Method and apparatus for controlled removal of excess slurry from organic foam
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorsVirginia L. Hammersmith, Richard G. LaBar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for removing excess ceramic slurry from polyurethane foam used as a matrix for ceramic material in manufacturing filters for molten metals such as aluminum. The apparatus comprises a first chamber for retaining a body of polyurethane foam impregnated with a slurry of ceramic material; a second chamber; a slurry-permeable screen between the first and second chambers; and compression means for pressing the polyurethane foam against the screen. By evacuating the second chamber and simultaneously compressing the foam against the screen, slurry is withdrawn from the foam into the second chamber while retaining in the foam an evenly distributed residue of ceramic material.
Claims10
A method for expelling excess slurry from an organic foam impregnated with a slurry of a ceramic material suspended in a liquid, comprising the steps of
- (a) inserting the organic foam into a first chamber of an apparatus comprising a first chamber, a second chamber adjacent the first chamber, a screen separating the first chamber from the second chamber, said screen being pervious to the slurry and impervious to the organic foam, and compression means adjacent an outer side of the first chamber opposed to an inner side adjacent said screen;
- (b) evacuating the second chamber to withdraw excess slurry through the screen and into the second chamber;
- (c) moving said compression means against the organic foam to compress the organic foam against the screen and to reduce the organic foam to less than 50% of its initial volume;
- and
- (d) introducing a fluid into the second chamber to restore the organic foam to substantially its initial volume.
An apparatus for expelling excess slurry from an organic foam impregnated with a slurry of a ceramic material suspended in a liquid, comprising
- (a) a first chamber for retaining a body of organic foam impregnated with a slurry of ceramic material;
- (b) a second chamber adjacent the first chamber;
- (c) a screen intermediate the first chamber and the second chamber, said screen being pervious to the slurry and impervious to the organic foam;
- (d) compression means spaced from the screen outwardly of the organic foam for pressing the organic foam inwardly against the screen to express excess slurry into the second chamber and to reduce the volume of the body of organic foam to less than 50% of its initial value;
- and
- (e) fluid pump means communicating with the second chamber for selectively withdrawing fluid from or reintroducing fluid into the second chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.