By Application Of Vacuum Patents (Class 266/208)
  • Patent number: 11079179
    Abstract: A second-level liquid slag cache system with flow and temperature monitoring and control functions is disclosed. A slag inlet is located at an upper portion of the slag ladle casing; at least one slag discharging unit is located at a side of a lower portion of the slag ladle casing; one slag discharging unit is corresponding to one stopper; the stopper includes a stopper head, a stopper rod and a stopper control mechanism; the stopper control mechanism is configured to control the flow area between the stopper head and the sizing nozzle; a sealing cover is disposed outside the sizing nozzle; a slag control tube is installed at a bottom of the sealing cover. The present invention is able to achieve liquid slag buffer, flow control and heat compensation, so as to allow liquid slag to continuously stably perform a subsequent granulation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shuzhong Wang, Zhongqing Zhang, Xi Zhang, Liwei Ma, Lin Chen, Haiyu Meng, Zefeng Jing, Jianjun Cai, Pengfei Yu
  • Patent number: 10591214
    Abstract: A high temperature vacuum furnace including a prefabricated tongue-and-groove, low-mass insulation ring assembly hot zone, resulting in decreased energy costs and increased energy efficiency, faster heating and cooling cycles, and expedited maintenance capability resulting in lower maintenance costs. Decreased time of a workpiece in the furnace improves production turnaround and lowers energy costs for each heat treating cycle. Furnace manufacturing is also easier and less expensive compared to prior art vacuum furnaces. A bottom support structure replaces the prior art metal support ring resulting in an approximately 80-85% weight saving in the furnace hot zone. This reduces the time and energy required to heat and cool the furnace components and workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventors: Real Fradette, Benjamin Isaak
  • Patent number: 10494264
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for methods of oxidizing carbide anions, or negative ions, from salt like carbides at temperatures from about 150° C. to about 750° C. In another aspect, the disclosure provides for reactions with intermediate transition metal carbides. In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides for a system of reactions where salt-like carbide anions and intermediate carbide anions are oxidized to produce pure carbon of various allotropes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: West Virginia University Research Corporation
    Inventor: Alfred H. Stiller
  • Patent number: 10010933
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method to produce solid materials displaying structural ordering which can be controlled through a wide range of sizes and shapes. The process involves casting a medium, which solidifies (such as a resin or molten metal) over the surface of a magnet-fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: David Kisailus, James Weaver, Garrett Milliron
  • Patent number: 9598747
    Abstract: A system and method for melting a raw material. The raw material is fed into an electrically conductive vessel. A plasma arc torch melts at least some of the raw material within the vessel to thereby create a molten material. An inductor, physically disposed adjacent the vessel, and electrically disposed in series with the vessel in operation, effects electromagnetic stirring of the molten material by interacting with the current of the plasma arc torch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: RETECH SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Robin A. Lampson, Robert E. Haun, Paul G. Meese, Matthew A. Charles, Edward C. Strout, Todd R. Telfer
  • Patent number: 9555471
    Abstract: A casting method and cast article are provided. The casting method includes providing a casting furnace, the casting furnace including a withdrawal region in a lower end, positioning a mold within the casting furnace, positioning a molten material in the mold, partially withdrawing the mold a withdrawal distance through the withdrawal region in the casting furnace, the withdrawal distance providing a partially withdrawn portion, then reinserting at least a portion of the partially withdrawn portion into the casting furnace through the withdrawal region, and then completely withdrawing the mold from the casting furnace. The reinserting partially re-melts a solidified portion within the partially withdrawn portion to fill pores formed therein with the molten material. The cast article includes a microstructure and a porosity corresponding to being formed by a process comprising partially withdrawing, reinserting, and completely withdrawing of a mold from a casting furnace to form the cast article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jian Zheng, Arthur S. Peck
  • Patent number: 9466516
