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US 6,496,529 B1Granted
Refining and casting apparatus and method
AssigneeATI Properties, Inc.
InventorsRobin M. Forbes Jones, Richard L. Kennedy, Ramesh S. Minisandram
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for refining and casting metals and metal alloys includes melting and refining a metallic material and then casting the refined molten material by a nucleated casting technique. The refined molten material is provided to the atomizing nozzle of the nucleated casting apparatus through a transfer apparatus adapted to maintain the purity of the molten refined material. An apparatus including a melting and refining apparatus, a transfer apparatus, and a nucleated casting apparatus, in serial fluid communication, also is disclosed.
Claims38
A method of producing a preform, the method comprising:
- providing a consumable electrode of a metallic material;
- melting and refining the consumable electrode to provide a molten refined material;
- passing at least a portion of the molten refined material through a passage in which the molten refined material is protected from contamination by oxygen in the ambient air;
- forming a droplet spray of the molten refined material by impinging a gas on a flow of the molten refined material from the passage, wherein the gas is supplied to the flow of molten refined material in a ratio less than 1 on a unit mass of gas per unit mass of molten refined material basis;
- and
- depositing and solidifying the droplet spray of the molten refined material within a mold to form the preform.
3 more elements
A method for producing a preform, the method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising
- a melting and refining apparatus selected from an electroslag remelting apparatus and a vacuum arc remelting apparatus,
- a transfer apparatus including a passage therethrough terminating in an orifice, the transfer apparatus in fluid communication with the melting and refining apparatus, and
- a nucleated casting apparatus comprising a mold, the nucleated casting apparatus in fluid communication with the transfer apparatus;
- providing a consumable electrode of a metallic material;
- melting and refining the consumable electrode in the melting and refining apparatus to provide a molten refined material;
- passing the molten refined material through the transfer apparatus;
- providing the moltend refined material to the nucleated casting apparatus and forming a droplet spray of the molten refined material by impinging a gas on a flow of the molten refined material from the passage, wherein the gas is supplied to the flow of molten refined material in a ratio less than 1 on a unit mass gas per unit mass molten refined material basis;
- and
- depositing and solidifying the droplet spray of the molten refined material within the mold to form the preform.
7 more elements
An article produced by a method comprising:
- providing a consumable electrode of a metallic material;
- melting and refining the consumable electrode to provide a molten refined material;
- passing at least a portion of the molten refined material through a passage protected from contact with the atmosphere;
- forming a droplet spray of the molten refined material by impinging a gas on a flow of the molten refined material from the passage, wherein the gas is supplied to the flow of molten refined material in a ratio less than 1 on a unit mass gas per unit mass of molten refined material basis;
- and
- depositing and solidifying the droplet spray of the molten refined material within a mold.
3 more elements
An article provided by a method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising
- a melting and refining apparatus selected from an electroslag remelting apparatus and a vacuum arc remelting apparatus,
- a transfer apparatus including a passage therethrough terminating in an orifice, the transfer apparatus in fluid communication with the melting and refining apparatus, and
- a nucleated casting apparatus comprising a mold, the nulcleated casting apparatus in fluid communication with the transfer apparatus;
- providing a consumable electrode of a metallic material;
- melting and refining the consumable electrode in the melting and refining apparatus to provide a molten refined material;
- passing the molten refined material through the transfer apparatus;
- providing the molten refined material to the nucleated casting apparatus and forming a droplet spray of the molten refined material by impinging a gas on a flow of the molten refined material from the passage, wherein the gas is supplied to the flow of molten refined material in a ratio less than 1 on unit mass gas per unit mass molten refined material basis;
- and
- depositing and solidifying the droplet spray of the molten refined material within the mold.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.