Metal scrap submergence system

• US 6,217,823 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Croll Reynolds Clean Air Technologies, Inc., Pyrotek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Metaullics Systems Company LP (Pyrotek Incorporated)
• Inventors: van Linden, Jan H. L., Vild, Chris T.
• Primary Examiner(s): KASTLER, SCOTT R
• Application Number:
  US09/281,240
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 756/86, 756/87, 266/233, 266/216, 266/900, 266/901, 266/275, 266/45, 266/44
• US Class Current: 266/44
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 21/0092 Remelting scrap, skimmings or any secondary source aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 7/003 only remelting, e.g. of chips, borings, turnings; apparatus used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 3/045 Multiple chambers, e.g. one of which is used for charging
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 3/18 Arrangements of devices for charging
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 27/00 Stirring devices for molten material F27D3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/14 Charging or discharging liquid or molten material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 266/901 Scrap metal preheating or melting

Abstract

A metal scrap submergence device comprising an open top chamber including walls of a heat resistant material, an inlet positioned in a side wall of the chamber, an outlet positioned in the base of said chamber, and a ramp adjacent said side wall of the chamber.

Claims

1. A metal scrap submergence device comprising an open top chamber including side and base walls of a heat resistant material, an inlet in a side wall of the chamber for receiving molten metal, an outlet in the base of said chamber, and a ramp adjacent said side wall of the chamber.

2. The submergence device of claim 1 wherein said inlet is at about the same horizontal level within said chamber as said outlet.

3. The submergence device of claim 1 wherein said ramp includes a leading edge proximate the inlet.

4. The submergence device of claim 1 wherein said chamber is formed on top of a block of said refractory material, an outlet duct being provided in said block and in fluid communication with said chamber outlet.

5. The submergence device of claim 1 wherein said ramp traverses at least 180°

of said chamber wall.

6. The submergence device of claim 5 wherein said ramp traverses at least 270°

of said chamber wall.

7. The ramp of claim 1 including a substantial portion having a slope of at least about 5°

.

8. The submergence device of claim 1 wherein a wall extends from an inner face of said ramp to define an entrance to said outlet.

9. The submergence device of claim 8 wherein said wall extends 360°

to form a passage.

10. The submergence device of claim 9 wherein said passage is cylindrically shaped.

11. The submergence device of claim 9 wherein said passage tapers to about an equivalent diameter as said chamber outlet.

12. The scrap submergence device of claim 1 being comprised of a refractory material.

13. The scrap submergence device of claim 1 including a pump to provide molten metal flow to the inlet.

14. The scrap submergence device of claim 1 wherein said ramp is further adjacent the base of the chamber to achieve upward flow of the molten metal.

15. The scrap submergence device of claim 7 wherein the ramp includes a portion having a slope of at least about 10°

.

16. A metal scrap submergence device comprising a body of heat resistant material including a base and side wall defining an open top cylindrical chamber, an inlet to said chamber in the side wall, an outlet in a bottom of said chamber leading to an outlet duct in said base providing a fluid exit from said device, a ramp adjacent said side wall of the chamber, said ramp traversing at least one half a perimeter of said side wall, said ramp including a first edge proximate said bottom of the chamber and adjacent said inlet and generally spiraling around a cylindrical opening formed by an inner wall of said ramp.

17. A method of melting metal scrap comprising depositing metal pieces onto a molten metal bath in an open top chamber including walls of a heat resistant material, an inlet positioned in a side wall of the chamber, an outlet positioned in the base of said chamber, and a ramp adjacent said side wall of the chamber, pumping molten metal into said inlet and upwardly along the ramp to create a vortex in said bath which draws said metal pieces into said bath.

18. A metal scrap submergence device comprised of a body of heat resistant material including a base and a side wall defining an open top cylindrical chamber, an inlet to said chamber in a side wall adjacent said base, an outlet to said chamber in approximately the center of the said base, and a means for achieving an upward flow of molten metal from the inlet.

19. The scrap submergence device of claim 18, wherein the molten metal exits downwardly through the outlet after the molten metal has reached its highest elevation in the cylindrical chamber.

20. A recycling furnace comprising:

a charge well having a scrap submergence device, said scrap submergence device having an open top chamber including side and base walls of a heat resistant material, an inlet in a side wall of the chamber for receiving molten metal, an outlet in the base of said chamber, and a ramp adjacent said side wall of the chamber.