Molten metal holding container

Abstract

A molten metal holding container 1 includes an extraction outer pipe 12, an extraction inner pipe 13 and a load receiving part 7 including a first protrusion 7a protruding from an outer circumference of the inner pipe 3 in the horizontal direction and a second protrusion 7b protruding from an inner circumference of the outer pipe 2 in the horizontal direction so as to be opposed to the first protrusion 7a in a vertical direction, the second protrusion 7b being configured to receive a load of the inner pipe 3 through the first protrusion 7a, in which a vertical position of the load receiving part 7 coincides with a vertical position of a central axis of the extraction inner pipe 13.

Claims

1. A molten metal holding container comprising an outer wall having a bottom at a lower end in a vertical direction, and an inner wall having a bottom at a lower end in the vertical direction, the inner wall being disposed inside the outer wall, in which a depressurized first sealed space is formed between the outer wall and the inner wall, and the molten metal holding container is configured to contain molten metal inside the inner wall, and wherein the molten metal holding container further comprises: an extraction outer pipe extending from the outer wall in a horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction outer pipe being connected to a space inside the outer wall; an extraction inner pipe for extracting the molten metal from inside the inner wall, the extraction inner pipe being disposed inside the extraction outer pipe and extending from the inner wall in the horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction inner pipe being connected to a space inside the inner wall; and a load receiving part including a first protrusion protruding from an outer circumference of the inner wall in the horizontal direction and a second protrusion protruding from an inner circumference of the outer wall in the horizontal direction so as to be opposed to the first protrusion in a vertical direction, wherein the first protrusion does not directly contact the outer wall and the second protrusion does not directly contact the inner wall, and the second protrusion being configured to receive a load of the inner wall through the first protrusion, a depressurized second sealed space is formed between the extraction outer pipe and the extraction inner pipe, the second sealed spaced being connected to the first sealed space, and a vertical position of a vertically lower-side surface of the first protrusion supported by the outer wall through the second protrusion coincides with a vertical position of a central axis of the extraction inner pipe.

2. A molten metal holding container comprising an outer wall having a bottom at a lower end in a vertical direction, and an inner wall having a bottom at a lower end in the vertical direction, the inner wall being disposed inside the outer wall, in which a depressurized first sealed space is formed between the outer wall and the inner wall, and the molten metal holding container is configured to contain molten metal inside the inner wall, and wherein the molten metal holding container further comprises: an extraction outer pipe extending from the outer wall in a horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction outer pipe being connected to a space inside the outer wall; an extraction inner pipe for extracting the molten metal from inside the inner wall, the extraction inner pipe being disposed inside the extraction outer pipe and extending from the inner wall in the horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction inner pipe being connected to a space inside the inner wall; and a load receiving part including a first protrusion protruding from an outer circumference of the inner wall in the horizontal direction and a second protrusion protruding from an inner circumference of the outer wall in the horizontal direction so as to be opposed to the first protrusion in a vertical direction, the second protrusion being configured to receive a load of the inner wall through the first protrusion, a depressurized second sealed space is formed between the extraction outer pipe and the extraction inner pipe, the second sealed spaced being connected to the first sealed space, and a vertical position of a vertically lower-side surface of the first protrusion supported by the outer wall through the second protrusion coincides with a vertical position of a central axis of the extraction inner pipe, wherein an insertion member formed of a material having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the outer wall and the inner wall is inserted between the first and second protrusions.

3. A molten metal holding container comprising an outer wall having a bottom at a lower end in a vertical direction, and an inner wall having a bottom at a lower end in the vertical direction, the inner wall being disposed inside the outer wall, in which a depressurized first scaled space is formed between the outer wall and the inner wall, and the molten metal holding container is configured to contain molten metal inside the inner wall, and wherein the molten metal holding container further comprises: an extraction outer pipe extending from the outer wall in a horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction outer pipe being connected to a space inside the outer wall; an extraction inner pipe for extracting the molten metal from inside the inner wall, the extraction inner pipe being disposed inside the extraction outer pipe and extending from the inner wall in the horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction inner pipe being connected to a space inside the inner wall; and a load receiving part including a first protrusion protruding from an outer circumference of the inner wall in the horizontal direction and a second protrusion protruding from an inner circumference of the outer wall in the horizontal direction so as to be opposed to the first protrusion in a vertical direction, the second protrusion being configured to receive a load of the inner wall through the first protrusion, a depressurized second sealed space is formed between the extraction outer pipe and the extraction inner pipe, the second sealed spaced being connected to the first sealed space, and a vertical position of a vertically lower-side surface of the first protrusion supported by the outer wall through the second protrusion coincides with a vertical position of a central axis of the extraction inner pipe, wherein an upper end of the outer wall in the vertical direction and an upper end of the inner wall in the vertical direction are connected to each other through a bellows.

