Method and apparatus for rapidly solidified ingot production

An apparatus for producing a rapidly solidified ingot, the ingot being formed of a material having a fine scale microstructure capable of precipitating uniformly dispersed fine particles, said apparatus comprising:

• a crucible having a cavity of receiving a charge of the materials for forming the ingot therein, said crucible including discharge means for discharging the materials therefrom;
• heating means for heating said crucible and melting said charge to form a melt, said melt being dischargeable from said crucible through said discharge means in a stream generally defining a pouring axis;
• an ingot mold including interior surfaces and a bottom generally cooperating to define a mold cavity having a central axis extending longitudinally therethrough, said ingot mold also having means for cooling said ingot mold and portions defining an opening generally configured to provide unobstructed access for receiving said melt into said mold cavity;
• means for supporting said ingot mold and for orienting said ingot mold such that said central axis is inclined with respect to said pouring axis at an inclination angle, said inclination angle being defined between said pouring axis and said central axis;
• and
• means for rotating said ingot mold about said central axis as said melt is being poured into said ingot mold, rotation of said ingot mold causing a layer of said melt to be sheared from said stream as said stream contacts said interior surfaces, said layer being sheared generally circumferentially and downwardly so as to cover a portion of said interior surfaces and said bottom, said layer being rapidly solidified by the extraction of that through said ingot mold and thereby being formed into an ingot having uniformly dispersed fine particle as successive layers are applied thereto.

A method of producing a rapidly solidified ingot formed of a material having a fine scale microstructure capable of precipitating uniformly dispersed fine particles, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a crucible;
• placing a charge of material for forming said ingot in said crucible;
• heating said charge to form a melt;
• discharging said melt from said crucible in a stream along a pouring axis;
• providing an ingot mold having sidewalls with interior surfaces defining a receiving cavity and a central axis extending through said receiving cavity;
• positioning said ingot mold to receive said stream in said cavity;
• positioning said ingot mold to receive said stream in said cavity;
• orientating said ingot mold such that said central axis is inclined with respect to said pouring axis at an inclination angle defined between said central and pouring axes;
• rotating said ingot mold about said central axis as said stream is being poured into said ingot mold;
• shearing a thin layer of said melt from said stream as said stream contacts said interior surfaces of said ingot mold;
• and
• rapidly solidifying said sheared layer in said rotating ingot mold to form an ingot having a fine grain microstructure capable of precipitating uniformly dispersed fine particles as successive layers are applied thereto.