DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING INGOTS

Abstract

A method and a device for producing ingots from metal or metal alloy. The method and the device are suitable for producing ingots from nickel, titanium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, or alloys thereof and alloys with said metals in continuous casting methods. The device has an ingot chamber, which is suitable for receiving multiple cast ingots and for allowing the ingots to cool in the ingot chamber. For this purpose, the ingots are arranged in the ingot chamber in a horizontally movable manner on ingot holding means.

Claims

1. A device for producing ingots from metal or metal alloy, having a. at least one melting device, b. at least one permanent mold, c. at least one gastight ingot chamber, which is arranged at least partially underneath the permanent mold, d. wherein the ingot chamber has a plurality of ingot holding means, which are suitable for receiving at least one ingot in each case, e. wherein the ingot holding means are horizontally movable, with the result that i. an ingot holding means can be moved to a melting position underneath the permanent mold to receive an ingot, and ii. can then be moved to a different location in order to free the melting position for another ingot holding means, f. wherein the permanent mold is arranged in such a way that molten metal or metal alloy can be fed to it from the melting device.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ingot holding means are arranged on a movable plate.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one first lifting device, which is suitable for forming a releasable connection to an ingot molded with the aid of the permanent mold and for guiding the ingot into the ingot holding means in the melting position.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one unloading chamber, which is arranged at least partially above the ingot chamber and has an opening towards the ingot chamber, which is closable in a gastight manner.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, comprising at least one second lifting device, which is suitable for lifting an ingot out of an ingot holding means in the ingot chamber to an unloading point in the unloading chamber.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the melting device has at least one heating means, which is preferably selected from a plasma torch and/or an electron beam gun.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ingot holding means are movable about a substantially vertical axis of rotation.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least four ingot holding means.

9. A method for producing ingots from metal or metal alloy, comprising the following steps: a. melting a metal or a metal alloy, b. casting an ingot from the melt by means of a permanent mold, c. lowering the ingot out of the permanent mold onto an ingot holding means in a gastight ingot chamber, while the ingot holding means is in a melting position, d. moving the ingot holding means horizontally, with the result that the ingot holding means occupied by the ingot frees the melting position for another, unoccupied ingot holding means, e. allowing the ingot to cool in the ingot holding means, f. moving the occupied ingot holding means to an unloading position in the ingot chamber, and g. unloading the ingot from the ingot chamber at the unloading position.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the metal or the metal alloy is selected from Ni, Ti, V, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf and alloys thereof and alloys with said metals.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the metal alloy comprises TiAl or is composed thereof.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method is carried out under inert gas or in a vacuum.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inert gas is helium.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inert gas atmosphere or the vacuum prevails in the ingot chamber.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ingot has a temperature of no more than 500 C. at the time of unloading.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a device according to the invention with an ingot chamber 10, a melting chamber 20, an unloading chamber 30 and two lifting devices 40. The melting chamber 20 is arranged above the ingot chamber. The unloading chamber 30 is arranged above the ingot chamber 10. The lifting devices 40 are arranged underneath the ingot chamber 10. A permanent mold 21 is furthermore arranged in the melting chamber 20.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows the same device as that in FIG. 1 in section. Ingots 16 are shown within the ingot chamber 10, each ingot being composed of an ingot body 14 and a starter block 12. FIG. 2 shows the device in a state with a starter block 12 raised into the permanent mold 21. For this purpose, the first lifting device 40 is shown in a position in which a lifting means 42 is situated directly underneath the ingot chamber bottom 17 and a guiding means 43 extends through the ingot chamber 10 as far as the permanent mold 21. The lifting means 42 is shown in the form of a lifting unit, which can be moved on a guide rod 44. In contrast, the second lifting device 40 is shown in a position in which a lifting means 42 is shown in the lowermost position. Here, the guiding means 43 is completely below the ingot holding means.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a section through a starter block 12 in the permanent mold 21. The starter block 12 has been raised out of an ingot holding means (not shown) in the melting position into the permanent mold 21 with the aid of the guiding means 43 of the lifting device. In the course of the process, molten metal or metal alloy is poured onto the contact surface 18 of the starter block 12. There, the metal or metal alloy solidifies to form the ingot body, and, by means of the guiding means 43, the starter block 12 is moved successively downward until the starter block 12 reaches the ingot holding means. Even before reaching the ingot holding means, the further formation of the ingot body is stopped, it being possible to achieve this, for example, by interrupting the supply of material or the supply of heat. The fact that the lowering of the starter block 12 with the ingot body formed thereon into the ingot holding means is nevertheless continued ensures that the ingot body 14 produced separates and is obtained with a height which is less than the height of the ingot chamber 10.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a section in the lower region of the ingot chamber 10. Among the components shown is a rotatable plate 15, in which the ingot holding means 11 with the starter blocks 12 situated therein are arranged. The starter blocks 12 have fixing elements 13. It can be seen that the starter blocks 12 have a smaller diameter in the lower region than above it. As a result, the starter block 12 and, with it, the ingot body 14 is fixed by the holding means, in particular in the form of a tube section 19. The ingot cannot be moved to the sides or downward; on the contrary, it can only be lifted out upward. Also shown is the fixing unit 41 on the lifting device, which can enter into a releasable connection to a corresponding fixing element 13 on the starter block 12. It is furthermore apparent that the guiding means 43 is suitable for lifting the ingot out of the ingot holding means 11, wherein the guiding means 43 is moved through the ingot chamber bottom 17 and the ingot holding means 11.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows substantially the same cutaway portion as FIG. 4 in a different section plane.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0052] 10ingot chamber [0053] 11ingot holding means [0054] 12starter block [0055] 13fixing element [0056] 14ingot body [0057] 15rotatable plate [0058] 16ingot [0059] 17ingot chamber bottom [0060] 18contact surface [0061] 19tube section [0062] 20melting chamber [0063] 21permanent mold [0064] 30unloading chamber [0065] 40lifting device [0066] 41fixing unit [0067] 42lifting means [0068] 43guiding means [0069] 44guide rod