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US 10,259,038 B2Granted
Method and system for sensing ingot position in reduced cross-sectional area molds
AssigneeRetech Systems LLC
InventorsRobert E. Haun, Paul G. Meese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for sensing the position of an ingot within a segmented mold of a vacuum metallurgical system. An inductive sensory system measures the variations in current between a power source and load of an induction heating coil. The system and method is particularly suitable for determining the position of an ingot within a melting system mold where the mold has a relatively reduced or small cross-sectional area.
Claims20
A vacuum metallurgical system comprising:
- a segmented mold having an input end and an extraction end, configured to receive and cast a molten metal or alloy into an ingot;
- a primary heating induction coil positioned at least in part around the segmented mold and configured to induce heat in an interior region of the segmented mold;
- an heating power supply electrically coupled to and powering the primary heating induction coil;
- a tuning capacitor configured to tune the electrical circuit comprising at least the primary heating induction coil, the segmented mold, and the power supply, and further configured to optimize a power level for melting the metal or alloy within the segmented mold;
- at least one sense coil positioned at least in part around an electrical conductor between the tuning capacitor and the primary heating induction coil;
- an ingot position actuator positioned to support and move the ingot and/or molten metal or alloy within the segmented mold;
- and
- an ingot position controller operatively coupled to at least both the at least one sense coil and the ingot position actuator, and configured to instruct the ingot position actuator to move the molten metal or alloy within the segmented mold.
5 more elements
A vacuum metallurgical system comprising:
- a segmented mold having an input end and an extraction end, configured to receive and cast a molten metal or alloy into an ingot;
- a primary heating induction coil positioned at least in part around the segmented mold and configured to induce heat in an interior region of the segmented mold;
- an heating power supply electrically coupled to and powering the primary heating induction coil;
- a tuning capacitor configured to tune the electrical circuit comprising at least the primary heating induction coil, the segmented mold, and the power supply;
- at least one sense coil positioned at least in part around an electrical conductor between the tuning capacitor and the primary heating induction coil;
- an ingot position actuator positioned to support and move the ingot and/or molten metal or alloy within the segmented mold;
- and
- an ingot position controller operatively coupled in series with the at least one sense coil and configured to measure changes in electrical current detected by the at least one sense coil, and wherein the ingot position controller is also operatively coupled with the ingot position actuator and configured to instruct the ingot position actuator to move the molten metal or alloy within the segmented mold.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.