Ultrasonic grain refining

• US 9,481,031 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hans Tech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hans Tech, LLC
• Inventors: Han, Qingyou, Shao, Lu, Xu, Clause
• Primary Examiner(s): Kerns, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US15/019,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20160228943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 164/478, 164/416, 164/48, 164/501, 164/505
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 1/007 Treatment of the fused masses in the supply runners B22D1/002, B22D1/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/003 Aluminium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/103 Distributing the molten metal, e.g. using runners, floats, distributors
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/114 by using agitating or vibrating means B22D11/117 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/117 by treating with gases B22D11/118, B22D11/119 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/141 for vertical casting
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/144 with a rotating mould
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/22 for cooling cast stock or mould
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/007 with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 27/08 Shaking, vibrating, or turning of moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 30/00 Cooling castings, not restricted to casting processes covered by a single main group accessories for cooling cast stock in continuous casting of metals B22D11/124; controlling or regulating processes or operations for cooling cast stock or mould in continuous casting of metals B22D11/22; chill casting B22D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 35/04 into moulds, e.g. base plates, runners
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 35/06 Heating or cooling equipment
• 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

Abstract

A molten metal processing device including a molten metal containment structure for reception and transport of molten metal along a longitudinal length thereof. The device further includes a cooling unit for the containment structure including a cooling channel for passage of a liquid medium therein, and an ultrasonic probe disposed in relation to the cooling channel such that ultrasonic waves are coupled through the liquid medium in the cooling channel and through the molten metal containment structure into the molten metal.

Claims

1. A molten metal processing device comprising:

a molten metal containment structure for reception and transport of molten metal along a longitudinal length thereof;

a cooling unit for the containment structure including a cooling channel for passage of a liquid cooling medium therein;

an ultrasonic probe inserted into the cooling channel such that ultrasonic waves are coupled through the liquid cooling medium in the cooling channel and through the molten metal containment structure into the molten metal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cooling channel provides cooling to the molten metal so that the molten metal adjacent to the cooling channel reaches sub-liquidus temperature.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises side walls containing the molten metal and a bottom plate contacting the molten metal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the bottom plate comprises at least one of niobium, or an alloy of niobium.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the bottom plate comprises a ceramic.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the ceramic comprises a silicon nitride ceramic.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the silicon nitride ceramic comprises a silica alumina nitride.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the side walls and the bottom plate comprise different plates of different materials.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probe is disposed in the cooling channel closer to a downstream end of the containment structure than an upstream end of the containment structure.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a niobium structure.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a copper structure.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a steel structure.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a ceramic.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the ceramic comprises a silicon nitride ceramic.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the silicon nitride ceramic comprises a silica alumina nitride.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a material having a melting point greater than that of the molten metal.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a different material than that of the cooling channel.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure includes a downstream end having a configuration to deliver said molten metal into a mold.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the mold comprises a casting-wheel mold.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the mold comprises a vertical casting mold.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the mold comprises a stationary mold.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the containment structure comprises a refractory material.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the refractory material comprises at least one of copper, niobium, niobium and molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, and rhenium, and alloys thereof.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the refractory material comprises one or more of silicon oxygen, or nitrogen.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the refractory material comprises a steel alloy.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probe has an operational frequency between 5 and 40 kHz.

27. A system for forming a metal product, comprising:

the molten metal processing device of claim 1; and

a controller including data inputs and control outputs, and programmed with one or more control algorithms which control at least one of transporting the molten metal, cooling the molten metal, and coupling the ultrasonic waves into the molten metal.

28. A method for forming a metal product, comprising:

transporting molten metal along a longitudinal length of a molten metal containment structure;

cooling the molten metal containment structure by passage of a liquid cooling medium through a cooling channel thermally coupled to the molten metal containment structure; and

coupling ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe inserted into the cooling channel, wherein the waves are transmitted through the liquid cooling medium in the cooling channel and through the molten metal containment structure into the molten.

29. A system for forming a metal product, comprising:

means for transporting molten metal along a longitudinal length of a molten metal containment structure;

means for cooling the molten metal containment structure by passage of a liquid cooling medium through a cooling channel thermally coupled to the molten metal containment structure;

means for coupling ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe inserted into the cooling channel, wherein the waves are transmitted through the liquid cooling medium in the cooling channel and through the molten metal containment structure into the molten metal; and

a controller including data inputs and control outputs, and programmed with one or more control algorithms which control at least one of transporting the molten metal, cooling the molten metal, and coupling the ultrasonic waves into the molten metal.