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylindrical thermal insulation wall body having a holding unit of a heater element formed in an inner peripheral surface includes processing a plate-shaped thermal insulation member such that a plurality of groove portions are formed at a predetermined pitch, processing the thermal insulation member such that an angle between either of the first surface and the second surface, and a third surface on which the groove portions are formed, is 90+180/n degrees, and manufacturing the cylindrical thermal insulation wall body by bonding a plurality of sectional thermal insulation members, wherein the plurality of sectional thermal insulation members are bonded such that the groove portions of the adjacent sectional thermal insulation members are aligned with each other and to form the holding unit in the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical thermal insulation wall body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Makoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9255307
    Abstract: A tantalum-material multilevel distillation crucible; the distillation crucible comprises a crucible body (1), an insulation plate (2), and a receiving hood (3); the insulation plate (2) is sheathed in the upper part of the crucible body (1), and the receiving cover is disposed on top of the crucible body (1) and above the insulation plate (2); the crucible body (1) is made of tantalum in a horn-shaped circular truncated cone increasing in size from top to bottom; and the insulation plate (2) is made of a high-temperature resistant refractory material with good insulation performance, characterized by: the insulation plate (2) comprises of a plurality of insulation plates that can be stacked and used (2); and a heating unit (6) provided with a plurality of pads (5) that can be stacked and used at the bottom of the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Holding Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping Yuan, Limin Tao, Qiuhua Xu
  • Patent number: 8870999
    Abstract: A ladle that can melt and freeze castable metal in a specific manner so that high quality liquid metal and metal alloys may be produced with minimum oxide and hydrogen content. Upon introduction of a quantity of molten metal into the ladle, staged heating and cooling of the molten metal promotes the liberation of previously-dissolved gases from the castable metal, resulting in significant decreases in as-cast porosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Qigui Wang, Hengcheng Liao, Lei Zhao, Ye Pan
  • Publication number: 20140238197
    Abstract: An “in-line” device to continuously remove dissolved gasses from liquid metal is described. The device described herein may contain an apparatus to create a partial vacuum, one or more ultrasonic vibrators below the surface of the liquid metal to evolve gas bubbles within the metal, and a high-frequency vibrating metal plate which the fluid must pass over at a low depth. The device may be used to create high quality metals, including aluminum and aluminum alloy for a number of demanding applications such as pharmaceutical, semiconductor, foil, and aerospace applications including Aluminum-Lithium alloys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: ALMEX USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ricardo Sammy, Ravindra V. Tilak
  • Patent number: 8765051
    Abstract: An installation for producing stainless steel for all stainless steel products both in the austenitic and the ferritic range, based on liquid pig-iron and FeCr solids, without using a supply of electrical energy. The liquid pig-iron, after being pre-treated in a blast furnace, is subjected to a DDD treatment (dephosphorisation, desiliconisation and desulphuration), is heated, finished or alloyed and deoxidated. The quantity of slag-free liquid pig-iron that has been pre-treated in the blast furnace is separated and introduced into two classic “twin” AOD-L converters, where the required chemical process steps (of the DDD treatment and of the heating, decarburization and alloying stages) take place in parallel contrary processes using autogenous chemical energy, the DDD treatment being carried out first in the first twin AOD-L converter and the decarburization being carried out first in the second twin AOD-L converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Johann Reichel
  • Patent number: 8562713
    Abstract: A combined arc furnace, ladle metallurgical furnace and vacuum degassing system having the flexibility to produce at least non-vacuum arc remelt, vacuum arc remelt, vacuum oxygen decarburized non-vacuum arc remelt, and vacuum oxygen decarburized vacuum arc remelt steels from one off to continuous casting end uses in steady state or randomized order which utilizes only a minimum of energy attributable to preheating hot metal contacting components of the system followed by heat loss reduction of the components and use of a carryover heel in the arc furnace, in which the throughput of the system is limited solely by the melting capacity of the arc furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: A. Finkl & Sons Co.
