Apparatus and method for production of high purity copper-based alloys
AssigneeDoggone Investment Co. LLC
InventorTimothy Frederick Strelitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an aspect, a method of manufacturing a high purity copper-based alloy comprises providing in a melting furnace a feedstock and melting the feedstock. The method additionally includes bubbling an inert gas into the molten copper-based alloy to form the high purity copper-based alloy. Aspects are also directed to an apparatus and a method of fabricating an apparatus for manufacturing the high purity copper-based alloy.
Claims30
A method of manufacturing a copper-based alloy, the method comprising:
- providing in a melting furnace a feedstock in a solid phase and having a composition configured to form a molten copper-based alloy comprising at least 50 weight % copper and less than 5 weight % iron;
- melting the feedstock in the melting furnace while flowing an inert gas through the feedstock to form the molten copper-based alloy under a substantially inert atmosphere;
- and
- bubbling the inert gas into the molten copper-based alloy using a diffusive lining formed on an inner surface of the melting furnace, the diffusive lining comprising an aluminum-silicate ceramic material directly contacting the molten copper-based alloy and having a porous structure adapted for bubbling the inert gas through the molten copper-based alloy.
A method of manufacturing a copper-based alloy, the method comprising:
- providing in a melting furnace a feedstock in a solid phase and having a composition configured to form a molten copper-based alloy comprising at least 50 weight % copper and less than 5 weight % iron;
- melting the feedstock in the melting furnace while flowing an inert gas through the feedstock to form the molten copper-based alloy under a substantially inert atmosphere;
- and
- bubbling the inert gas through the molten copper-based alloy using a diffusive lining formed in the melting furnace, the diffusive lining substantially covering a bottom inner surface of the melting furnace and having a porous structure adapted for bubbling the inert gas into the molten copper-based alloy,
- wherein bubbling comprises diffusing the inert gas through a ceramic material of the diffusive lining directly contacting the molten copper-based alloy.
A method of manufacturing a copper-based alloy, the method comprising:
- providing in a melting furnace a feedstock in a solid phase and having a composition configured to form a molten copper-based alloy comprising at least 50 weight % copper and less than 5 weight % iron;
- melting the feedstock in the melting furnace while flowing an inert gas through the feedstock to form the molten copper-based alloy under a substantially inert atmosphere;
- and
- bubbling the inert gas through the molten copper-based alloy using a diffusive lining having a porous structure, the diffusive lining formed on at least two different inner surfaces of the melting furnace such that the diffusive lining is adapted for bubbling the inert gas into the molten copper-based alloy through the at least two different inner surfaces,
- wherein bubbling comprises diffusing the inert gas through a ceramic material of the diffusive lining directly contacting the molten copper-based alloy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.