Melting of reactive metallic materials
AssigneeHitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorsGeorge D. Chandley, Ronald E. Erickson, Paul J. Tousignant
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for melting reactive metallic materials, such as for example titanium base alloys and other reactive alloys, by selective and sequential induction heating of a plurality of solid alloy charge components segregated in a refractory melting vessel in a manner to effect rapid top-to-bottom melting that avoids harmful reaction of the melt with refractory melting vessel material and contamination of the melt.
Claims18
A method of melting a reactive metallic material comprising at least a first metal having a first melting point and a second metal having melting point lower than said first melting point to form a molten alloy, comprising:
- positioning a first charge component in solid form and comprising said first metal in a refractory melting vessel beneath a second charge component in solid form and comprising at least in part said second metal in the said vessel,
- selectively inductively heating said second charge component in said vessel to increase its temperature above that of said first charge component, and
- inductively heating both said preheated second charge component and said first charge component to produce melting of said preheated second charge component followed by melting of said first charge component to achieve melting from top to bottom in said vessel.
A method of melting a titanium base alloy comprising aluminum and another metal having a higher melting point than that of aluminum to form a molten alloy, comprising:
- positioning a first charge component in solid form and comprising titanium and said another metal in a refractory melting vessel beneath a second charge component in solid form and comprising at least in part aluminum in the said vessel,
- selectively inductively heating said second charge component in said vessel to increase its temperature above that of said first charge component, and
- inductively heating both said preheated second charge component and said first charge component to produce melting of said preheated second charge component followed by melting of said first charge component to achieve melting from top to bottom in said vessel.
A method of melting a titanium base alloy comprising aluminum and another metal having a lower melting point than that of aluminum to form a molten alloy, comprising:
- positioning a first charge component in solid form and comprising titanium in a refractory melting vessel beneath a second charge component in solid form and comprising at least in part aluminum and said another metal in the said vessel,
- selectively inductively heating said second charge component in said vessel to increase its temperature above that of said first charge component, and
- inductively heating both said preheated second charge component and said first charge component to produce melting of said preheated second charge component followed by melting of said first charge component to achieve melting from top to bottom in said vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.