US3902543A - Process of electroslag remelting - Google Patents

Process of electroslag remelting Download PDF

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Publication number
US3902543A
US3902543A US412404A US41240473A US3902543A US 3902543 A US3902543 A US 3902543A US 412404 A US412404 A US 412404A US 41240473 A US41240473 A US 41240473A US 3902543 A US3902543 A US 3902543A
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United States
Prior art keywords
mould
ingot
section
metal
bath
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Expired - Lifetime
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US412404A
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English (en)
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David Melvin Longbottom
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British Steel Corp
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British Steel Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D11/00—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths
    • B22D11/04—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths into open-ended moulds
    • B22D11/041—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths into open-ended moulds for vertical casting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D23/00—Casting processes not provided for in groups B22D1/00 - B22D21/00
    • B22D23/06—Melting-down metal, e.g. metal particles, in the mould
    • B22D23/10—Electroslag casting

Definitions

  • PATENTEDSEP 2191s sum s or? FIGQa.
  • FIG. 77 is a diagrammatic representation of FIG. 77.
  • PROCESS OF ELECTROSLAG REMELTING This invention relates to ingot casting moulds, more especially, to ingot casting moulds suitable for use in the electroslag refining process.
  • an electrically conductive slag within a mould is maintained in a molten state and at a temperature above the melting point of the metal to be refined.
  • Unrefined metal is introduced into the mould and is refined as it passes in droplet form through a bath of the molten slag, refined droplets collecting to form a pool beneath the slag bath.
  • the mould walls and mould base plate are cooled by the circulation of a coolant, normally water, and a solidified ingot is built up beneath the molten metal pool.
  • the metal to be refined may be introduced to the mould in the form of a consumable electrode and the slag maintained molten by passage of an electric current from the electrode to the mould base plate.
  • moulds for use in the electroslag refining process have been of unitary construction.
  • Such moulds have comprised an upper section for containing a bath of molten slag and a lower section of smaller cross section in which an ingot of refined metal is formed.
  • an ingot of refined metal is formed in order to maintain the formed ingot within the lower mould section as the ingot builds up during operation of the process.
  • it has previously been necessary either to raise the mould relative to the formed ingot or to withdraw the ingot downwardly from the mould. This relative movement between the mould and the ingot has been found to cause defects in the surface of the formed ingot.
  • the mould which forms the subject of the present invention overcomes this disadvantage.
  • an ingot casting mould comprising a plurality of superimposed open-ended mould members each of which includes at least two parts movable horizontally between spaced positions in which they define portions of side walls of an upper section of the mould and adjacent positions in which their inner peripheries define portions of the internal periphery of a mould cavity formed in a lower ingot-forming section of the mould, which lower mould section is of smaller internal crosssectional area than that of the upper mould section.
  • a process for producing an ingot of refined metal comprises the steps of introducing unrefined metal into a bath of molten slag present within a mould which is constructed of an ascending succession of superimposed open-ended mould members each of which includes at least two parts movable horizontally between spaced positions in which they form parts of side walls of an upper reservoir section of the mould and adjacent positions in which their inner surfaces cooperate to define part of the inner periphery of a mould cavity formed in a lower ingot-forming section of the mould, passing an electric current through the bath of molten slag to maintain its temperature at a predetermined level, collecting molten refined metal in a pool below the slag bath, causing the pool of molten metal to solidify to form an ingot within the mould cavity and moving the parts of said mould members from said spaced positions to said adjacent positions to maintain the formed ingot within said mould cavity.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevation in section of electroslag refining apparatus incorporating a mould in accordance with the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view from above of the mould illustrated in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view from above of a further mould in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a number of superimposed mould members connected to a common coo lant-conveying manifold;
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively, perspective and plan views of a mould in accordance with the invention for producing two ingots simultaneously;
  • FIG. 7 is a plan view of a mould for producing three ingots simultaneously
