Runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials, wherein the runner apparatus guides a flow of the molten materials from a furnace to a casting mold, the runner apparatus comprising: an insulation unit providing a passage for the 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 formed of a stack of a plurality of blocks and forming an exterior wall covering the insulation unit; and a spread unit, comprising furrows such that the molten materials are split in a lateral direction of the flow, and disposed under the insulation unit, spreading the molten materials dropping from the dam unit and transferring the molten materials to the casting mold, wherein: the insulation unit comprises: a plate, a proximal end of which is connected to the furnace, forming a predetermined space where the molten materials discharged from the furnace flow, and a particle portion, made of an aggregate of a plurality of silicate particles, filling the predetermined space of the plate, the dam unit comprises a blocking portion, disposed at a distal end of the plate, forming a partition wall which confines the particle portion inside the plate, the dam unit comprises a fence, engaged with the blocking portion, configured to change a height of the partition wall as desired, and the blocking portion has on an outer surface of the blocking portion, a plurality of protrusions, which are matched with a plurality of grooves of a corresponding shape and size formed on the fence.

2. The runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials of claim 1, wherein the particle portion comprises a pouring concave portion, formed by a drop of the molten materials at a position of the particle portion where the molten materials drop, where the molten materials are temporarily retained.

3. The runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials of claim 2, wherein the pouring concave portion temporarily retains the molten materials with a reduced surface area of the molten materials, thereby lowering a thermal loss of the molten materials.

4. The runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials of claim 1, wherein a gathering concave portion provides a space where the molten materials are temporarily retained with a reduced surface area of the molten materials, thereby lowering a thermal loss of the molten materials.

5. The runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials of claim 1, wherein the fence, upward protruding higher than a top of the blocking portion, with an adjustable height, is configured to change a volume of the molten materials temporarily retained as desired.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other features of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are given hereinbelow by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present disclosure, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a view illustrating flowing down of molten materials to a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of an insulation unit of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an insulation unit of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(6) FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a particle portion of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(7) FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a dam unit and height adjustment of a fence in a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(8) FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a dam unit of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a filter of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure;

(10) FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a spread unit of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure.

(11) It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of embodiments of the disclosure. The specific design features of embodiments of the present disclosure as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

(12) In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of embodiments of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(13) Hereinafter reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the disclosure will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the disclosure to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

(14) A runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, is configured to produce castings of a desired unit shape by casting molten materials 1 such as ferrosilicon or ferromanganese melted in a furnace 10 in a casting mold.

(15) Herein ferrosilicon or ferromanganese is a ferroalloy used for producing steel or cast iron; more specifically, ferrosilicon is used as deoxidizer and a reducing agent, and as a graphitizing agent for making carbon steel.

(16) In general, casting is configured such that the molten materials 1 are poured from a furnace 10 directly onto a casting mold.

(17) Another structure more advanced than the above is merely configured such that the molten materials 1 discharged from a furnace to flow along an elongated pipe made of refractories.

(18) A runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure is based on the technological ideas that gushing of the molten materials from a furnace into a focused place of the casting mold may be prevented and thermal loss of the molten materials flowing into the casting mold may be decreased.

(19) A runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, 6, 8, and/or 9, comprises an insulation unit 100, a dam unit 200, an outside unit 300, and a spread unit 400.

(20) First, the insulation unit 100, as shown FIGS. 3, 4, and/or 6, is a passage along which the molten materials 1 flow from the furnace 10 and is configured to decrease the thermal loss of the molten materials 1.

(21) The insulation unit too is a configuration which first receives the molten materials 1 from the furnace to, so it is preferably made of heat resisting and refractory materials.

(22) Herein, the heat resisting and refractory materials are typically metals or ceramics which are resistant to decomposition by heat as high as several hundreds or thousand degrees (° C.) for a few seconds or several thousand hours.

(23) As shown in FIG. 4, the insulation unit 100 may comprise a plate 110 and a particle portion 120.

(24) First, the plate 110 is configured, with the proximal end thereof connected to the furnace 10, to form a predetermined space where the molten materials from the furnace 10 flow.

(25) The plate 110 comprises two surfaces: an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface is configured, with its proximal end connected to the furnace, to form a steep slope such that the molten materials 1 from the furnace can quickly flow down.

