacuum casting, i.e. making use of vacuum to fill the mould
    • 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
    • B22D27/02—Use of electric or magnetic effects
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B5/00—Muffle furnaces; Retort furnaces; Other furnaces in which the charge is held completely isolated
    • F27B5/04—Muffle furnaces; Retort furnaces; Other furnaces in which the charge is held completely isolated adapted for treating the charge in vacuum or special atmosphere

Definitions

  • FIG.2 VACUUM MELTING AND CASTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 50, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2
  • This invention relates to a process and apparatus for melting and casting very high melting point and/ or strongly reactive materials in a melting furnace.
  • the so-called skull-melting has attained particular importance.
  • This is a melting process in an arc furnace, in which a solid shell of the material to be melted forms the melting crucible.
  • the casting process is carried out therein separately by tipping or rotating (centrifugal casting) the water-cooled copper crucible which carries the so-called skull.
  • a homogenization and possibly refining and degassing of the material independently of the melting speed which can otherwise only be set within narrow limits.
  • the best apparatus conditions are taken herein to mean essentially that the construction of the furnace is not determined by the casting process, but is instead entirely set up for the requirements of the melting process.
  • the best operational conditions means that the manner of carrying out both processes is superior to other methods even under extreme conditions of materials and temperatures.
  • the melting process can be handled satisfactorily, but the casting procedure cannot be considered to have been solved as an optimum in the sense of the above definition, when it is a question of casting thin rods, tubes and other thin elements.
  • Special complex furnace constructions are required; the yield is small and the variability of the casting parameters such as casting and solidifying speed as well as direction of filling is limited.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a process and apparatus for the production of thin elements of very high melting and/ or strongly reactive materials, which enables the melting and casting to be carried out separately under optimum apparatus and operational conditions, and in which furthermore no difiiculties are met in passing from the melting to the casting procedure.
  • the process is characterized in that the materials are melted in known manner in a water-cooled melting crucible with or without a skull in vacuum or under a gaseous atmosphere, but at the end of the melting step the molten material, also in a manner known per se, is cast by suction in a chill-mould which is then dipped with its opening in the bath, the chillmould being preferably carried by the electrode.
  • the complete apparatus for carrying out the process consists accordingly of a vacuum arc furnace with fixed Water-cooled melting crucible, a longitudinally displaceable arc electrode carrying axially the chill-mould, a pressure gas container connected to the furnace vessel and, for melting under vacuum or under superatmospheric pressure, a pump.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a melting-casting apparatus according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of an arc electrode with exchangeable chill-mould insert
  • FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of an arc electrode with -a jacket-type chill-mould
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the chill-mould along line IVIV of FIG. 3.
  • numeral 1 designates the housing of the vacuum arc furnace, 2 an optional crucible liner of graphite, 3 the melting crucible of copper, 4 the melt bath, 5 the water-cooling jacket with inand outlets 5a and 5b.
  • the are electrode-a permanent electrode is indicated at 6 and includes a casting space 7 of about 200 mm. height and 12 mm. diameter constituting the chill-mould.
  • the are electrode is secured to an electrode rod 8 which is provided with in-and outlets 8a and 8b for cooling water.
  • the pressure container 9 Externally connected to the furnace is the pressure container 9 (for example inert gas) with a conduit 9a and an inlet valve 9b; furthermore, a suction tube 10 with a safety valve and a separator.
  • a vacuum pump set-up (not shown).
  • the melting and casting process proceeds as follows: the casting material, for example uranium carbide, is melted by are in the water-cooled melting crucible, but at the end of the melting process the melt is not, as usual, poured off or centri fuged, but is instead pressed into the chill-mould by suction casting, namely by providing a positive pressure difference between the melt space and the chill-mould space.
  • the chill-mouldin the present case the electrodedips with its opening into the bath.
  • the chill-mould is Worked out of the electrode.
  • the same consists of electrode material, for example graphite, and forms with the chillmould a single structural element.
  • the electrode 6 with its arc constantly burning shorter, is sunk to short-circuit into the melt bath 4.
  • the pressure in the housing is raised by opening the valve 9b.
  • the casting speed, and even the solidification speed can be varied within wide limits.
  • the level of the pressure dilference which can be set as desired, and of the equally controllable pressure equalization speed, the casting speed, and even the solidification speed can be varied within wide limits.
  • FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the chill-mould is formed as a separate exchangeable insert of graphite in a permanent electrode.
  • Numeral 11 designates the arc electrode, 12 the chill-mould, 13 the melt and 14 the melting crucible.
  • the chill-mould is closed at its bottom portion 12a but is provided with inlet openings 12b for the molten material. Due to the part 12a, the chill-mould can be sunk to the floor of the crucible during the casting operation.
  • chill-moulds disclosed hitherto only permit single casting
  • the chill-mould according to FIG. 3 makes possible multiple casting as well as, with suitable altera tions, the casting of hollow elements.
  • the chill-mould 15 is formed as a thick-wall graphite cylinder with casting spaces 15:: in the wall thereof. It is concentric with and movable with respect to the electrode, that is the electrode and also the chill-mould can be longitudinally displaced independently of each other.
  • the displacement member of the electrode is indicated at 17 and that of the chill-mould at 18.
  • the chill-mould is secured at the lower end of a bushing 19 made of insulating mate rial. T-he bushing has a pressure equalizing bore 19a which prevents molten material from entering the annular space between the electrode and the chill-mould during casting.
  • the melt bath is indicated at 20 and the melting crucible at 21.
  • the relative displaceability between the electrode and the chill-mould makes it possible to keep the chill-mould sufiiciently far away from the bath surface, especially when operating With self-consuming electrodes, so that no spatter can reach the casting space of the chill-mould. Furthermore the arc can be allowed to subsist until the chill-mould dips into the melt, so as to prevent premature cooling.
  • Hollow elements can be cast with the jacket-type chillmould according to FIG. 3, if the casting bores, as shown in FIG. 4 are unified into a single (suitably narrowed) annular space. A chill-mould is then produced with which pipes can be cast.
  • Apparatus for melting and casting very high melting point and/ or strongly reactive materials in the same .furnace comprising a vacuum arc furnace with a housing and a fixed water-cooled melting crucible, a longitudinally displaceable arc electrode, a chill-mould carried by said arc-electrode, and a pressure container connected to said furnace housing.
  • said electrode consists of a thick-Wall cylinder concentric with and longitudinally displaceable with respect to said electrode and having casting spaces in the Wall thereof.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Continuous Casting (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
  • Furnace Details (AREA)
  • Crucibles And Fluidized-Bed Furnaces (AREA)
US334355A 1963-02-11 1963-12-30 Vacuum melting and casting apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3287769A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DEE24318A DE1193205B (de) 1963-02-11 1963-02-11 Verfahren und Anlage zum Schmelzen und Giessen von auch hoechstschmelzenden und/oder stark reaktiven Materialien im Schmelzofen

