Norskhydro Asa

Rune Ledal

Arild Håkonsen

John Erik Hafsås

Britt Elin Gihleengen

Geir Atle Røen

Ulf Håkon Tundal

Mohammed M'Hamdi

Knut Omdal Tveito

Daniel Anders Sjølset

Kjerstin Ellingsen

Qiang Du

Daniel Anders SJØLSET

Arild Hakonsen

John Erik Hafsas

Geir Atle Roen

Daniel Anders Sjolset

Ulf Hakon Tundal

The invention provides a casting equipment () for casting melt () into a cast product () comprising a supply reservoir () for supplying the melt (), a distribution reservoir (), a casting apparatus () having a melt inlet connected to the distribution reservoir () for producing the cast product (), a supply conduit () fluidly connecting the supply reservoir () and the distribution reservoir (), an electromagnetic pump () provided on the supply conduit () and operable to generate a force in the melt () in the supply conduit (), a level sensor () for measuring a level of the melt () in the distribution reservoir () and/or in the supply reservoir (), a controller operably connected to the pump () and the level sensor (), wherein the supply conduit () is sealed or sealable from a pressure of the atmosphere, wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of the pump () based on a level signal from the level sensor (), and wherein, at least during a steady-state casting operation, the casting equipment is configured such that the supply conduit () defines a flow path that has a point that is higher than a surface of the melt in the supply reservoir () and/or the distribution reservoir (), and the pump () is operated such that the metal level in the distribution reservoir () is at a predefined level such as to control a pressure of the melt () in the melt inlet of the casting apparatus ().

Casting equipment

A method for casting that includes a.) determining a diameter (D) of a cross section of a product to be cast in meter (m), b.) determining an intended steady-state casting speed (V) of the product to be cast using direct chill casting in meter per second (m/s), c.) determining a Si content (cSi) in percent by weight based on the total weight of a melt (wt-%) for the melt to be used for casting the cast product, d.) preparing a melt comprising Zn: 5.30 to 5.9 wt-%, Mg: 2.07 to 3.3 wt-%, Cu: 1.2 to 1.45 wt-%, Fe: 0 to 0.5 wt-%, Si: according to cSi, impurities up to 0.2 wt-% each and 0.5 wt-% in total, and balance aluminium, and e.) casting the melt into the cast product having the intended diameter (D) using direct chill casting, wherein the casting is carried out using the intended steady-state casting speed (V).

Method for casting

An apparatus for continuous or semi-continuous low pressure casting of metal, in particular directly-cooled (DC) casting of extended objects such as a rods, bars or billets of aluminium. The apparatus includes a frame construction with at least one chill or mould having a mould cavity that is provided with an upwardly open inlet and an outlet with cooling means. The inlet of the mould is connected to a distribution chamber receiving liquid metal from a metal store such as a holding furnace via a metal supply channel or launder. A flexible launder section is provided between the launder and the metal distribution chamber whereby the frame construction with the moulds and distribution chamber can be raised and lowered to enable complete filling of metal to the moulds. Subsequently it is possible to control the metal level in each respective mould cavity in relation to the metal level in the launder and thereby controlling the low pressure casting.

Equipment for continuous or semi-continuous casting of metal with improved metal filling arrangement

Growing community of inventors

Sunndalsøra, Norway

Rune Ledal