    Inventors: John A. Guliana, Guy A. Brada, Christian H. Ericksen, Bruce C. Liimatainen, Algirdas A. Underys
  • Publication number: 20130112042
    Abstract: A ladle that can melt and freeze castable metal in a specific manner so that high quality liquid metal and metal alloys may be produced with minimum oxide and hydrogen content. Upon introduction of a quantity of molten metal into the ladle, staged heating and cooling of the molten metal promotes the liberation of previously-dissolved gases from the castable metal, resulting in significant decreases in as-cast porosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Qigui Wang, Hengcheng Liao, Lei Zhao, Ye Pan
  • Publication number: 20120160063
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for degassing molten steel, comprising an evacuation vessel (2), a pouring ladle (3), an inlet nozzle (4) with a gas purging device (5) arranged therein, and a discharge nozzle (1), wherein at its lower edge (9), in a radial direction in relation to the central longitudinal axis (6) of the discharge nozzle (1), the discharge nozzle (1) has at least one bore (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SMS SIEMAG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Hans-Jürgen Odenthal, Dieter Tembergen
  • Patent number: 8137612
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing stoichiometric Mg2Ni compound applicable to industry and capable of manufacturing continuously. The apparatus mainly comprises: a vacuum chamber, comprising a material feeding tube; a first crucible, set in the vacuum chamber; a heating device, set on the first crucible; a stirring device, set in the vacuum chamber, and above the first crucible; and a second crucible, set in the vacuum chamber, and on one side of the first crucible. Through this apparatus, a stoichiometric ?-phase Mg2Ni hydrogen storage compound with an exactly atomic ratio of 2:1, without other phases, and with excellent hydrogen absorption-desorption dynamics is given and the rest waste magnesium-rich liquid can be recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments Bureau, M.N.D
    Inventors: Yuan-Pang Wu, Hui-Yun Bor, Cheng Yang, Ming Han Liu
  • Patent number: 8128726
    Abstract: A method and a device for admixture of powder in a liquid, whereby the method comprises that the liquid in a supply (14), influenced by underpressure in a crucible (12) to which the liquid is to be transferred, flows through a drain tube (6) out of the supply (14), the powder is dosed from a powder receptacle (1) and is driven by a gas, and the mixture of powder and gas is added to the liquid in the drain tube (6) and mixed therewith, whereupon the mixture flows into the crucible (12). The device comprises a supply (14) from which the liquid may flow and a receptacle (1) with powder, whereby a drain tube (6) connects the supply (14) with a receiving receptacle (12) which can be held at an inner underpressure. A device (4) for supply of a driving gas for the powder is connected to a mixing chamber (3) at an outlet from the powder receptacle (1), while the mixing chamber (3) is connected to the drain tube (6) for supply of powder to the liquid flowing in the drain tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Heggset Teknologi AS
    Inventors: Bjarne Anders Heggset, Per Gunnar Strand, Jo Henrik Vaagland
  • Patent number: 8057735
    Abstract: A center backfire inner heat regenerative energy saving high efficiency furnace and tank integration reduction furnace system comprises a furnace section and a heating section. The furnace section includes a reduction tank, a material inlet door, a magnesium crystal collecting machine, and a residue exhaust pipe. The reduction tank includes a tank body, a centre combustion room, and plural fume exhaust pipes. The material inlet door is connected to a material charging room between the center combustion room and the tank body, and the magnesium crystal collecting machine is provided with a crystal cover communicating with the material charging room, and a water recycling condensation equipment outside the crystal cover. The residue exhaust pipe is connected to the material charging room and provided with a residue exhaust door and a water dispersing heat separating cover. The heating section includes a burner connected to the center combustion room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventors: Xiao-Bao Deng, Qi-Ming Li, Mike Li, Hua Deng
  • Publication number: 20110260378
    Abstract: A water-cooled cover for a treatment vessel for metal melts, wherein the preferably refractorily lined treatment vessel serves in particular for the treatment of liquid metal, in particular of steel, by blowing in solids or gases, or inductive stirring at atmosphere or in vacuum. The cover is formed dome-like, wherein the ratio of inner clear height (h) to inner clear diameter (D) of a flange of the cover is at least 0.2. On the side facing the metal melt, an inner wall of the cover is formed substantially smooth and free of grooves and gaps. Cooling channels arranged on the outer side of the inner wall so that the surface temperature of the inner wall is maintained at a temperature of maximum 350° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: INTECO SPECIAL MELTING TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Harald HOLZGRUBER, Michael LUVEN, Christian BUCHMAIER, Johannes OBITZ
  • Patent number: 7852901
    Abstract: An electromagnetic induction heat device to heat a first metal mineral stone and a second mineral stone to form a melting mixture liquid without stifling. The device keeps a temperature of the melting mixture liquid between solidus and liquidus of binary alloy phase diagram of the first and second metal mineral stone, then an alloy with solid state precipitates from said melting mixture liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments Bureau, M.N.D.
