Transferring molten metal from one structure to another

• US 10,352,620 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations Incorporated (Molten)
• Original Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations Incorporated (Molten)
• Inventors: Cooper, Paul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kastler, Scott R
• Application Number:
  US14/745,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 266275
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 37/00 Controlling or regulating the pouring of molten metal from a casting melt-holding vessel B22D11/18, B22D39/00, B22D41/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 39/00 Equipment for supplying molten metal in rations
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 41/00 Casting melt-holding vessels, e.g. ladles, tundishes, cups or the like B22D39/00, B22D43/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 7/00 Casting ingots, e.g. from ferrous metalsequipment for conveying molten metal B22D35/00
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 21/0084 melting and handling molten aluminium C22B21/02, C22B21/04 and C22B21/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 21/064 using inert or reactive gases C22B21/066 and C22B21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 27/005 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/0024 of metallic workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/14 Charging or discharging liquid or molten material

Abstract

A system for transferring molten metal from a vessel and into one or more of a ladle, ingot mold, launder, feed die cast machine or other structure is disclosed. The system includes at least a vessel for containing molten metal, an overflow (or dividing) wall, and a device or structure, such as a molten metal pump, for generating a stream of molten metal. The dividing wall divides the vessel into a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein part of the second chamber has a height H2. The device for generating a stream of molten metal, which is preferably a molten metal pump, is preferably positioned in the first chamber. When the device operates, it generates a stream of molten metal from the first chamber and into the second chamber. When the level of molten metal in the second chamber exceeds H2, molten metal flows out of the vessel and into another structure, such as into one or more ladles and/or one or more launders.

Claims

1. A system comprising a dividing wall having a thickness, and for being positioned in a vessel for retaining molten metal, the vessel having a bottom inner surface, a back wall, and an outlet in the back wall, the dividing wall extending upward from the bottom, inner surface and configured to divide the vessel into (i) a first chamber, and (ii) a second chamber that includes the back wall, wherein the outlet has a height H2, the dividing wall comprising:

(a) a planar first surface without protrusions that forms an inner surface of the first chamber, the planar first surface configured to have a molten metal pump base rest against it;

(b) a height of H1 across the thickness along at least part of the width of the dividing wall, wherein H1 is greater than H2 and configures at least the part of the dividing wall having a height H1 to act as an overflow spillway so molten metal can spill from the second chamber over the dividing wall and into the first chamber when the level of molten metal in the second chamber exceeds H1;

(c) a single unrestricted opening positioned in its lower half but entirely above the bottom of the dividing wall, wherein the unrestricted opening is configured to be lower than H2, and for permitting pumped molten metal to pass through unrestricted; and

(d) a molten metal pump removably attached to the dividing wall and juxtaposed the planar first side, wherein the molten metal pump has a pump base with a pump chamber and an outlet and the outlet is aligned with the single unrestricted opening.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dividing wall has a planar second surface opposite the planar first surface, the planar second surface configured to form a surface of the second chamber inside of the vessel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the dividing wall is comprised of one or more of the group consisting of refractory, graphite and ceramic.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the unrestricted opening is configured to receive a pump discharge.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the unrestricted opening has an area between 6 square inches and 24 square inches.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the dividing wall has no other opening other than the one unrestricted opening.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the dividing wall has a top edge configured to be above the level of molten metal in the vessel.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein only part of the dividing wall has a height of H1, and the remainder of the dividing wall has a height greater than H1.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the top edge is on the part of the dividing wall having a height greater than H1.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the unrestricted opening has a first cross-sectional area at the first surface of the dividing wall and a second cross-sectional area at the second surface of the dividing wall, wherein the first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the molten metal pump is a circulation pump.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the molten metal pump is attached to the top edge of the dividing wall.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump base touches the planar first side of the dividing wall.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the molten metal pump has a drive shaft with a height, a first end and a second end, and the first end of the drive shaft is connected to a motor and the second end of the drive shaft is connected to a rotor positioned in the pump chamber, and the height of the drive shaft is selected so when the rotor is positioned in the pump chamber the motor is above the top edge.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the molten metal pump is not positioned at the overflow spillway.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the molten metal pump is not positioned at the overflow spillway.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump base has a snout, the outlet of the molten metal pump is in the snout, and the snout is positioned in the single unrestricted opening.