Cominco, Ltd.

Dale L McRae

Robert D Willans

Eric L Mawer

Method and apparatus for the agitation of base metal on alloy melts, and for the agitation and alloying of base metal melts with at least one alloying metal. A rotatable device is suspended in a melt of base metal and the device is rotated to draw at least a partial vortex in the melt. The device comprises a hollow cylinder having an open top and a closed bottom. An array of openings in the cylinder side wall is adapted to allow melt of the base metal to pass through. In the agitation of a base metal or alloy melt, the amount of dross formed on the melt is reduced. In alloying, the at least one alloying metal may be added directly to the melt or may be added in particulate form into the vortex in the device, the latter being particularly useful when the melting point of the alloying metal is higher than that of the base metal or alloy. When added into the device, the openings in the cylindrical wall are adapted to retain the particulates in the device to be washed with base metal until the particulates are substantially dissolved. Alloys produced using the device have narrow standard deviations from their specification. The alloying proceeds more efficiently with formation of less dross and less off-specification material, proceeds faster and in less time than heretofore possible, and allows production on a continuous basis.

Method for agitating metals and producing alloys

A rotatable device is suspended in a melt of zinc and the device is rotated to draw a vortex in the melt. The device comprises a hollow cylinder having an open top and a closed bottom. An array of openings in the cylinder side wall is adapted to allow zinc melt to pass through. Nickel is added in particulate form into the vortex in the device. The openings in the cylindrical wall are adapted to retain the nickel particulates in the device to be washed with molten zinc until the particulates are substantially dissolved. The temperature is kept at a minimal value, i.e., no superheat is required to dissolve the nickel homogeneously throughout the zinc melt. After the nickel is dissolved, the nickel-zinc melt is solidified in zinc slabs. The zinc slabs containing nickel have narrow standard deviations from their specification. The dissolving proceeds more efficiently with formation of less dross and less off-specification material, proceeds faster and in less time than heretofore possible, and allows production on a continuous basis.

Growing community of inventors

Fruitvale, Canada

Dale L McRae