    Inventors: Yuan-Pang Wu, Hui-Yun Bor, Rong-Ruey Jeng
  • Patent number: 7829011
    Abstract: A metal powder production system includes a vacuum chamber having a vacuum chamber interior, a stock feed mechanism communicating with the vacuum chamber interior, a radiation source provided in the vacuum chamber interior, a cooling chamber having a cooling chamber interior communicating with the vacuum chamber interior and a container communicating with the cooling chamber interior. A metal powder production method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Victor Blakemore Slaughter
  • Patent number: 7815845
    Abstract: To degas a molten metal, a receptacle containing the molten metal and a layer of slag over the molten metal is positioned in a chamber, and the chamber is evacuated. As the pressure in the chamber reduces, gas is generated at the interface between the molten metal and the slag, which causes the slag to foam. To inhibit overflowing of slag from the receptacle, a gauge outputs a signal indicative of the level of the surface of the slag, and the rate of evacuation of the chamber is reduced to reduce the rate of gas generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventor: Simon Harold Bruce
  • Patent number: 7753987
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a high vacuum in-situ refining method for high-purity and superhigh-purity materials and the apparatus thereof, characterized in heating the upper part and lower part of crucible separately using double-heating-wires diffusion furnace under vacuum, thereby forming the temperature profile which is high at upper part and low at lower part of crucible, or in reverse during different stages; then heating the crucible in two steps to remove impurities with high saturation vapor pressure and low saturation vapor pressure respectively in efficiency; and obtaining high-purity materials eventually. The whole procedure is isolated from atmosphere, reducing contamination upon stuff remarkably. The present invention could provide products with high-quality and high production capacity, which are stable in performance, therefore is reliable and free from contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Physics
    Inventors: Xiaolong Du, Zhaoquan Zeng, Hongtao Yuan, Handong Li, Qikun Xue, Jinfeng Jia
  • Patent number: 7687019
    Abstract: A refining apparatus for scrap silicon using an electron beam which is suitable for recycling of scrap silicon which is formed during the manufacture of silicon products such as silicon wafers includes a vacuum chamber, a crucible installed within the vacuum chamber, a hearth which is installed next to the crucible within the vacuum chamber and which receives granular scrap silicon and which melts granular silicon by irradiation with an electron beam and which supplies molten silicon to the crucible, and a raw material supply apparatus which is installed within the vacuum chamber and which stores a prescribed amount of granular scrap silicon and supplies the stored granular scrap silicon via a chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: IIS Materials Corporation, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norichika Yamauchi, Takehiko Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100064849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of the present invention disclose the electromagnetic induction heat device to heat a first metal mineral stone and a second mineral stone to form a melting mixture liquid without stirring. Keep a temperature of the melting mixture liquid between solidus and liquidus of binary alloy phase diagram of the first and second metal mineral stone, then an alloy with solid state precipitates from said melting mixture liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Yuan-Pang Wu, Hui-Yun Bor, Rong-Ruey Jeng
  • Patent number: 7452498
    Abstract: A pressure controlling apparatus controls a pressure in a container capable of storing a molten metal and supplying the molten metal to an outside using a pressure difference and includes: a supplying portion for supplying a compressed gas to be supplied to the container; a flow passage for supplying the compressed gas from the supplying portion to the container; a first switching valve, being inserted into the passage, capable of manually switching a first mode that enables the passage of the gas between the supplying portion side and the container side and a second mode that enables the passage of the gas between the container side and the outside; an exhausting portion for exhausting a gas from the container; and a second switching valve for switching a pressure applying mode for applying a pressure to the container and an exhausting mode for exhausting the gas from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hoei Shokai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mizuno, Narumi Ichikawa, Kazunori Suzuki, Koji Iyoda, Kenji Noguchi, Tsuyoshi Abe
  • Publication number: 20080053275