  • FIG. 8 is a plan view of a mould for producing four ingots simultaneously
  • FIG. 9 is a sectional perspective view of a mould for producing an ingot of variable cross-section
  • FIG. 9a is a perspective view of an ingot produced by means of the mould illustrated in FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 10 is a sectional perspective view of a mould for producing a roll-shaped ingot with passes
  • FIG. 10a is a perspectiveview of an ingot produced by means of the mould illustrated in FIG. 10;
  • FIG. 11 is a side elevation in section of a mould in which a roll-shaped ingot is being produced
  • FIG. 12 is a sectional perspective view of a mould for producing an ingot in the shape of a crankshaft.
  • FIG. 12a is a perspective view, to an enlarged scale, of an ingot produced by the mould illustrated in FIG. 12.
  • the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a composite mould 1 having an upper reservoir section 2 and a lower ingot-forming section 3 of smaller crosssectional area than the upper reservoir section 2; the lower section 3 includes a mould cavity 4.
  • the mould 1 includes a plurality of superimposed plate-like mould members 5 each of, for example, 1 inch in height; each mould member is divided into two equal water-cooled parts 5a, 5b which are movable between spaced positions in which theydefine portions of opposed side walls of the upper reservoir mould section 2 and adjacent positions in which their inner peripheries define a portion of the periphery of the mould cavity 4.
  • the mould members 5 slide between stationary watercooled side members 6 which, together with the mould members when in their spaced positions, make up the upper reservoir section 2 of the mould l.
  • the mould members 5 and side members 6 are, preferably, constructed of copper. As mentioned above, in their adjacent positions the parts 5a, 5b of the members 5 together define the inner periphery of the mould cavity 4. Thus, the opposed vertical faces of the parts 5a, 5b are shaped to define the required contour of the ingot to be formed within the mould. cavity 4. In the mould illustrated in FIG. 2, an ingot of circular cross-section is to be formed.
  • the several mould members 5 which comprise the composite mould 1 are clamped together and, at least initially, the lower end of the mould l is mounted on but insulated from a cooled base plate 7.
  • a consumable electrode 8 of, for example steel or cast iron, is clamped in an electrode holder 9 which is movable vertically relative to a mast 10.
  • an ingot 11 is built up on the base plate 7; if an ingot of greater height than the sum of the heights of the respective mould members is to be produced, one or several mould members 5 may periodically be removed from the bottom of the ingot-forming mould section 3 and placed on top of those members 5 which define the upper reservoir section 2.
  • the mould 1 is supported by hydraulic jacks 12 which, after one or more members 5 have been removed from the bottom of the mould, are raised to bear against the mould member now lowermost.
  • the mould members 5 are arranged in groups of five. Electrical current is conveyed to the electrode 8 from a transformer (not shown) connected to the mains. The current return path is via a connection made to the base plate 7.
  • electrical current is passed from the electrode 8 to the base plate 7 to heat by electrical resistance to a temperature at or above the melting point of the consumable electrode 8 a bath of molten slag 13 formed in the upper reservoir section 2; the lower end of the electrode 8 is immersed in the slag bath 13.
  • Droplets of unrefined metal pass from the electrode 8, are refined on passage through and collect in a pool 14 below the slag bath 12.
  • the upper surface of the metal pool 14 is maintained at or just below the interface between the upper and lower mould sections 2, 3.
  • the parts 5a, 5b of the mould member 5 which defines the lowermost portion of the reservoir section 2 are moved inwardly to positions in which their inner faces meet to define the uppermost mould member of the mould cavity 4.
  • the parts 5a, 5b of such a member 5 are shown being moved from their spaced to their adjacent positions.
  • the level of the metal pool 14 may be detected by means of a gamma ray source.
  • the electrode 8 In order to maintain a pre-determined distance between the tip of the electrode 8 and the surface of the metal pool 14, the electrode 8 is continuously or periodically raised by the electrode holder 9. Changes in this predetermined distance may be determined by detecting changes in one or more operating parameters.
  • those mould members 5 of the lower ingot-forming mould section 3 no longer required for cooling and forming the ingot can be removed from the ingot forming section 3 and placed above those members forming the reservoir section 2 for subsequent re-use as the level of the slag bath 13 within the section 2 rises and the height of the ingot 11 increases.
  • the jacks 12 are raised.
  • the members 5 may be moved individually or in groups of, say, 5 to 10.
  • each mould member 5 is less than the predetermined distance between the electrode tip and the surface of the metal pool 14.
  • each mould member 5 are connected by flexible hoses 15 to receive coolant, for example water, from a main 16. Coupled between the main 16 and the hoses 15 is a rotatable manifold 17 which permits movement of mould sections from the bottom to the top of the composite mould 1 without causing entanglement of the respective hose connections 15.
