Alstom Technology Limited

Andreas Weiland

Maxim Konter

Martin Balliel

Dietrich Eckardt

A method of casting a directionally solidified (DS) or single crystal (SX) article with a casting furnace having a heating chamber (), a cooling chamber (), a separating baffle () between the both chambers includes a first step in which the shell mould () is filled with liquid metal (), and the liquid metal () is directionally solidified by withdrawing the shell mould () from the heating to the cooling chamber (). An inert gas impinges from nozzles () arranged below the baffle () on the shell mould () and in steep transitions in outer surface area of the shell mould () the flow of the inert gas () is reduced or even stopped and when a protruding geometrical feature has passed the impingement area of the gas jets, the gas flow () is restored to a value adjusted to the geometry of the cast part presently passing the impingement area.

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Neucuâtel, Switzerland

Andreas Weiland