Altek Europe Limited

Stephen Makepeace

Alan Peel

Isaac Sewell

A method and apparatus for moving molten material within a container are provided. The method comprising: providing apparatus including an electromagnetic mover adjacent a part of the container, wherein the electromagnetic mover has a primary motion axis, the primary motion axis being aligned along the direction of the maximum linear force generated by the electromagnetic stirrer; applying a current to the electromagnetic mover such that changes in magnetic field configuration cause movement of the molten metal within the container; wherein the primary motion axis is inclined relative to the vertical in two different planes; or wherein the longitudinal axis is inclined relative to the vertical in two different planes. The method and apparatus are designed to generate a plurality of different flow zones within the container and/or larger container, the different flow zones differing from one another in terms of their position in the container and/or larger container and/or the different flow zones differing from one another in terms of the relative flow velocities and/or the different flow zones differing from one another in terms of the relative directions of flow.

Melting and/or stirring of molten metals

A method of stirring and apparatus for stirring are provided. The method includes: a) providing a number of electro-magnetic stirrer units, each stirrer unit being moveably mounted on a stirrer support carriage; b) providing a number of locations at which stirring is to be provided by a stirrer unit; c) providing stirring at a first location from amongst the number of locations using a stirrer unit; d) providing stirring at a second location from amongst the number of locations using the same stirrer unit, the second location being different to the first location; and wherein the stirrer unit has a first position relative to the stirrer support carriage during movement between the first location and the second location and the stirrer unit has a second position relative to the stirrer support carriage at the first location and at the second location during stirring.

Apparatus for stirring and methods of stirring

Apparatus and methods for stirring a molten metal are provided. The apparatus comprising: two or more discrete units, each unit including a core being provided with two or more teeth, the core being provided with at least one electrically conducting coils; in use, mounting a first discrete unit in proximity to the container at a first location; in use, mounting a second discrete unit in proximity to the container at a second location; electrical connections between the two or more discrete units and a common control unit, thereby providing an electromagnetic stirrer. The apparatus format allows the discrete units to be position between different pairs of elements or parts of furnaces and the like to allow retrofitting of electromagnetic stirring where access is restricted.

Stirring of molten metals in complex structures

Apparatus and methods for stirring a molten metal are provided. The apparatus comprising: an electromagnetic stirrer, the electromagnetic stirrer including a core, the core being provided with two or more teeth, the core being provided with two or more electrically conducting coils; connections for applying a current to the electrically conducting coils; wherein the two or more teeth have an end proximal the core and an end distal the core, the end distal the core defining a tooth end face, the tooth end face for at least one of the teeth not being aligned with the tooth end face for at least one of the other teeth. In this way the air gap between the teeth and the container in which molten metal is to be stirrer can be kept small, even with curved walls or bases to the container.

Stirring of molten metals

A method of stirring and apparatus for stirring using electromagnetic stirrer units is provided. The method and apparatus are particularly useful in relation to molten metal stirring. Each stirrer unit is mounted on a moveable carriage so that it can be moved between a first location, a second location and potentially further locations. The same stirrer unit is used to provide stirring at each location, so allowing multiple locations to be stirred but only requiring a single stirrer unit to do so. The method and apparatus also provide convenient connection of air cooling to the stirrer unit.

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Chesterfield, United Kingdom

Stephen Makepeace