  • the hoses 15 may convey coolant to single mould members or, as shown, to a group of mould members.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a mould by which two ingots can be simultaneously produced.
  • each part 5a, 5b comprises two sector shaped portions 18. These portions co-operate with channels 19 formed in the inner surfaces of the side members 6 to define, in the adjacent positions of parts 5a, 5b, two mould cavities 4a, 4b. More than one consumable electrode may be melted simultaneously within the reservoir section 2.
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate moulds for producing more than two ingots simultaneously.
  • the mould illustrated in FIG. 7 includes mould members 5 which comprise three parts 5a, 5b, 5c and three side members 6.
  • the parts 5a, 5b, 5c are movable between spaced positions in which, together with the side members 6, they define the upper reservoir mould member 2 and closed positions in which their innermost faces meet to define the inner peripheries of three mould cavities being defined by co-operating vertical semi-circular grooves 20 formed in the inner faces of the side members 6.
  • the mould illustrated in FIG. 8 is of similar construction to that illustrated in FIG. 7 except that four mould cavities may be defined by inward movement of four parts 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, between four suitably-shaped side members 6.
  • Additional heating may be supplied to the slag bath within the reservoir mould section 2 to prevent slag freezing within the narrow channels which are present when the parts 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d of the moulds illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 are in their spaced positions.
  • This additional heating may be supplied by means of electrical current passed from non-consumable electrodes of, for example graphite, immersed in the slag baths which, in use of the moulds, would be present in mould reservoir sections.
  • Ingots which vary in cross-section along their length may be produced by moulds in accordance with the invention.
  • an ingot 11 as illustrated in FIG. 9a may be produced by means of a mould as illustrated in FIG. 9.
  • This mould includes, sequentially, mould members 5 which in their closed positions define a circle, a circle of larger diameter and a square.
  • the inner faces 21 of the mould members 5 may be inclined to the vertical to produce, for example, passes 22 in a roll-shaped ingot.
  • a roll-shaped ingot Such an ingot is illustrated in FIG. 10a.
  • the necks 23 of the roll-shaped ingot are produced by positioning mould members having central apertures of small diameter below and above members having central apertures of greater diameter, which latter members define the desired surface of the roll barrel 24.
  • the parts 5a, 5b of a mould member having a central aperture conforming to the required journal diameter are moved across the interface of the two mould sections 2,3 when the level of the metal pool 14 is below (for example, one-half inch below) the interface.
  • Molten slag is consequently trapped below the journal mould member; this slag solidifies to form a heat insulating crust 25 to prevent shrinkage of the top surface of the barrel of the roll-shaped ingot which might otherwise be caused by overcooling.
  • FIG. 12 there is illustrated a mould for forming an ingot in the shape of a crankshaft; such an ingot is illustrated in FIG. 12a.
  • the mould comprises lower and upper mould members which define mould cavities for forming, respectively, lower and upper journals 26 separated by a stationary enlarged mould member 27 which defines the intermediate web 28 of the crankshaft.
  • molten metal from a consumable electrode initially solidifies within the lower mould cavity to form the lower journal; the metal is then allowed to enter the intermediate stationary mould member 27 and solidifies within the section to form the web 28 of the ingot. More than one consumable electrode may be melted at this stage. Alternatively, one or more non-consumable electrodes may be employed to provide additional heating within the enlarged mould cavity.
  • the upper mould members are moved to their closed positions to define the mould cavity for the upper journal of the ingot.
  • More than one web may be formed by providing further web and journal-forming mould members.
  • the web-forming mould members may be angularly displaced about the axis of the web member from one another.
  • each mould member described hereinbefore may be concave towards its central opening so that when positioned at the top of the ingotforming section 3, molten metal is encouraged to flow into the mould cavity 4.
  • the invention offers the advantage over prior proposals for moulds having reservoir and ingot-forming sections of different cross-section that no relative movement occurs between the mould and the ingot, thus ensuring a good surface to the ingot.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
  • Shafts, Cranks, Connecting Bars, And Related Bearings (AREA)
  • Molds, Cores, And Manufacturing Methods Thereof (AREA)
US412404A 1972-11-10 1973-11-02 Process of electroslag remelting Expired - Lifetime US3902543A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB5204672A GB1407469A (en) 1972-11-10 1972-11-10 Ingot casting moulds