    Abstract: A method is described for priming an in-line molten metal filtration unit having a porous ceramic or refractory filter mounted substantially horizontally in a filter box. This filter box has an inlet for molten metal and an outlet for molten metal, the outlet being a closeable outlet in an exit well connecting to the downstream side of the filter. The method of the invention comprises the steps of adding a molten metal to the filter box sufficient to entirely cover the upstream side of the filter with a depth of molten metal and temporarily sealing the outlet in the exit well. A steadily increasing vacuum is then applied to the closed exit well at a rate between 0.1 and 10 kPa per second by withdrawing a stream of air from the exit well by means of a fan or air venturi until molten metal begins to flow through the filter At that point the vacuum is quickly released and the molten metal outlet is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Luc Belley, Jean-Francois Bilodeau, Andre Gendron, Serge Munger
  • Patent number: 6932852
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into a crucible and heated to 1250 ° C. by an upper heater in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10?4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of an inner tube and drips to be recovered into a liquid reservoir in the lower part of a tubular member, whereas impurity elements having a lower vapor pressure than indium stay within the crucible. The recovered indium mass in the liquid reservoir is heated to 1100° C. by a lower heater and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having a higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates in an upper part of the tubular member to be discharged from the system, whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with the diffuser plates and returns to the liquid reservoir, yielding 99.9999% pure indium, while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Patent number: 6843826
    Abstract: A vacuum treatment of cast metal in liquid form employing the steps of: introducing the cast metal in liquid form into a metallurgic ladle; filling the ladle until a guard height ranging between 0.4 and 0.6 m is reached; and treating the metal while bringing the atmosphere above the ladle under vacuum, and simultaneously stirring the cast metal by injecting helium into the base of the ladle during part of or the whole treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: François Stouvenot, Marc Burty, Jean-François Domgin, Pascal Gardin, Dominique Viale, Raymond Reitz, Frédéric Leclercq
  • Patent number: 6838045
    Abstract: A purification apparatus including a vertical stack of a feed heating zone having a feed crucible 1, a condensation zone having a plurality of condensation vapor passage plates 5, a solidification zone having a solidification crucible 2 and an entrapment/solidification zone having a plurality of entrapment/solidification vapor passage plates 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Shunichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20040245682
    Abstract: A refining method and refining apparatus, able to shorten the time required for refining and reduce the refining costs in decarburization refining of a chromium-contained molten steel, which refining method for chromium-contained molten steel etc. performing decarburization refining by blowing a gas containing oxygen gas into a chromium-contained molten steel under a vacuum or atmospheric pressure and vacuum, said refining method for a chromium-contained molten steel etc. characterized by having a first step for blowing oxygen gas while making the inside of the vessel a pressure of a range of 400 Torr (53 kPa) to atmospheric pressure, a second step for blowing oxygen gas while evacuating the inside of the vessel to 250 to 400 Torr (33 to 53 kPa), and third step for blowing gas while evacuating the inside of the vessel to not more than 250 Torr (33 kPa).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamashita, Ryuji Nakao, Tomoaki Tanaka, Masao Igarashi, Koichiro Yoshino, Makoto Sumi
  • Patent number: 6805833
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Publication number: 20040108634
    Abstract: A vacuum chamber (1), notably for steel decarburisation, having: an upper part (2), or the top of the tank, which is in the form of a vacuum bell; and a lower part (3), or the bottom of the tank, having two jambs (4, 5) which are fitted with two plungers (7, 8), namely a rising plunger (7) and a falling plunger (8), which are intended to be submerged in the steel in the cavity containing the steel to be treated. The plungers (7, 8) are connected to the jambs (4, 5) of the tank by flanges (10) and a joint (11) supporting a sealing device. The flanges (10) are used to mount and disassemble the plungers. The joint (11) has at least two parallel planes (12, 13), and forms at least one collar (14), thereby providing a mortar and tenon-type joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Lecas, Pascal Capelli, Paul Hayez
  • Publication number: 20040089986
