Ultrasonic device with integrated gas delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9382598-B2
Application number	US-201414156520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Apr 9, 2010
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic device comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer;
an elongated probe attached to the ultrasonic transducer, the probe comprising a tip; and
a gas delivery system, the gas delivery system comprising:
a gas inlet,
a gas flow path through the probe, and
a gas outlet at the tip of the probe;

wherein:
the probe comprises a ceramic; and
a length to diameter ratio of the probe is in a range from about 5:1 to about 25:1.

2. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe is a unitary part.

3. The ultrasonic device of claim 2 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon, a Silicon carbide, a Boron carbide, a Boron nitride, a Silicon nitride, an Aluminum nitride, an Aluminum oxide, a Zirconia, or a combination thereof.

4. The ultrasonic device of claim 2 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon.

5. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe is secured to the ultrasonic transducer with an attachment nut.

6. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe has a radius of curvature of at least about ½-inch on an attachment side of the probe.

7. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the probe comprises a Sialon;
the probe is generally cylindrical; and
the ultrasonic device further comprises a booster between the ultrasonic transducer and the probe.

8. The ultrasonic device of claim 7 , wherein the length to diameter ratio is in a range from about 7:1 to about 22:1.

9. The ultrasonic device of claim 7 , wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 60:1 to about 750:1.

10. A method for reducing an amount of a dissolved gas and/or an impurity in a molten metal bath, the method comprising:
(a) operating the ultrasonic device of claim 1 in the molten metal bath; and
(b) introducing a purging gas through the gas delivery system and into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 0.1 to about 150 L/min.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the dissolved gas comprises oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur dioxide, or a combination thereof;
the impurity comprises an alkali metal;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, zinc, steel, magnesium, or a combination thereof;
the purging gas comprises nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, chlorine, or a combination thereof; or
any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 10 to about 500 mL/hr of purging gas per kg/hr of output from the molten metal bath.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the dissolved gas comprises hydrogen;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, or a combination thereof; and
the purging gas comprises argon, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.

14. An ultrasonic device comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer;
an elongated probe comprising a tip;
a booster between the ultrasonic transducer and the elongated probe; and
a gas delivery system, the gas delivery system comprising:
a gas inlet in the booster,
a gas flow path through the probe, and
a gas outlet at the tip of the probe;

wherein:
the probe comprises a ceramic; and
a length to diameter ratio of the probe is in a range from about 5:1 to about 25:1.

15. The ultrasonic device of claim 14 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon, a Silicon carbide, a Boron carbide, a Boron nitride, a Silicon nitride, an Aluminum nitride, an Aluminum oxide, a Zirconia, or a combination thereof.

16. The ultrasonic device of claim 14 , wherein the probe is a unitary, generally cylindrical probe comprising a Sialon.

17. The ultrasonic device of claim 16 , wherein the probe is secured to the ultrasonic transducer with an attachment nut.

18. The ultrasonic device of claim 16 , wherein:
a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 60:1 to about 750:1; and
the length to diameter ratio is in a range from about 7:1 to about 22:1.

19. A method for reducing an amount of a dissolved gas and/or an impurity in a molten metal bath, the method comprising:
(a) operating the ultrasonic device of claim 14 in the molten metal bath; and
(b) introducing a purging gas through the gas delivery system and into the molten metal bath.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the dissolved gas comprises oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur dioxide, or a combination thereof;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, zinc, steel, magnesium, or a combination thereof; and
the purging gas comprises nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, chlorine, or a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the dissolved gas comprises hydrogen;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, or a combination thereof; and
the purging gas comprises argon, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 1 to about 50 L/min.

23. An ultrasonic device comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer;
an elongated probe comprising a tip;
a booster between the ultrasonic transducer and the elongated probe; and
a gas delivery system, the gas delivery system comprising:
a gas inlet in the booster,
a gas flow path through the probe, and
a gas outlet at the tip of the probe;

wherein a length to diameter ratio of the probe is in a range from about 5:1 to about 25:1.

24. The ultrasonic device of claim 23 , wherein the probe comprises stainless steel, titanium, niobium, a ceramic, or a combination thereof.

25. The ultrasonic device of claim 23 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon.

26. The ultrasonic device of claim 23 , wherein:
a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 60:1 to about 750:1; and
the length to diameter ratio is in a range from about 7:1 to about 22:1.

27. A method for reducing an amount of a dissolved gas and/or an impurity in a molten metal bath, the method comprising:
(a) operating the ultrasonic device of claim 23 in the molten metal bath; and
(b) introducing a purging gas through the gas delivery system and into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 0.1 to about 150 L/min.

Assignees

• Southwire Co Llc

Inventors

• Rundquist Victor F
• Gill Kevin S

Classifications

• B22D1/002

  Treatment with gases (C21C7/072, C22B9/05 take precedence) · CPC title

• C22B9/02

  Refining by liquating, filtering, centrifuging, distilling, or supersonic wave action {including acoustic waves; (C22B9/003, C22B9/006, C22B9/05, C22B9/22 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C22B21/064

  using inert or reactive gases (C22B21/066 and C22B21/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• B22D1/005

  Injection assemblies therefor (features relating to gas injection, provided on closures of the sliding gate type B22D41/42; provided on pouring nozzles B22D41/58; provided on closures of the stopper-rod type B22D41/186) · CPC title

• B01D19/0078

  by vibration · CPC title