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US3902543A true US3902543A (en) 1975-09-02

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US412404A Expired - Lifetime US3902543A (en) 1972-11-10 1973-11-02 Process of electroslag remelting

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US (1) US3902543A (de)
JP (1) JPS49125231A (de)
DE (1) DE2355249A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1407469A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6758259B1 (en) * 2000-02-07 2004-07-06 Inteco Internationale Technische Beratung Ges.M.B.H. Method and arangement for producing casting moulds from metal
US20040154153A1 (en) * 2003-02-10 2004-08-12 Scanni Iberio E. Process for making molds
CN102816935A (zh) * 2012-08-27 2012-12-12 太原市冶金机械厂 组合式矩形电渣钢结晶器
CN110014136A (zh) * 2019-04-23 2019-07-16 沈阳铸造研究所有限公司 一种嵌套独立水冷结晶器实现电渣熔铸去除补贴的方法

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS51148601A (en) * 1975-06-16 1976-12-21 Hitachi Ltd An electro-slag remelting crucible
US4185682A (en) * 1977-06-23 1980-01-29 Frumin Isidor I Electroslag remelting and surfacing apparatus
JPS59162232A (ja) * 1983-03-04 1984-09-13 Kobe Steel Ltd エレクトロスラグ溶融装置
AT395389B (de) * 1984-11-29 1992-12-10 Boehler Gmbh Verfahren zur herstellung von block- und formgussstuecken sowie vorrichtung zur herstellung derselben
EP2548675A1 (de) * 2011-07-19 2013-01-23 SMS Concast AG Kokille zum Stranggiessen von metallischen Langprodukten

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2377732A (en) * 1942-07-08 1945-06-05 Thos Firth & John Brown Ltd Apparatus for casting metal ingots
US2385206A (en) * 1943-05-13 1945-09-18 Kellogg M W Co Method and apparatus for producing metal bodies
US2388974A (en) * 1944-05-20 1945-11-13 Kellogg M W Co Method for casting metal

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2377732A (en) * 1942-07-08 1945-06-05 Thos Firth & John Brown Ltd Apparatus for casting metal ingots
US2385206A (en) * 1943-05-13 1945-09-18 Kellogg M W Co Method and apparatus for producing metal bodies
US2388974A (en) * 1944-05-20 1945-11-13 Kellogg M W Co Method for casting metal

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6758259B1 (en) * 2000-02-07 2004-07-06 Inteco Internationale Technische Beratung Ges.M.B.H. Method and arangement for producing casting moulds from metal
US20040154153A1 (en) * 2003-02-10 2004-08-12 Scanni Iberio E. Process for making molds
CN102816935A (zh) * 2012-08-27 2012-12-12 太原市冶金机械厂 组合式矩形电渣钢结晶器
CN110014136A (zh) * 2019-04-23 2019-07-16 沈阳铸造研究所有限公司 一种嵌套独立水冷结晶器实现电渣熔铸去除补贴的方法
CN110014136B (zh) * 2019-04-23 2021-05-04 沈阳铸造研究所有限公司 一种嵌套独立水冷结晶器实现电渣熔铸去除补贴的方法

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Publication number Publication date
DE2355249A1 (de) 1974-05-16
JPS49125231A (de) 1974-11-30
GB1407469A (en) 1975-09-24

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