A method of fabricating a low alloy steel ingot, the method including a) melting all or part of an electrode by a vacuum arc remelting method, the electrode, before melting, including iron and carbon, the melted portion of the electrode being collected in a crucible, thus forming a melt pool within the crucible; and b) solidifying the melt pool by heat exchange between the melt pool and a cooling fluid, the heat exchange applied serving to impose a mean solidification speed during step b) that is less than or equal to 45 m/s and to obtain an ingot of low alloy steel.

A method of fabricating a low alloy steel ingot, the method including a) melting all or part of an electrode by a vacuum arc remelting method, the electrode, before melting, including iron and carbon, the melted portion of the electrode being collected in a crucible, thus forming a melt pool within the crucible; and b) solidifying the melt pool by heat exchange between the melt pool and a cooling fluid, the heat exchange applied serving to impose a mean solidification speed during step b) that is less than or equal to 45 m/s and to obtain an ingot of low alloy steel.

An induction furnace assembly comprising a chamber having a mold; a primary inductive coil coupled to the chamber; a susceptor surrounding the chamber between the primary inductive coil and the mold; and a shield material contained in a reservoir coupled to or proximate the mold between the susceptor and the mold; the shield material configured to attenuate a portion of an electromagnetic flux generated by the primary induction coil that is not attenuated by the susceptor.

A method is provided for fabricating a carbon nanotube metal matrix composite. The method may include forming a molten mixture by combining carbon nanotubes with a molten solution. The carbon nanotubes combined with the molten solution may be dispersed therein. The method may also include transferring the molten mixture to a mold and applying a magnetic field to the molten mixture in the mold to substantially align at least a portion of the carbon nanotubes with one another. The method may further include solidifying the molten mixture in the mold to fabricate the carbon nanotube metal matrix composite, where at least a portion of the carbon nanotubes may be substantially aligned in the carbon nanotube metal matrix composite.

A method is provided for fabricating a carbon nanotube metal matrix composite. The method may include forming a molten mixture by combining carbon nanotubes with a molten solution. The carbon nanotubes combined with the molten solution may be dispersed therein. The method may also include transferring the molten mixture to a mold and applying a magnetic field to the molten mixture in the mold to substantially align at least a portion of the carbon nanotubes with one another. The method may further include solidifying the molten mixture in the mold to fabricate the carbon nanotube metal matrix composite, where at least a portion of the carbon nanotubes may be substantially aligned in the carbon nanotube metal matrix composite.

A method for manufacturing a steel ingot in a casting arrangement employs a vacuum vessel; an ingot mold arranged within the vacuum vessel, and a stirrer arranged to stir liquid steel in the ingot mold. The method employs the following steps: providing a liquid steel melt; filling the ingot mold with the liquid steel melt; applying a reduced pressure within the vacuum vessel; allowing the liquid steel melt to solidify into an ingot; and allowing the liquid steel melt to solidify under stirring within the ingot mold at a reduced pressure during solidification of the steel melt. The liquid steel melt includes a predetermined amount of carbon and; incidental impurity elements in the form of oxides. During stirring, the oxides are reduced by carbothermic reaction in which oxygen in the oxides and carbon in the steel melt form carbon-monoxide.

A method for manufacturing a steel ingot in a casting arrangement employs a vacuum vessel; an ingot mold arranged within the vacuum vessel, and a stirrer arranged to stir liquid steel in the ingot mold. The method employs the following steps: providing a liquid steel melt; filling the ingot mold with the liquid steel melt; applying a reduced pressure within the vacuum vessel; allowing the liquid steel melt to solidify into an ingot; and allowing the liquid steel melt to solidify under stirring within the ingot mold at a reduced pressure during solidification of the steel melt. The liquid steel melt includes a predetermined amount of carbon and; incidental impurity elements in the form of oxides. During stirring, the oxides are reduced by carbothermic reaction in which oxygen in the oxides and carbon in the steel melt form carbon-monoxide.

An molten metal stirring device is provided, including a main bath that includes a furnace main body including a storage chamber; and a stirring unit that drives and stirs the molten metal stored in the furnace main body, the stirring unit including a passage member that includes a molten metal passage, the rotating-shifting magnetic field unit main body including a permanent magnet and being provided outside the passage member, the furnace main body including a molten metal outlet and inlet formed in a side wall and in communication with each other, at least a pair of electrodes are provided in the molten metal passage, and molten metal present in the molten metal passage is driven toward the molten metal outlet by a resultant driving force of first and second electromagnetic forces according to Fleming's rule.

An molten metal stirring device is provided, including a main bath that includes a furnace main body including a storage chamber; and a stirring unit that drives and stirs the molten metal stored in the furnace main body, the stirring unit including a passage member that includes a molten metal passage, the rotating-shifting magnetic field unit main body including a permanent magnet and being provided outside the passage member, the furnace main body including a molten metal outlet and inlet formed in a side wall and in communication with each other, at least a pair of electrodes are provided in the molten metal passage, and molten metal present in the molten metal passage is driven toward the molten metal outlet by a resultant driving force of first and second electromagnetic forces according to Fleming's rule.

A process for directional solidification of a cast part comprises energizing a primary inductive coil coupled to a chamber having a mold containing a material; generating an electromagnetic field with the primary inductive coil within the chamber, wherein said electromagnetic field is partially attenuated by a susceptor coupled to said chamber between said primary inductive coil and said mold; determining a magnetic flux profile of the electromagnetic field after it passes through the susceptor; sensing a component of the magnetic flux in the interior of the susceptor proximate the mold; positioning a mobile secondary compensation coil within the chamber; generating a control field from a secondary compensation coil, wherein said control field controls said magnetic flux; and casting the material within the mold.