Southwire Company, LLC

Victor Frederic Rundquist

Kevin Scott Gill

Venkata Kiran Manchiraju

Michael Caleb Powell

Roland Earl Guffey

William J Gregory

Ralph B Dinwiddie

A molten metal conveyor having a receptor plate in contact with molten metal during transport of the molten metal. The receptor plate extends from an entrance where molten metal enters onto the receptor plate to an exit where molten metal exits the receptor plate. The molten metal conveyor has at least one vibrational energy source which supplies vibrational energy directly to the receptor plate in contact with molten metal. A corresponding method for forming a metal product includes providing molten metal onto a molten conveyor; cooling the molten metal by control of a cooling medium flowing through a cooling passage in the or attached to the conveyor; and coupling vibrational energy directly into a receptor plate in contact with the molten metal on the conveyor.

Grain refining with direct vibrational coupling

An energy coupling device for coupling energy into molten metal. The energy coupling device includes a cavitation source which supplies energy through a cooling medium and through a receptor in contact with the molten metal. The cavitation source includes a probe disposed in a cooling channel. The probe has at least one injection port for injection of a cooling medium between a bottom of the probe and the receptor. The probe under operation produces cavitations in the cooling medium. The cavitations are directed through the cooling medium to the receptor.

Ultrasonic grain refining and degassing procedures and systems for metal casting including enhanced vibrational coupling

Methods for degassing and for removing impurities from molten metals are disclosed. These methods can include operating an ultrasonic device in a molten metal bath, and adding a purging gas into the molten metal bath in close proximity to the ultrasonic device.

Ultrasonic degassing of molten metals

A molten metal processing device including an assembly mounted on the casting wheel, including at least one vibrational energy source which supplies vibrational energy to molten metal cast in the casting wheel while the molten metal in the casting wheel is cooled, and a support device holding the vibrational energy source. An associated method for forming a metal product which provides molten metal into a containment structure included as a part of a casting mill, cools the molten metal in the containment structure, and couples vibrational energy into the molten metal in the containment structure.

Ultrasonic grain refining and degassing procedures and systems for metal casting

Ultrasonic probes containing a plurality of gas delivery channels are disclosed, as well as ultrasonic probes containing recessed areas near the tip of the probe. Ultrasonic devices containing these probes, and methods for molten metal degassing using these ultrasonic devices, also are disclosed.

Ultrasonic probes with gas outlets for degassing of molten metals

An apparatus may comprise a degassing system and a treatment station. The treatment station may comprise a shell, a refractory disposed in the shell, and insulation disposed between the shell and the refractory. The refractory may comprise a first plurality of slots, a second plurality of slots, and a trough. The first plurality of slots may be upstream from the degassing system and the second plurality of slots may be downstream from the degassing system. A first skim brick may be slideably disposed in a first one of the first plurality of slots and a second skim brick may be slideably disposed in a first one of the second plurality of slots. A first filter may be slideably disposed in a second one of the first plurality of slots and a second filter may be slideably disposed in a second one of the second plurality of slots.

Metal treatment station for use with ultrasonic degassing system

Ultrasonic grain refining

Ultrasonic probes containing a plurality of gas delivery channels are described, as well as ultrasonic probes containing recessed areas near the tip of the probe. These probes can be used in ultrasonic devices, and the ultrasonic devices can be used in molten metal processing operations to reduce the amount of dissolved gasses and impurities in molten metals.

Methods for degassing and for removing impurities from molten metals are disclosed. These methods can include operating an ultrasonic device in a molten metal bath, and adding a purging gas into the molten metal bath through the tip of the ultrasonic device.

Ultrasonic device with integrated gas delivery system

Devices may be in contact with molten metals such as copper, for example. The devices may include, but are not limited to, a die used for producing articles made from the molten metal, a sensor for determining an amount of a dissolved gas in the molten metal, or an ultrasonic device for reducing gas content (e.g., hydrogen) in the molten metal. Niobium may be used as a protective barrier for the devices when they are exposed to the molten metals.

Niobium as a protective barrier in molten metals

A system for melting a substance may be provided. The system may include a crucible insulated with fused silica, a microwave generator configured to supply microwaves, and at least one burner probe extending into the crucible. The at least one burner probe may include a wave guide. The wave guide may be configured to receive microwaves from the microwave generator and transmit the microwaves. The at least one burner probe may further include an absorber. The absorber may have a geometry configured to cause a minimal amount of microwave energy to be reflected back into the wave guide. In addition, the absorber may include a one piece cast of silicon carbide configured to dissipate heat along an exterior of the absorber. The absorber may be further configured to receive the microwaves from the wave guide and convert energy from the microwaves into the heat.

Microwave furnace

A system for melting a substance may be provided. The system may comprise a microwave generator, at least one wave guide, a melter assembly, and at least one thermal insulator. The at least one wave guide may connect the microwave generator to at least one power transfer element. The at least one wave guide may be configured to transfer microwave energy from the microwave generator to a refractory assembly. The melter assembly may comprise the refractory assembly and the at least one power transfer element connected to the refractory assembly. The refractory assembly may comprise at least one absorption element configured to transfer microwave energy, received from the at least one power transition element, into heat energy. The at least one thermal insulator may be configured to allow the microwaves to penetrate to the at least one absorption element.

A computer executing a software algorithm may be used to detect a depression in a temperature profile. The temperature profile may be smoothed to eliminate noise. Next, the temperature profile's center may be extracted. A polynomial may be fitted to extracted data. An algorithm used to fit the polynomial may guarantee that the fitted curve's peak may be below the actual temperature data's peak. Next, residuals may be calculated by subtracting the fitted curve from the actual data. If there is a dip at the center, then the residuals in the center may be less than zero. The software algorithm executing on the computer may then make a decision based on a sign of the residuals. For example, residuals less than zero may indicate bar porosity. Residuals above zero may indicate no porosity. The magnitude of the residuals may then be used to classify a size of a detected defect.

Growing community of inventors

Carrollton, GA, United States of America

Victor Frederic Rundquist