Melting metal particles and dispersing gas and additives with vaned impeller
US5310412A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 10, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 11, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC21C7/072
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Metal particles are melted by mixing them with molten metal contained in a bath. A shaft-supported, rotatable impeller is immersed into the molten metal and rotated so as to establish a vortex-like flow of molten metal. Metal particles are deposited onto the surface of the molten metal in the vicinity of the rotating impeller. The particles are submerged substantially immediately after being deposited onto the surface of the molten metal. The impeller includes a thin rectangular prism having sharp-edged corners and vanes that extend upwardly from the prism. The impeller also can be used to disperse gas into the molten metal by pumping the gas through a bore extending the length of the shaft and out of the impeller along the lower surface of the impeller. The gas is sheared into finely divided bubbles as it rises along the sides of the impeller.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.