Apparatus, method, and process for directional solidification by liquid metal spraying enhanced cooling (LMSC)

An apparatus for directional solidification by liquid metal spraying enhanced cooling (LMSC), comprising:

• a vacuum pump;
• a main furnace body;
• a submerged liquid metal pump;
• an induction melting coil;
• a mold shell heating and insulation cavity;
• a liquid metal sprayer;
• a water-cooled copper plate crystallizer;
• a liquid metal collector and an internal melting metal furnace arranged in the main furnace body from top to bottom in a vertical direction;
• and
• an external melting metal furnace;
• wherein:
• the main furnace body is communicated with the submerged liquid metal pump through a liquid metal transportation tubing;
• the liquid metal transportation tubing comprises an upper liquid metal transportation tubing and a lower liquid metal transportation tubing;
• the main furnace body is connected to the vacuum pump;
• the upper liquid metal transportation tubing comprises one end communicated with the liquid metal sprayer and the other end communicated with the submerged liquid metal pump;
• the lower liquid metal transportation tubing comprises one end communicated with the internal melting metal furnace and the other end communicated with the submerged liquid metal pump;
• the water-cooled copper plate crystallizer and the liquid metal collector are capable of being moved in the vertical direction in the main furnace body through a seeding system;
• the seeding system comprises a servo motor;
• the external melting metal furnace is located outside the main furnace body;
• the submerged liquid metal pump is arranged on the external melting metal furnace;
• the submerged liquid metal pump comprises a pump body;
• the pump body is placed in the external melting metal furnace;
• both the upper liquid metal transportation tubing and the lower liquid metal transportation tubing are communicated with the external melting metal furnace;
• the submerged liquid metal pump is vacuum sealed with the external melting metal furnace;
• and
• the submerged liquid metal pump is a mechanical liquid metal pump or a magnetic liquid metal pump.