Method of making thixotropic metal products by continuous casting
AssigneeAluminum Pechiney
InventorJean-Luc Meyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for making thixotropic metal products by continuous casting by pouring liquid metal into a mold with a movable end and having upstream and downstream portions. The upstream portion has a wall made of a heat insulating material at least at its inner surface to form a hot zone, and the downstream portion has a wall made at least partially of a heat conducting material to form a cold zone. A movement is imparted to the solidifying liquid to cause circulation between the cold zone and the hot zone in order to bring about surface remelting of crystals formed in the cold zone and degeneration of dendrites.
Claims23
A method of making thixotropic metal products by continuous casting, comprising:
- pouring liquid metal into a continuous casting mold including an upstream portion having a wall made of heat insulating material at least on its inner surface to form a hot zone, a downstream portion having a well made at least partially of a heat conducting material to form a cold zone, and a movable end at one extremity;
- cooling the outer surface of the downstream portion with a heat exchanging fluid, thereby causing the formation of crystals in the liquid metal by solidification in the cold zone, and causing the formation of a solid crust of metal on contact with the inner surface of the downstream portion;
- moving the movable end so as to extract metal product supported by said crust from the mold;
- and
- causing circulation of liquid metal within the mold in a cycle from the cold zone to the hot zone and back to the cold zone to cause said crystals to remelt at the surface and promote the degeneration of dendrites, the period of transfer between zones being .ltoreq.1 second.
The method of claim, wherein a pressurised gas is injected at the level of the cold zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.