    Abstract: A purification apparatus including a vertical stack of a feed heating zone having a feed crucible 1, a condensation zone having a plurality of condensation vapor passage plates 5, a solidification zone having a solidification crucible 2 and an entrapment/solidification zone having a plurality of entrapment/solidification vapor passage plates 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Shunichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20040083854
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into a crucible and heated to 1250 ° C. by an upper heater in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of an inner tube and drips to be recovered into a liquid reservoir in the lower part of a tubular member, whereas impurity elements having a lower vapor pressure than indium stay within the crucible. The recovered indium mass in the liquid reservoir is heated to 1100° C. by a lower heater and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having a higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates in an upper part of the tubular member to be discharged from the system, whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with the diffuser plates and returns to the liquid reservoir, yielding 99.9999% pure indium, while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Patent number: 6666902
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lade refining apparatus capable of suppressing skull deposition in a vacuum/decompression chamber and performing molten steel agitation, slag reforming and degassing efficiently, and a ladle refining method using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a vacuum/decompression chamber directly coupled to a top of a ladle, and is designed to have inert gas blown into the ladle for agitation of molten steel in the ladle. An inner diameter of a shaft of the vacuum/decompression chamber is not larger than an inner diameter of a top end of the ladle, but not smaller than a projected diameter of a bulging portion of a molten steel surface formed by the gas blown into the ladle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Kimura, Atsushi Ishikawa, Hiromi Ishii, Masayuki Arai, Jun Aoki
  • Patent number: 6638471
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process vessel for vacuum processing liquid steel, comprising a lower part, a middle part and an upper part, and submersible pipes located on the lower part, whereby the process vessel is provided with a heating apparatus, a feed device, and a waste gas connection arranged at a right angle to the central axis of the vessel, and whereby the process vessel has an outer metal jacket and a refractory lining arranged at least in part in the interior of the vessel, according to which the metal jacket (19) of the upper part (15) of the vessel, including the waste gas connection (16), is provided with a water-cooling device (23) and is exposed directly on the interior side to the process conditions prevailing in the interior of the vessel (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Technometal Gesellschaft für Metalltechnologie mbH
    Inventors: F. Wagener, Arno Luven
  • Patent number: 6607578
    Abstract: A continuous vacuum refining method of molten metals, wherein impurities in the molten metal are eliminated by evaporation by stirring the molten metal (1) in the molten liquid stirring part B in the evacuated and pre-heated vacuum chamber, the molten liquid is transferred from the stirring part B to the tapping part C in the chamber through connecting holes, the molten liquid is continuously guided into the vessel in the refined molten liquid recovery chambers (10a), (10b) through the recovery passageways (8a), (8b) connected to the tapping part C, the recovery chamber being evacuated and connected with the passageway, and the refined molten liquid (9) is recovered after returning the pressure to the atmospheric pressure, wherein the molten liquid is discharged using plural passageways and plural recovery chambers connected with the respective passageways with alternating the recovery chamber. An apparatus employed for this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., Showa Denka K.K., Sky Aluminum Co., Ltd., Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd., The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd, Mitsubishi Aluminum Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Otaki, Kensuke Mori
  • Publication number: 20030150293
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Publication number: 20030145684
    Abstract: In a purification apparatus comprising a vertical stack of a feed heating zone having the feed crucible 1, a condensation zone having a plurality of condensation vapor passage plates 5, a solidification zone having a solidification crucible 2 and an entrapment/solidification zone having a plurality of entrapment/solidification vapor passage plates 7, a feed metal, preferably with a purity of at least 3N, is charged into the feed crucible 1 in a vacuum atmosphere, preferably at no more than 13 Pa (10−1 Torr), with the feed crucible 1 and the condensation vapor passage plates 5 being heated at controlled temperatures to generate the vapor of the metal in the feed heating zone; part of the metal vapor is condensed to form a molten condensate which is returned into the feed crucible 1, thereby; the process solidifying the high-purity metal in the solidification zone; the solidified metal has a purity of at least 6N and contains Cl, F and S in a respective amount of no more than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Shunichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20030145683
