De-molding system of ceramic parts manufactured by freeze-casting, and mold cooling system and method for manufacturing ceramic parts by freezing-casting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12290958-B2
Application number	US-202217667929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2022
Priority date	May 23, 2018
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a mold cooling system for the manufacturing of ceramic parts by freeze-casting including: a source ( 1 ) of cooling gas; a cooling gas cooling medium ( 7 ) fluidically connected to the cooling gas source ( 1 ); and a cooling cell ( 5 ), fluidly connected to the cooling gas cooling medium ( 7 ), including a mold ( 9 ) in its interior, wherein the cooling cell ( 5 ) includes a refrigerated cooling gas injection opening. Thus, a mold cooling system is provided for the manufacturing of ceramic parts by freeze-casting including the stages of: refrigerating a cooling gas coming from a cooling gas source ( 1 ); and injecting a cooling gas that is refrigerated in a cooling cell ( 5 ) including a mold ( 9 ) in its interior.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mold cooling system for manufacturing ceramic parts by freeze-casting, the mold cooling system comprising:
a cooling gas source;
a cooling gas cooling medium fluidically connected to the cooling gas source; and
a cooling cell fluidly connected to the cooling gas cooling medium, wherein the cooling cell comprises:
a main body comprising a lower opening;
a mold within the main body and including a first space; and
a refrigerated cooling gas injection opening that communicates with a second space inside the main body, the second space being outside of the mold;

wherein the mold comprises:
an upper opening configured to allow passage of a colloidal solution into the first space of the mold; and
a lower opening configured to allow passage of a ceramic part, fabricated in the first space, from the first space to an outside of the mold, and

wherein the lower opening of the main body is aligned with the lower opening of the mold such that the lower opening of the main body is configured to allow passage of the ceramic part from the mold to below the main body.

2. The mold cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling gas cooling medium comprises a heat exchanger immersed in a cooling fluid, wherein the heat exchanger is a coil.

3. The mold cooling system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a data processor and at least one from among the following:
a mass flow controller configured to control at least one from among the following: a volume of a cooling gas from the cooling gas source; and a volume of the cooling gas injected into the cooling cell; and
at least one temperature sensor device, wherein at least one temperature sensing device is a proportional integral derivative controller,
wherein the data processor is in communication with at least one from among the mass flow controller, the at least one temperature sensing device, and the proportional integral derivative controller.

4. The mold cooling system according to claim 1 , further comprising a receiving chamber below the cooling cell,
wherein the main body comprises a fluid communication opening communicatively connected to the receiving chamber, and configured to allow passage of cooling gas from the second space of the main body to the receiving chamber.

5. The mold cooling system according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling gas is a gas with a moisture content lower than 20%.

6. The mold cooling system according to claim 4 , further comprising:
stainless steel pipes communicating with the cooling gas source, the cooling gas cooling medium, the cooling cell, and the receiving chamber.

7. A mold cooling system for manufacturing ceramic parts by freeze-casting, the mold cooling system comprising:
a cooling gas source;
a cooling gas cooling medium fluidically connected to the cooling gas source;
a cooling cell fluidly connected to the cooling gas cooling medium and comprising a mold and a refrigerated cooling gas injection opening; and
a metal casing surrounding the cooling cell, wherein the cooling cell comprises side wings,
wherein the cooling cell is fixed in the metal casing through a sliding fit, and
wherein the metal casing acts as a support for a de-molding system for ceramic parts manufactured by freeze-casting.

8. A mold cooling system for manufacturing ceramic parts by freeze-casting, the mold cooling system comprising:
a cooling gas source;
a cooling gas cooling medium fluidically connected to the cooling gas source; and
a cooling cell fluidly connected to the cooling gas cooling medium and comprising a mold and a refrigerated cooling gas injection opening,
wherein the cooling cell further comprises an upper lid and a main body, wherein a sealing ring is between the upper lid and the main body of the cooling cell, and
wherein the upper lid and the main body of the cooling cell are fixed together.

9. The mold cooling system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealing element configured to seal the lower opening of the mold.

10. The mold cooling system according to claim 1 , further comprising a metal casing comprising a glass door.

11. The mold cooling system according to claim 4 , wherein the receiving chamber comprising a recovery outlet configured to receive a cooling gas from the cooling gas source.

Assignees

• Petroleo Brasileiro S A —Petrobras
• Statoil Brasil Oleo E Gas Ltda
• Univ Federal De Minas Gerais—Ufmg

Inventors

• Grava Wilson Mantovani
• Vasconcelos Wander Luiz
• Derks Peter Wilhelmus Jacques
• Do Nascimento Jailton Ferreira
• Nunes Eduardo Henrique Martins
• De Souza Douglas Fernandes
• Vasconcelos Daniela Cordeiro Leite

Classifications

• B28B1/007

  by freezing the material · CPC title

• Y02P40/60

  Production of ceramic materials or ceramic elements, e.g. substitution of clay or shale by alternative raw materials, e.g. ashes · CPC title

• B28B13/06

  Removing the shaped articles from moulds (by means incorporated in, or carried by, the moulds B28B7/10) · CPC title

• C04B35/00

  Shaped ceramic products characterised by their composition {(porous ceramic products C04B38/00; ceramic articles characterised by particular shape, see the relevant classes, e.g. linings for casting ladles, tundishes, cups or the like B22D41/02; ceramic substrates for microelectronic semi-conductors H10W70/692)}; Ceramics compositions ({shaping of ceramics B28B;} containing free metal bonded to carbides, diamond, oxides, borides, nitrides, silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides or sulfides other than as macroscopic reinforcing agents C22C); Processing powders of inorganic compounds preparatory to the manufacturing of ceramic products {(infiltration of sintered ceramic preforms with molten metal C04B41/51; chemical preparation of powders of inorganic compounds C01)} · CPC title

• B28B17/0081 Primary

  Process control · CPC title