Method and apparatus for controlling the composition of a molten metal bath

A method for controlling the composition of a molten cast iron bath for providing a consistent cast iron product comprising:

• sampling the molten cast iron bath at a furnace as it passes from the furnace directly to a ladle;
• analyzing elements of the cast iron present in a sample from said molten cast iron bath;
• determining the amount of the elements present in said sample;
• comparing the amount of elements present in said sample with predetermined desirable amount of the elements to be present in said product;
• adding, if necessary, elements to said molten cast iron bath at the furnace;
• adding, if necessary, elements into said molten cast iron bath at the ladle;
• adjusting, if necessary, the composition of the molten cast iron bath;
• repeating the above steps until the amount of the sample elements are within a desired tolerance of the predetermined desired amount of elements, whereby addition of elements into the molten cast iron bath would terminate until the samples fall outside of said tolerance wherein said elements would again be added to said cast iron bath and said steps repeated and wherein the molten cast iron in the ladle is poured into castings.

An apparatus for controlling the composition of elements in a molten metal bath comprising:

• means for sampling the elements of the molten metal bath at a furnace as it passes from the furnace directly to a ladle;
• means for analyzing the elements present in a sample from said molten metal bath;
• means for determining the amount of the elements present in said sample, said determining means associated with said means for analyzing;
• means for comparing the amount of elements present in said sample with a predetermined desirable amount of elements to be present in a product, said comparing means associated with said means for determining;
• means for adding elements to said molten metal bath for adjusting the composition of the molten metal bath, said adding means associated with said comparing means and operable to add elements at the furnace and add elements at the ladle such that elements may be added to the molten bath at the furnace, ladle or both;
• whereby said comparing means repeatedly compares the amount of elements present in the samples with the predetermined desirable amount of elements to be present in the product until the samples are within a desired tolerance of the predetermined desired amount of elements to be present in the product, wherein said adding means terminates the addition of elements into the molten bath until the elements in the samples fall outside of said tolerance wherein said elements would again be added to said bath by said adding means for adjusting the composition of the molten bath and wherein the molten metal in the ladle is poured into castings.

A system for producing a consistent molten metal from scrap metal or the like comprising:

• means for melting the scrap metal and providing a molten bath of various elements;
• means for sampling the elements of the molten metal at a furnace as it passes from the furnace directly to a ladle;
• means for analyzing the elements present in a sample from said molten metal bath;
• means for determining the amount of the elements present in said sample, said determining means associated with said means for analyzing;
• means for comparing the amount of elements present in said sample with a predetermined desirable amount of elements to be present in a product, said comparing means associated with said means for determining;
• means for adding elements to said molten metal for adjusting the composition of the molten metal, said adding means associated with said comparing means and operable to add elements at the furnace and add elements to the ladle such that elements may be added to the molten metal at the furnace, ladle or both;
• whereby said comparing means repeatedly compares the amount of elements present in the samples with the predetermined desirable amount of elements to be present in a product until the samples are within a desired tolerance of the predetermined desired amount of elements to be present in a product, wherein said adding means terminates the addition of elements into the molten bath until the elements in the samples fall outside of said tolerance wherein said elements would again be added to said bath by said adding means for adjusting the composition of the molten bath and wherein the molten metal in the ladle is poured into castings.