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US 4,161,206 AGranted
Electromagnetic casting apparatus and process
AssigneeOlin Corporation
InventorsJohn C. Yarwood, Ik Y. Yun, Derek E. Tyler, Peter J. Kindlmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and process for casting metals wherein the molten metal is contained and formed into a desired shape by the application of an electromagnetic field. A control system is utilized to minimize variations in the gap between the molten metal and an inductor which applies the magnetic field. The gap or an electrical parameter related thereto is sensed and used to control the current to the inductor.
Claims18
In a process for casting metals comprising:
- electromagnetically containing and forming molten metal into a desired shape, said electromagnetic containing and forming including the steps of providing an inductor for applying a magnetic field to said molten metal;
- applying an alternating current to said inductor to generate said magnetic field, said inductor in operation being spaced from said molten metal by a gap extending from the surface of the molten metal to the opposing surface of the inductor;
- and minimizing variations in said gap during said casting process by electrically sensing variations in said gap and responsive thereto controlling the magnitude of said current applied to said inductor so as to minimize said gap variations;
- the improvement wherein said step of electrically sensing variations in said gap comprises:
- determining an electrical parameter corresponding about to the reactance or inductance of said inductor which varies with the magnitude of said gap and responsive to the determining of said electrical parameter, generating an error signal the magnitude of which is a function of the difference between the value of said determined electrical parameter and a predetermined value thereof;
- and
- wherein said step of controlling the magnitude of said current comprises:
- controlling the current applied to said inductor in response to said error signal so as to drive said error signal towards zero.
5 more elements
In a process for casting metals comprising:
- electromagnetically containing and forming molten metal into a desired shape, said electromagnetic containing and forming including the steps of providing an inductor for applying a magnetic field to said molten metal and applying an alternating current to said inductor to generate said magnetic field, said inductor in operation being spaced from said molten metal by a gap extending from the surface of the molten metal to the opposing surface of the inductor, the improvement wherein said process further comprises:
- sensing the magnitude of said gap, said sensing step comprising determining an electrical parameter corresponding about to the reactance or inductance of said inductor;
- responsive to said sensing step generating an error signal the magnitude of which is a function of the difference between said sensed gap magnitude and a predetermined gap magnitude;
- and
- responsive to said error signal controlling the current applied to said inductor so as to return said gap to said predetermined value.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.