4. A molten metal holding container comprising an outer wall having a bottom at a lower end in a vertical direction, and an inner wall having a bottom at a lower end in the vertical direction, the inner wall being disposed inside the outer wall, in which a depressurized first sealed space is formed between the outer wall and the inner wall, and the molten metal holding container is configured to contain molten metal inside the inner wall, and wherein the molten metal holding container further comprises: an extraction outer pipe extending from the outer wall in a horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction outer pipe being connected to a space inside the outer wall; an extraction inner pipe for extracting the molten metal from inside the inner wall, the extraction inner pipe being disposed inside the extraction outer pipe and extending from the inner wall in the horizontal direction, a space inside the extraction inner pipe being connected to a space inside the inner wall; and a load receiving part including a first protrusion protruding from an outer circumference of the inner wall in the horizontal direction and a second protrusion protruding from an inner circumference of the outer wall in the horizontal direction so as to be opposed to the first protrusion in a vertical direction, the second protrusion being configured to receive a load of the inner wall through the first protrusion, a depressurized second sealed space is formed between the extraction outer pipe and the extraction inner pipe, the second sealed spaced being connected to the first sealed space, and a vertical position of a vertically lower-side surface of the first protrusion supported by the outer wall through the second protrusion coincides with a vertical position of a central axis of the extraction inner pipe, further comprising a bellows connection part in a middle of a part of the extraction inner pipe that is located in the second sealed space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a molten metal holding container according to a first embodiment;

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along a line II-II in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining states before and after a high-temperature molten metal is put into a containing space in the molten metal holding container according to the first embodiment;

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a molten metal holding container according to a second embodiment; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a molten metal holding container related to a problem to be solved by the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

(6) A first embodiment according to the present disclosure is described below with reference to the drawings. Note that right-handed xyz-coordinate systems shown in the figures are illustrated for simplifying an explanation of positional relations among components.

(7) Firstly, a configuration of a molten metal holding container 1 according to this embodiment is described.

(8) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the molten metal holding container 1. FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along a line II-II in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the molten metal holding container 1 includes an outer pipe 2 serving as an outer wall, an inner pipe 3 serving as an inner wall, a load receiving part 7, an extraction outer pipe 12, and an extraction inner pipe 13.

(9) The outer pipe 2 has a cylindrical shape and has a bottom at the lower end in the vertical direction. Further, an end of the outer pipe 2 opposite to the bottom (i.e., the upper end in the vertical direction) is opened. In the outer pipe 2, an annular wall 2a extending inward along (i.e., in parallel with) an opened surface 2d is formed. The inner pipe 3 has a cylindrical shape and is coaxially disposed inside the outer pipe 2. Further, the inner pipe 3 has a bottom at the lower end in the vertical direction and its end opposite to the bottom (i.e., the upper end in the vertical direction) is opened. A space inside the inner pipe 3 serves as a containing space 17 for containing molten metal W. The material for the outer and inner pipes 2 and 3 is, for example, stainless steel (SUS304, SUS316L, etc.) or steel. In the containing space 17, the molten metal W is kept at a predetermined temperature by an immersion heater 9.

(10) A bellows 4 is connected to the upper end of the inner pipe 3 in the vertical direction. The other end of the bellows 4, i.e., the end opposite to the end to which the inner pipe 3 is connected is connected to the annular wall 2a of the outer pipe 2. That is, the vertically upper ends of the inner and outer pipes 3 and 2 are connected to each other through the bellows 4 and a first sealed space 8 is formed between the outer and inner pipes 2 and 3. Since the bellows 4 is a flexible elastic pipe and acts as an elastic body, it can absorb a deformation of the inner pipe 3 caused by thermal expansion thereof. The material for the bellows 4 is, for example, stainless steel, steel, titanium, or the like. The first sealed space 8 is a depressurized space, that is, a vacuum space. In this way, it is possible to prevent heat from being transferred from the inner pipe 3 to the outer pipe 2.

(11) The extraction outer pipe 12 extends from the outer pipe 2 in the horizontal direction and its internal space is connected to a space inside the outer pipe 2. The extraction inner pipe 13 is disposed inside the extraction outer pipe 12. The extraction inner pipe 13 extends from the inner pipe 3 in the horizontal direction and its internal space is connected to a space inside the inner pipe 3. The extraction inner pipe 13 is provided to extract the molten metal W from the inside of the inner pipe 3, i.e., from the first sealed space 8. A depressurized second sealed space 18 is formed between the extraction outer pipe 12 and the extraction inner pipe 13, and is connected to the first sealed space 8. The molten metal holding container 1 includes a bellows connection part 13a in a middle of a part of the extraction inner pipe 13 that is located in the second sealed space 18. An end of the extraction inner pipe 13 opposite to another end at which its internal space is connected to the space inside the inner pipe 3 is connected to a casting machine 14. A heat-insulating material 11 may be disposed in a part of the extraction inner pipe 13 at which the extraction inner pipe 13 is connected to the casting machine 14.

(12) The load receiving part 7 has a first protrusion 7a and a second protrusion 7b. The vertical position of a vertically lower-side surface 7aA of the first protrusion 7a supported by the outer pipe 2 through the second protrusion 7b coincides with the vertical position of a central axis L1 of the extraction inner pipe 13. The first protrusion 7a protrudes from an outer circumference of the inner pipe 3 in the horizontal direction. The second protrusion 7b protrudes from an inner circumference of the outer pipe 2 in the horizontal direction so as to be opposed to the first protrusion 7a in the vertical direction. Further, the second protrusion 7b receives a load of the inner pipe 3 through the first protrusion 7a.

