Abstract: A metal removal agent used when removing Mg from an aluminum alloy melt whose raw material is scrap or the like and used for formation of a molten salt layer that takes in Mg from an aluminum alloy melt. The metal removal agent contains: a specific metal element one or more of Cu, Zn, or Mn; a specific halogen element one or more of Cl or Br; and Mg. The metal removal agent may also contain: a base halide that serves as a base material of the molten salt layer; and a specific metal halide that is a compound of a specific metal element and a specific halogen element. When the molten salt layer formed using the agent and the aluminum alloy melt containing Mg are brought into contact with each other, Mg is taken into the molten salt layer side from the aluminum alloy melt side and efficiently removed.

Abstract: A method with which Mg can be removed from aluminum alloy melt whose raw material is scrap or the like. Metal removal method includes processing step of forming molten salt layer in contact with aluminum alloy melt containing Mg which covers at least part of the surface of the aluminum alloy melt. This method allows Mg to be taken in from aluminum alloy melt to molten salt layer and removed. Molten salt layer contains specific halogen element that is one or more of Cl or Br and specific metal element that is one or more of Cu, Zn, or Mn. The specific metal element is supplied as an oxide of the specific metal element to the molten salt layer. At that time, the molten salt layer contains Mg. The step of removing Mg is performed by disposing a conductor that bridges the aluminum alloy melt and the molten salt layer.

Abstract: A Mg removal agent is composed of a chloride and copper oxide. The chloride contains at least Mg and one or more base metal elements selected from K, Na, and Ca. The chloride contains, for example, 0.2 to 60 mass % of MgCl2 and/or 40 to 99.8 mass % of KCl with respect to the chloride as a whole. The compounding ratio that is a mass ratio of the chloride to the copper oxide is, for example, 0.15 or more. The chloride may be a re-solidified salt or a mixed salt. At least a part of the chloride may be a mineral containing the base metal elements and Mg or a mineral-derived chloride. A preferred example of the Mg removal agent is granular flux introduced into the aluminum alloy molten metal.

Abstract: A metal purifying method having: a local heating step of heating an aluminum-based molten metal in a first region on a molten metal surface of the aluminum-based molten metal; and a local low pressure step of lowering the pressure in a second region on the molten metal surface to a pressure lower than the pressure in the first region. The second region is different from the first region. This allows a specific element to be vaporized from the second region to purify the aluminum-based molten metal. The specific element is one or more of Zn, Mg, or Pb having a saturated vapor pressure higher than that of Al. This is effective not only in a purifying method for removing a specific element from an aluminum-based molten metal but also in a method of recovering a specific element, which can be a resource, from an aluminum-based molten metal.

Abstract: A recycling method for aluminum alloy is capable of offering a recycled Al alloy (melt), in which the Fe concentration is efficiently reduced, while using Al alloy scrap and the like as raw materials. The method includes: a preparation step of preparing a first melt by melting an Fe.Mn-containing material that contains Fe and Mn and an Al alloy raw material; a crystallization step of holding the first melt at a separation temperature at which an Fe compound crystallizes; and an extraction step of extracting a second melt obtained by removing at least part of the Fe compound crystallized from the first melt. The Fe.Mn-containing material preferably has a mass ratio of Mn to Fe (Mn/Fe) of, for example, 2 or more.

Abstract: An intake-port core includes a body part having the same outer shape as that of the intake port, a port-injector part having the same outer shape as that of a port-injector insertion part, and an extending part. A cooling-water flow-passage core includes a water-jacket core having the same outer shape as that of a water jacket. The intake-port core is inserted from the extending part thereof into the water-jacket core so as to join the cooling-water flow-passage core to the intake-port core. Thereafter, a core print part that is a separate body from the intake-port core is joined to the intake-port core.

