An apparatus and method for filtering molten metal (M), such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy includes at least one ceramic foam filter or any other type of filtration media such as porous tube or alumina balls disposed in a receptacle (12) for the molten metal (M). A vibrator vibrates at least one of the filter, the receptacle (12) or the metal and may be used to induce priming, filtering and/or drainage of the filter. The vibrator may be retrofitted to an existing filter system and may be adjustable in frequency and amplitude. The vibration may be continuous over a given period or produced in a single shock.

An apparatus and method for filtering molten metal (M), such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy includes at least one ceramic foam filter or any other type of filtration media such as porous tube or alumina balls disposed in a receptacle (12) for the molten metal (M). A vibrator vibrates at least one of the filter, the receptacle (12) or the metal and may be used to induce priming, filtering and/or drainage of the filter. The vibrator may be retrofitted to an existing filter system and may be adjustable in frequency and amplitude. The vibration may be continuous over a given period or produced in a single shock.

A spiral-orifice ceramic filter for metal casting, including spiral channels and two drain openings, where the spiral channels are distributed in a ceramic substrate in a staggered manner. By adoption of the spiral channel structure, molten metal may rotate to generate a centrifugal force while flowing forwards so as to promote separation of inclusions. The spiral-orifice ceramic filter for metal casting includes the following components: 90-95 wt % of MgO, 4-8 wt % of SiO.sub.2 and 2-4 wt % of ZrO.sub.2. Therefore, the spiral-orifice ceramic filter for metal casting has high strength under normal temperature and optional thermal impact resistance under high temperature, and may tolerate the impact of molten metal at 1700° C. or higher without break. The ceramic substrate and the spiral channel are superficially coated with one layer of functional oxide prepared from CaO.2Al.sub.2O.sub.3, CaO.6Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, or Re.sub.2O.sub.3.

A runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials, wherein the runner apparatus guides the molten materials discharged from a furnace to a casting mold, including: an insulation unit providing a passage for a flow of the molten materials discharged from the furnace and lowering a thermal loss of the molten materials; a dam unit confining the insulation unit in a predetermined space thus preventing a leak and adjusting the flow of the molten materials; an outside unit forming an exterior wall covering the insulation unit; and a spread unit, disposed under the insulation unit, spreading the molten materials dropping from the dam unit and transferring the same to the casting mold.

A molten metal filter box. The filter box includes a filter housing provided in a flow path for molten metal. A horizontal partition is disposed within the filter housing and has at least one filter receiving passage. A filter medium in the shape of a substantially flat plate is positioned within the filter receiving passage and below an inflow path of the molten metal. The filter medium includes a hole. A filter handling tool is disposed within the hole. The filter handling tool can optionally include a handle secured to the molten metal filter box to suspend the filter medium. Advantageously, the filter medium can be removed by grasping the filter handling tool and removing the filter medium.

An apparatus and method for filtering molten metal, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy includes at least one ceramic foam filter or any other type of filtration media such as porous tube or alumina balls disposed in a receptacle for the molten metal. A vibrator vibrates at least one of the filter, the receptacle or the metal and may be used to induce priming, filtering and/or drainage of the filter. The vibrator may be retrofitted to an existing filter system and may be adjustable in frequency and amplitude. The vibration may be continuous over a given period or produced in a single shock.

An apparatus for countergravity casting a metallic material, comprises: a crucible for holding melted metallic material; a casting chamber for containing a mold; a fill tube capable of extending into the crucible to communicate melted metallic material to the casting chamber; a gas source coupled a headspace of the melting vessel to allow the gas source to pressurize said headspace to establish a pressure differential to force the melted metallic material upwardly through said fill tube into said mold; and means for gettering sulfur.

A die casting method includes stirring an aluminum alloy liquid in a stirrer under an airtight vacuum condition. The stirrer includes an electromagnetic inductor and a stirring rod. The aluminum alloy liquid is simultaneously subjected to an electromagnetic stirring in a direction of a magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic inductor and a mechanical stirring under a rotation action of the stirring rod. The aluminum alloy liquid is stirred for 20-80 minutes until the aluminum alloy liquid becomes semisolid to obtain a semisolid aluminum alloy slurry. The method further includes injecting the semisolid aluminum alloy slurry into a filter die to perform die casting molding at an injection speed of 1.5-2.5 m/s, an injection specific pressure of 30-80 MPa, a pressurization pressure of 60-80 MPa, and a temperature of the filter die of 250-400° C., and maintaining pressure for 7-30 seconds to obtain the filtering cavity.

This filtration device 10 has a can body 20 having a reservoir 3 that connects to an opening 9 at the top, and a filtration unit 40 which is detachably installed in the reservoir. The filtration unit has a support plate 42, and filtration tubes 41 of bottomed cylindrical shape fastened to the support plate. The side wall 22 of the can body 20 has a protruding locking part 30 for installation of the filtration unit so that the filtration tubes are suspended from the support plate 42, with the openings 43 thereof facing upward. With the support plate 42 locked into the locking part 30, pressing members 70 for pressing the support plate 42 downward from the upper surface side in sections thereof lying towards the peripheral edge S in relation to the fastening locations of the filtration tubes 41 are deployed, making it possible for the support plate 42 to be fastened in clamped fashion by the locking part 30 and the pressing members 70.

An assembly and method for producing powder are provided. The assembly includes a melting chamber, an atomizing vessel, and a powder processing device. The melting chamber includes a crucible, a tundish, and a filtering device. The crucible is arranged for melting a material. The crucible and tundish are configured for providing a flow path for the melted material from the crucible into the tundish. The filtering device is arranged in the flow path. The tundish is connected to an atomizing nozzle. The atomizing nozzle is configured to direct molten material from the tundish towards and into the atomizing vessel. The atomizing vessel comprises an outlet which is configured to extract solidified, atomized particles of the formerly molten material from the atomizing vessel. The powder processing device includes one or more separation units which are arranged for outputting one or more powders from the atomized particles.