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Patent number: 6537485
    Abstract: A melting apparatus having a compact structure, of economical equipment cost, enabling to vacuum melting and refining at high productivity. A metal melting apparatus has a structure in which a refractory furnace wall 12 is furnished on an outer circumference thereof with a seal jacket 16 of air tight and non-electrical conductivity, and disposed with vertical water cooling copper pipes 47 along the inner circumference of the seal jacket 16 at predetermined space, and the furnace casing 10 is arranged at the outer part to encircle the furnace casing with an induction heating coil 38, and the furnace casing 10 is secured to a frame 42 by means of the seal jacket 16 for reinforcing the structure. The seal jacket 16 of the furnace casing 10 is fixed to the frame via an upper flange 44 and a lower flange 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Daido Tokushuko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Demukai, Junichi Tsubokura
  • Publication number: 20030025253
    Abstract: In the apparatus for distilling molten baths, substantially comprising a two-part vacuum tank (2), a melting crucible (5) disposed in the bottom housing part (3) of the vacuum tank and surrounded by a heating coil (4), a hat-shaped metal vapor condenser (8) held in the top housing part (6) of the vacuum tank (2), and a draining channel (10) disposed between the melting crucible (5) and the metal vapor condenser (8), a filter element (16) penetrated by a metal vapor thermometer (19) plus probe (20) is provided above the metal vapor condenser (8) in an opening (15) of the top housing part (6), wherein both the filter pot (17) surrounding the filter element (16), as well as the space (22) behind the coil, as well as the top housing part (6) are connected by separate individual vacuum lines (18, 23, 25) to a vacuum source (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Ivaylo Popov, Hans-Jurgen Kemmer, Harald Scholz
  • Patent number: 6451246
    Abstract: A molten metal vessel includes a first chamber for containing molten metal such as molten aluminum therein, a filtration chamber in which impurities contained in the molten metal are removed, and a second chamber for reserving clean molten metal to be supplied to a casting die. The molten metal flows from the first chamber to the second chamber through the filtration chamber. A pair of filters, preferably a pair of cylindrical filters, are disposed in the filtration chamber, so that the impurities contained in the molten metal can be filtered twice. The filters are attached to the bottom of the filtration chamber where molten metal oxides hardly develop, so that the filters are easily replaced with new ones for the maintenance purpose. A rod-shaped heater may be disposed in the cylindrical filters to keep the molten metal temperature in a strictly controlled range. Thus, the impurities are effectively removed from the molten metal through the filters which are easily replaceable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hatano, Takeshi Nagasaka, Hiromi Takagi, Sumi Yoshikawa, Shunji Moohizuki
  • Patent number: 6444164
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a high-purity silver material. The apparatus includes an electric furnace. The electric furnace has an outer cylinder which encloses an inner cylinder. The outer cylinder is capable of being evacuated with a vacuum pump. A recovery mold is disposed within the inner cylinder. An aspiration table is connected to a central portion of the recovery mold. A feed crucible is disposed above the recovery mold and is connected to the aspiration table. A cooling trap is disposed below the recovery mold. A water-cooling flange is disposed below the cooling mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Takashi Ohgami, Hiroshi Miura
  • Patent number: 6375893
    Abstract: For the evaporation of given components from initial multiple-substance mixtures and systems at subatmospheric pressure, individual portions (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) of the multiple-substance mixture and systems are placed in ring crucibles (17) stacked at several levels. Vapors of the lower-boiling component are drawn off through a vapor exhaust opening in each crucible, while the top ring crucible (17) is closed except for its vapor exhaust opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Inventors: Manfred Raschke, Wilfried Goy, Franz Hugo, Erwin Wanetzky, Albrecht Melber