Abstract: An intake-port core includes a body part having the same outer shape as that of the intake port, a port-injector part having the same outer shape as that of a port-injector insertion part, and an extending part. A cooling-water flow-passage core includes a water-jacket core having the same outer shape as that of a water jacket. The intake-port core is inserted from the extending part thereof into the water-jacket core so as to join the cooling-water flow-passage core to the intake-port core. Thereafter, a core print part that is a separate body from the intake-port core is joined to the intake-port core.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylinder block including a semicircular bearing section that rotatably supports a crankshaft is provided. The method of manufacturing a cylinder block includes pressure-injecting molten metal into a cavity formed inside a metal mold, and sliding a pressure pin disposed in the metal mold after the pressure-injecting of the molten metal and thereby applying a pressure to the molten metal injected in the cavity, in which in the applying of the pressure to the molten metal, the pressure pin is slid toward an area where the bearing section is formed, a tip of the pressure pin protruding in an arc shape so as to conform to a shape of the bearing section.

Abstract: An upward continuous casting apparatus includes a molten metal retaining furnace that retains a molten metal, a draw-out part that draws out the molten metal from a melt surface of the molten metal that is retained in the molten metal retaining furnace, a shape-defining member that is located in the vicinity of the melt surface and defines a cross-sectional shape of a casting to be cast by applying an external force to a retained molten metal that has been drawn out by the draw-out part, and a solid heat transfer member that is placed to contact a surface of the casting that is formed through the shape-defining member.

Abstract: A pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal, a shape defining member disposed near a molten-metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast as the molten metal passes through the shape defining member, a first nozzle that blows a cooling gas on the cast-metal article, the cast-metal article being formed as the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member solidifies, and a second nozzle that blows a gas toward the cast-metal article in an obliquely upward direction from below a place on the cast-metal article on which the cooling gas is blown from the first nozzle.

Abstract: A pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus according to the present invention includes a holding furnace, a draw-out part, a shape-defining member, and a temperature measurement unit. The holding furnace holds a molten metal. The draw-out part draws out the molten metal from a molten-metal surface of the molten metal that is held in the holding furnace. The shape-defining member defines a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast by applying an external force to a held molten metal which is an unsolidified molten metal that has been drawn out by the draw-out part, the shape-defining member being located in the vicinity of the molten-metal surface. The temperature measurement unit measures the temperature of the held molten metal, and the temperature of the held molten metal is controlled based on the result of measurement in the temperature measurement unit.

Abstract: A vacuum casting apparatus that performs casting through decompression of a cavity includes: an ejector pin for releasing a molding from a mold; a pinhole that is a hole in which the ejector pin is slidably arranged and that has a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion that is more distant from the cavity than the small diameter portion is and is larger in diameter than the small diameter portion; and a hollow portion that is provided under an end portion, on a side where the cavity is present, of the large diameter portion.

Abstract: A vacuum casting apparatus that performs casting through decompression of a cavity includes: an ejector pin for releasing a molding from a mold; a pinhole that is a hole in which the ejector pin is slidably arranged and that has a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion that is more distant from the cavity than the small diameter portion is and is larger in diameter than the small diameter portion; and a hollow portion that is provided under an end portion, on a side where the cavity is present, of the large diameter portion.

Abstract: A pilot air passage, a pilot fuel passage and a main fuel passage are formed in a gun head for supplying pilot air and fuel. At least one of a flow amount detecting orifice, a flow amount adjusting needle valve and a pressure detecting plug is provided in each of the pilot air passage, the pilot fuel passage and the main fuel passage and is coupled to the gun head so as to be handled together with the gun head. A pilot air tube, a pilot fuel tube and a main fuel tube are constructed in the form of a triplet tube.

Abstract: A combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber and a single-type regenerative combustion burner. The burner is arranged with respect to the combustion chamber so that a direction in which burnt gas returns to the burner is not opposed to a direction in which fuel and supply air are expelled from the burner. This combustion apparatus is applicable to various types of industrial furnaces including various types of boilers, for example, a crucible-type furnace.