(13) Further, an insertion member 6 that is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the outer and inner pipes 2 and 3 is inserted between the first and second protrusions 7a and 7b. The insertion member 6 is formed of, for example, ceramics. The insertion member 6 may be a laminated structure formed by laminating a plurality of sheet members. When the insertion member 6 is formed as a laminated structure as described above, it can be brought into contact with the first and second protrusions 7a and 7b more tightly.

(14) Next, states of the molten metal holding container 1 according to this embodiment before and after a high-temperature molten metal W is contained in the containing space 17 are described.

(15) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining states before and after a high-temperature molten metal W is put into the containing space 17 in the molten metal holding container 1. In FIG. 3, an upper part shows a state of the molten metal holding container 1 before the molten metal W is put into the containing space 17 (a molten metal non-containing state) and a lower part shows a state in which the molten metal W is put into the containing space 17 (a molten metal containing state). Note that when the molten metal W is aluminum, a temperature of the molten metal W is about 800 C.

(16) As shown in FIG. 3, when the high-temperature molten metal W is put into the containing space 17, the inner pipe 3 thermally expands in an axial direction (indicted by arrows A1 and A2) and a radial direction (indicated by an arrow B1). As described above, the second protrusion 7b protruding from the inner circumference of the outer pipe 2 in the horizontal direction supports the load of the inner pipe 3 through the first protrusion 7a protruding from the outer circumference of the inner pipe 3 in the horizontal direction. When the high-temperature molten metal W is put into the containing space 17, the outer pipe 2 hardly thermally expands. Therefore, the vertical position of the first protrusion 7a supported by the second protrusion 7b hardly moves and is substantially fixed. Therefore, when the high-temperature molten metal W is put into the containing space 17, the position of the second protrusion 7b in the vertical direction becomes the center of the thermal expansion. Further, the part of the inner pipe 3 that is located above the thermal expansion center C1 in the vertical direction thermally expands upward (indicated by the arrow A1) and the part of the inner pipe 3 that is located below the thermal expansion center C1 in the vertical direction thermally expands downward (indicated by the arrow A2).

(17) In the molten metal holding container 1, the vertical position of a vertically lower-side surface 7aA of the first protrusion 7a supported by the outer pipe 2 through the second protrusion 7b coincides with the vertical position of the central axis L1 of the extraction inner pipe 13. As described above, when the high-temperature molten metal W is put in the containing space 17, the vertical position of the first protrusion 7a hardly moves and hence the vertical position of the extraction inner pipe 13 also hardly moves. Consequently, it is possible to, when the molten metal W is contained in the molten metal holding container 1, prevent the extraction inner pipe 13 from being broken due to a stress which would otherwise be exerted on the extraction inner pipe 13 because of thermal expansion of the inner pipe 3.

(18) In the molten metal holding container 1, the vertically upper ends of the inner and outer pipes 3 and 2 are connected to each other through the bellows 4. Therefore, when the molten metal W is put into the containing space 17, vertically upward expansion of the part of the inner pipe 3 that is located above the thermal expansion center C1 in the vertical direction is absorbed by the bellows 4 as the bellows 4 contracts. In this way, it is possible to prevent the inner pipe 3 from being warped due to the thermal expansion.

(19) When the molten metal W is put into the containing space 17, the inner pipe 3 thermally expands in the radial direction. As a result, the position of the extraction inner pipe 13 moves in the horizontal direction. In the molten metal holding container 1, since the bellows connection part 13a is provided in a middle of the part of the extraction inner pipe 13 located in the second sealed space 18, it is possible to absorb the movement of the position of the extraction inner pipe 13 in the horizontal direction. As a result, it is possible to prevent the extraction inner pipe 13 from being warped due to the thermal expansion of the inner pipe 3.

Second Embodiment

(20) A second embodiment according to the present disclosure is described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. Note that the same symbols as those in the first embodiment are assigned to the same parts as those in the first embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted.

(21) FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a molten metal holding container 101 according to a second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the molten metal holding container 101 includes an outer pipe 2, an inner pipe 3, a load receiving part 7, an extraction outer pipe 12, and an extraction inner pipe 13. That is, a configuration of the molten metal holding container 101 is fundamentally the same as that of the molten metal holding container 1 according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 1). The molten metal holding container 101 according to this embodiment differs from the molten metal holding container 1 according to the first embodiment in that the second protrusion 7b is directly supported by the first protrusion 7a without using any insertion member therebetween in the molten metal holding container 101.

(22) When the second protrusion 7b is directly supported by the first protrusion 7a as in the case of the molten metal holding container 101 according to this embodiment, the heat-insulating property is somewhat poorer than that of the molten metal holding container 1 according to the first embodiment. However, there is an advantage that the number of components can be reduced.

(23) It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

(24) From the disclosure thus described, it will be obvious that the embodiments of the disclosure may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended for inclusion within the scope of the following claims.