Publications (1)

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US3287769A true US3287769A (en) 1966-11-29

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US334355A Expired - Lifetime US3287769A (en) 1963-02-11 1963-12-30 Vacuum melting and casting apparatus

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US3287769A (de)
DE (1) DE1193205B (de)
DK (1) DK111078B (de)
GB (1) GB1021614A (de)
LU (1) LU44776A1 (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3410332A (en) * 1965-06-07 1968-11-12 Amsted Ind Inc Method and apparatus for casting metals in a controlled atmosphere
US3482259A (en) * 1965-12-14 1969-12-02 Boehler & Co Ag Geb Process of producing ledeburitic tool steel
US3690367A (en) * 1968-07-05 1972-09-12 Anadite Inc Apparatus for the restructuring of metals
US4741384A (en) * 1982-01-07 1988-05-03 Gte Products Corporation Apparatus for melting, casting and discharging a charge of metal
US20110303384A1 (en) * 2010-06-10 2011-12-15 Steven Kennerknecht Investment castings and process

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2532402C2 (de) * 1975-07-19 1984-01-26 Fa. Piel & Adey, 5650 Solingen Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von kleinen Formteilen durch Vergießen von Metallen

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2515060A (en) * 1945-09-29 1950-07-11 Smith Arthur Edgar Divided suction mold
US2539625A (en) * 1946-09-23 1951-01-30 Lebanon Steel Foundry Apparatus for casting metal rods
US2789152A (en) * 1955-06-01 1957-04-16 Nat Res Corp Electric furnace for production of metals
US2881489A (en) * 1956-02-17 1959-04-14 Otto N Wanek Electric arc furnace and the process of preparing castings
US2958719A (en) * 1958-09-18 1960-11-01 Nat Res Corp Production of metal
US3072982A (en) * 1953-07-13 1963-01-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Method of producing sound and homogeneous ingots
US3186043A (en) * 1963-04-02 1965-06-01 Allegheny Ludlum Steel Metallurgical furnace control
US3213495A (en) * 1962-08-24 1965-10-26 Crucible Steel Co America Means for preventing segregation in vacuum arc melting

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2515060A (en) * 1945-09-29 1950-07-11 Smith Arthur Edgar Divided suction mold
US2539625A (en) * 1946-09-23 1951-01-30 Lebanon Steel Foundry Apparatus for casting metal rods
US3072982A (en) * 1953-07-13 1963-01-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Method of producing sound and homogeneous ingots
US2789152A (en) * 1955-06-01 1957-04-16 Nat Res Corp Electric furnace for production of metals
US2881489A (en) * 1956-02-17 1959-04-14 Otto N Wanek Electric arc furnace and the process of preparing castings
US2958719A (en) * 1958-09-18 1960-11-01 Nat Res Corp Production of metal
US3213495A (en) * 1962-08-24 1965-10-26 Crucible Steel Co America Means for preventing segregation in vacuum arc melting
US3186043A (en) * 1963-04-02 1965-06-01 Allegheny Ludlum Steel Metallurgical furnace control

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3410332A (en) * 1965-06-07 1968-11-12 Amsted Ind Inc Method and apparatus for casting metals in a controlled atmosphere
US3482259A (en) * 1965-12-14 1969-12-02 Boehler & Co Ag Geb Process of producing ledeburitic tool steel
US3690367A (en) * 1968-07-05 1972-09-12 Anadite Inc Apparatus for the restructuring of metals
US4741384A (en) * 1982-01-07 1988-05-03 Gte Products Corporation Apparatus for melting, casting and discharging a charge of metal
US20110303384A1 (en) * 2010-06-10 2011-12-15 Steven Kennerknecht Investment castings and process
US8631852B2 (en) * 2010-06-10 2014-01-21 Steven Kennerknecht Investment castings and process

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
LU44776A1 (de) 1964-01-08
DE1193205B (de) 1965-05-20
DK111078B (da) 1968-05-27
GB1021614A (en) 1966-03-02

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