Apparatus for filtration of molten metal

• US 4,504,392 A
• Filed: 04/14/1982
• Issued: 03/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Christy Refractories Company
• Original Assignee: Metcast Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Groteke, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wyse, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US06/368,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 210/773, 210/470, 210/471, 210/510, 75/68 R, 266/227, 266/229-231, 266/238
• US Class Current: 210/471
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 9/023 By filtering filtration of aluminium C22B21/066
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 Recycling

Abstract

An apparatus and method for filtering molten metal is disclosed. The apparatus includes a filtering vessel, a portion of which is a porous filter material. Attached to the rim of the filtering vessel is a shock resistant ring. The filtering vessel is positioned such that the porous filter material is submerged in the molten metal, and the rim is held above the surface of the molten metal by a brace which is attached to a fixed bracket.

The molten metal is filtered by seeping through the porous filter material into the filtering vessel. The filtered molten metal is extracted from the filtering vessel.

Claims

1. A liquid metal filter apparatus for purifying a metal bath, comprising:

a filtering vessel having a rim, sidewalls, and a bottom, said bottom having a hole therethrough;

said hole in said bottom of said filtering vessel having a wall, wherein said wall of the hole is substantially vertical;

a filter element of a porous ceramic material having an open cell structure characterized by a plurality of interconnected pores, said filter element being cemented to said wall of the hole;

a shock resistant ring attached to said rim;

a brace rigidly attached to said ring; and

a bracket rigidly positioned external to the molten metal bath and said brace being attached to said bracket for rigidly positioning said crucible with respect to the molten metal bath.

5. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein said filtering vessel has a faceted configuration.

6. The apparatus of claims 5 wherein said faceted configuration is a rectangular configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said filter element is comprised of:

a first filter segment, and a second filter segment second filter segment having a larger pore size than the pore size of said first filter segment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said filtering vessel is cast using a castable refractory.

9. The filtering vessel of claim 8 wherein the sidewalls and the bottom of said filtering vessel are reinforced by a reinforcing mesh.

10. The filtering vessel of claim 9 wherein said reinforcing mesh is a glass cloth.

11. The filtering vessel of claim 8 wherein studs for attaching said shock resistant ring protrude from and are cast into said rim of said filtering vessel.

12. The filtering vessel of claim 11 in wherein the sidewalls and the bottom of said filtering vessel are reinforced by a reinforcing mesh, and the studs are wrapped in said reinforcing mesh before being cast into said filtering vessel.

13. The filtering vessel of claim 12 wherein said reinforcing mesh is a glass cloth.

2. A liquid metal filter apparatus for purifying a metal bath, comprising:

a filtering vessel having a rim, sidewalls, and a bottom, said bottom having a hole therethrough;

said hole in said bottom of said filtering vessel having a wall, wherein said wall of the hole is concave;

a filter element of a porous ceramic material having an open cell structure characterized by a plurality of interconnected pores, said filter element being cemented to said wall of the hole;

a shock resistant ring attached to said rim;

a brace rigidly attached to said ring; and

a bracket rigidly positioned external to the molten metal bath and said brace being attached to said bracket for rigidly positioning said crucible with respect to the molten metal bath.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said wall of the hole is concave and undercut.

4. A liquid metal filter apparatus for purifying a metal bath, comprising:

a filtering vessel having a rim, sidewalls, and a bottom, said bottom having a hole therethrough;

said hole in said bottom of said filtering vessel having a wall, wherein said walls of the hole is substantially convex and said filter element is composed of two or more lamellar sections;

a filter element of a porous ceramic material having an open cell structure characterized by a plurality of interconnected pores, said filter element being cemented to said wall of the hole;

a shock resistant ring attached to said rim;

a brace rigidly attached to said ring; and

a bracket rigidly positioned external to the molten metal bath and said brace being attached to said bracket for rigidly positioning said crucible with respect to the molten metal bath.

14. A liquid metal filter apparatus for purifying a metal bath, comprising:

a faceted configured filtering vessel having a rim, sidewalls, and a bottom, said bottom having a hole therethrough;

said hole in said bottom of said filtering vessel having a wall, said wall of said hole is undercut;

a filter element of a porous ceramic material having an open cell structure characterized by a plurality of interconnected pores, said filter element being cemented to said wall of the hole;

a shock resistant ring attached to said rim;

a brace rigidly attached to said ring; and

a bracket rigidly positioned external to the molten metal bath and said brace being attached to said bracket for rigidly positioning said crucible with respect to the molten metal bath.

15. The apparatus of claims 14 wherein said faceted configured filtering vessel is rectangular.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said filter element is comprised of:

a first filter segment, and a second filter segment second filter segment having a larger pore size than the pore size of said first filter segment.

17. A liquid metal filter apparatus for purifying a metal bath, comprising:

a filtering vessel of a castable refractory having a rim, sidewalls, and a bottom, said bottom having a hole therethrough;

said hole in said bottom of said filtering vessel having a wall, said wall of said hole is undercut;

a filter element of a porous ceramic material having an open cell structure characterized by a plurality of interconnected pores, said filter element being cemented to said wall of the hole;

a shock resistant ring attached to said rim;

a brace rigidly attached to said ring; and

a bracket rigidly positioned external to the molten metal bath and said brace being attached to said bracket for rigidly positioning said crucible with respect to the molten metal bath.

18. The filtering vessel of claim 17 wherein the sidewalls and the bottom of said filtering vessel are reinforced by a reinforcing mesh.

19. The filtering vessel of claim 18 wherein said reinforcing mesh is a glass cloth.

20. The filtering vessel of claim 17 wherein studs for attaching said shock resistant ring protrude from and are cast into said rim of said filtering vessel.

21. The filtering vessel of claim 20 in wherein the sidewalls and the bottom of said filtering vessel are reinforced by a reinforcing mesh, and the studs are wrapped in said reinforcing mesh before being cast into said filtering vessel.

22. The filtering vessel of claim 21 wherein said reinforcing mesh is a glass cloth.