  • Patent number: 6290900
    Abstract: A molten metal vessel includes a first chamber for containing molten metal such as molten aluminum therein, a filtration chamber in which impurities contained in the molten metal are removed, and a second chamber for reserving clean molten metal to be supplied to a casting die. The molten metal flows from the first chamber to the second chamber through the filtration chamber. A pair of filters, preferably a pair of cylindrical filters, are disposed in the filtration chamber, so that the impurities contained in the molten metal can be filtered twice. The filters are attached to the bottom of the filtration chamber where molten metal oxides hardly develop, so that the filters are easily replaced with new ones for the maintenance purpose. A rod-shaped heater may be disposed in the cylindrical filters to keep the molten metal temperature in a strictly controlled range. Thus, the impurities are effectively removed from the molten metal through the filters which are easily replaceable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hatano, Takeshi Nagasaka, Hiromi Takagi, Sumi Yoshikawa, Shunji Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20010015113
    Abstract: The novel apparatus for producing high-purity silver comprises an electric furnace 1, an outer cylinder 3 contained in the furnace in such a way that it can be evacuated with a vacuum pump 2, a feed crucible 5 placed within the outer cylinder 3 and fixed onto an aspiration table 9 provided in the center of a recovery mold 6, a cooling trap 8 and a water-cooled flange 7 that are detachably connected to the other parts including an inner cylinder 4 located over the crucible 5. When a silver feed is heated within the crucible at 3a specified temperature and pressure, the silver evaporates and condenses on the ceiling of the inner cylinder to yield silver particles, which are collected in the recovery mold; gold, copper and other impurities having higher vapor pressures than silver are left within the crucible whereas sulfur, sodium and other impurities having higher vapor pressures are withdrawn by means of the vacuum pump to be introduced into the cooling trap and hereafter solidified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Takashi Ohgami, Hiroshi Miura
  • Publication number: 20010006012
    Abstract: A rotary furnace apparatus is provided for rapid melting of a variety of virgin and recycled ferrous and non-ferrous metals, which distributes the introduction of the unmelted charge materials and hence the melting heat requirements along an elongate gas-solid-liquid reaction zone within the furnace, according to the distribution of heat available to effect melting. In the case of fine-sized metal charge materials, fluxes and additive reagents, a longitudinally traversing solids injection lance projecting into the furnace is provided with nozzle directed to project a jet of charge down into the bath as it traverses successively backwards and forwards. A traversing oscillating conveyor is provided for coarse-sized scrap metals and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventor: William Lyon Sherwood
  • Patent number: 6235084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for decarburizing a steel melt in a closed metallurgical vessel that is connected to a vacuum unit which includes reducing pressure in the vessel to below 100 mbar, introducing replenishment oxygen to implement the removal of carbon, introducing a predetermined additional amount of oxygen, and introducing a combustible metallic substance with the additional amount of oxygen. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the above process including the closable vessel, measurement elements for determining melt temperature and pressure, and a controller for controlling the amount of additional oxygen and combustible metallic substance in response to the melt temperature and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Horst-Dieter Schöler, Volker Wiegmann, Rainer Dittrich, Frank Haers, Leo Peeters
  • Patent number: 6210628
    Abstract: Melt delivery system and method including a first melting chamber and a laterally adjacent second melt pour chamber arranged side-by-side to one another with a suitable isolation valve therebetween. A melting/melt delivery system is includes a transport mechanism having a horizontally translatable carriage disposed on a carriage support frame. A shaft mechanism is disposed on the carriage for rotation relative thereto and for carrying a melting vessel in a manner that the melt-filled vessel can be horizontally translated from the melting chamber where a charge is melted in the vessel to the adjacent mold pour chamber where the melt is poured into a casting mold or vessel by rotation of the shaft mechanism. The carriage is translated by an actuator on the carriage support frame, and the shaft mechanism is independently rotated by an actuator on the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Howmet Research Corporation
    Inventors: Lloyd M. Booth, David L. Kring, Martin A. Callaway