# US 2018/0323693 A1 · Molten metal transfer pump and molten metal transfer system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323693 A1 - Document ID: US20180323693A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/773,740 - Filed: 2016-06-09 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-05 - Inventors: Kenzo TAKAHASHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323693A1 ## CPC - H02K 44/06: Induction pumps - B22D 35/00: Equipment for conveying molten metal into beds or moulds (B22D37/00 - B22D41/00 take precedence) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) ## Abstract The present application relates to a molten metal transfer pump in which a spiral flow channel is formed by a cylindrical body and a spiral body received in the cylindrical body while being fixed and which allows molten metal to swirl in the spiral flow channel by using Lorentz force generated by a current that flows in a longitudinal direction in molten metal in the cylindrical body and a lateral magnetic field that is generated by a permanent magnet provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A molten metal transfer pump that sucks and discharges molten conductive metal, the molten metal transfer pump comprising: a cylindrical body that is formed of a cylindrical side wall and includes a lower opening as a suction port provided at a lower end and an upper opening provided at an upper end; a spiral body that is received in the cylindrical body while being fixed; and a magnetic field device that is provided on an outer periphery of the cylindrical body, wherein the cylindrical body includes a side-wall opening that is opened on the side wall and serves as a discharge opening, the spiral body includes a spiral plate, an inner space of the cylindrical body is partitioned into one spiral flow channel, which extends in a spiral shape, by an outer peripheral edge of the spiral plate and an inner surface of the cylindrical body, the spiral flow channel allows the lower opening and the side-wall opening to communicate with each other, the magnetic field device includes a permanent magnet body, an inner peripheral side of the permanent magnet body is magnetized to one pole of an N pole and an S pole and an outer peripheral side of the permanent magnet body is magnetized to the other pole, the intensity of magnetization of the permanent magnet body is set to intensity where a magnetic field reaches the inside of the cylindrical body, in a case in which a magnetic field, which includes lateral magnetic lines of force directed toward a center of the cylindrical body from an outer periphery, is formed or a magnetic field, which includes magnetic lines of force radially directed toward an outer periphery from the center of the cylindrical body, is formed and a current flows in a longitudinal direction in molten metal present in the cylindrical body, the magnetic lines of force and the current cross each other, so that an electromagnetic force caused by Lorentz force is generated, and the molten metal is driven toward the side-wall opening from the lower opening so as to swirl while the molten metal is made to swirl in the spiral flow channel by the electromagnetic force. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, wherein the spiral body includes a shaft portion on which the spiral plate is mounted, the shaft portion is supported between the lower opening and the upper opening while being fixed, and the spiral body is received in the cylinder-shaped body from the upper opening so as to be detachably attached to the cylindrical body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet body is formed of one ring-shaped permanent magnet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet body includes a plurality of permanent magnet pieces and these permanent magnet pieces are arranged circumferentially. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of kinds of spiral bodies are provided as the spiral body, arbitrary spiral bodies of the respective spiral bodies are capable of being received in the cylindrical body, and the respective spiral bodies are formed such that the spiral plate has different pitches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, wherein at least two spiral bodies are provided as the spiral body, an arbitrary spiral body of the respective spiral bodies is capable of being received in the cylindrical body, and the spiral plate of one spiral body of the two spiral bodies is formed in the shape of a right-hand thread and the spiral plate of the other spiral body of the two spiral bodies is formed in the shape of a left-hand thread. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, comprising: a spiral body-lower end support plate that is mounted on the lower opening of the cylindrical body, wherein the spiral body-lower end support plate supports a lower end of the spiral body and includes a communication opening that allows the inside of the cylindrical body to communicate with the outside. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, comprising: a first electrode and a second electrode that allow a current to flow in the longitudinal direction in the molten metal present in the cylindrical body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 8, comprising: a power supply to which the first electrode and the second electrode are connected. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 9, wherein the power supply is a DC power supply. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 9, wherein the power supply is an AC power supply. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, further comprising: a lid that is mounted on the upper opening of the cylindrical body, wherein the spiral body is supported and fixed by the lid and the spiral body-lower end support plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of permanent magnet pieces are magnetically connected to each other by yokes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A molten metal transfer system comprising: the molten metal transfer pump according to claim 1; a first holding furnace that holds molten metal; and a second holding furnace that holds molten metal, wherein the first holding furnace is indirectly connected to a lower opening of the molten metal transfer pump, and the second holding furnace is indirectly connected to a side-wall opening of the molten metal transfer pump. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The molten metal transfer system according to claim 14, wherein the first electrode is provided at a position where the first electrode is capable of supplying electricity to the molten metal received in the first holding furnace, and the second electrode is provided at a position where the second electrode is capable of supplying electricity to the molten metal received in the second holding furnace.