(26) The lower surface of the plate 110 may be configured to form a moderate slope or a horizontal surface.

(27) The molten materials 1 flow from one end from the other end of the plate 110 to reach the casting mold.

(28) The upper and lower surfaces of the plate 110 and the outside unit 300 define a predetermined space in the plate 110.

(29) And the plate 110 is also preferably made of heat resisting and refractory materials.

(30) The particle portion 120 is made of an aggregate of a plurality of silicate particles filling the predetermined space in the plate no.

(31) Herein, the silicate is a rock forming mineral making up 90% of the Earth's crust and classified depending on their chemical structures including different proportions of silicon and oxygen.

(32) The particle portion 120 is formed of silicate crushed into tiny particles, which preferably have a size of 0.063 mm˜2 mm.

(33) The particle portion comprising the plurality of silicate particles takes up a predetermined space in the plate no such that the molten materials from the furnace 10 flow over the plurality of silicate particles.

(34) The plurality of silicate particles, having a low specific heat, are easily heated by the heat radiated from the molten materials 1, and have a high thermal insulation capacity due to their low heat conductivity.

(35) Therefore, the plurality of silicate particles of the particle portion 120 contribute to increase of the temperature of the plate no while delaying the cooling down of the molten materials discharged from the furnace 10 by keeping the high temperature.

(36) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the particle portion 120 comprises a pouring concave portion 121 and a gathering concave portion 122.

(37) First, the pouring concave portion 121 is formed by the drop of the molten materials with a concave shape at a position of the particle portion 120 where the molten materials drop and are temporarily retained therein.

(38) As shown in (a) of FIG. 3, the pouring concave portion 121 forms a place where the molten materials (1′) are gathered and temporarily retained, which decreases the surface area of the molten materials thereby lowering their thermal loss.

(39) The gathering concave portion 122 is formed, with a concave shape and at a position of the particle portion adjacent to the dam unit 200, by the flow and the weight of the molten materials 1′ providing a space where the molten materials 1′ are temporarily retained.

(40) As shown in (b) of FIG. 3, the gathering concave portion 122 provides a space where the molten materials 1′ are temporarily retained with a reduced surface area, thereby lowering the thermal loss of the molten materials 1′.

(41) The dam unit 200, as shown in FIG. 6, is configured to confine the insulation unit 100 in a predetermined space, thus preventing a leak and adjusting the flow of the molten materials 1.

(42) And the dam unit 200 is configured to prevent the plurality of silicate particles from escaping the particle portion 120.

(43) The dam unit 200 of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 7, comprises a blocking portion 210 and a fence 220.

(44) First, the blocking portion 210, disposed at the distal end of the plate 110, forms a partition wall confining the particle portion 120 inside the plate 110.

(45) The blocking portion 210, together with the bottom surface of the plate 110 and the outside unit 300, forms a continuous surface thus contributing to completely confining the plurality of silicate particles inside the plate no.

(46) The blocking portion 210 forms a partition wall rising higher than the top of the heap of the plurality of silicate particles thereby preventing their overflow.

(47) The fence 220, engaged with the blocking portion 210, is configured to adjust a height of the partition wall as desired.

(48) As shown in FIG. 6, the fence 220 protrudes higher than the blocking portion 210 with an adjustable height, thus enabling change of a volume of the molten materials retained as desired.

(49) The fence 220 may be engaged with, and fixed thereto, the upper part of the blocking portion 210.

(50) For example, the blocking portion 210 may have, on its outer surface, a plurality of protrusions, which can be matched with a plurality of grooves of a corresponding shape and size formed on the fence 220.

(51) A plurality of the grooves of the fence 220 are engaged with, and fixed thereto, the protrusions of the blocking portion 210, and the height of the fence 220 may be changed depending on the position of the engagement.

(52) Besides, the fence 220 may be fixed to the blocking portion 210 by winding a chain. The method of fixing the fence 220 is not specifically limited and it is preferable that the fence be attached or detached as desired.

(53) The outside unit 300 of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure forms an exterior wall rising upward covering the insulation unit 100 to prevent the thermal energy radiated from the molten materials 1 from escaping the runner apparatus thereby keeping the temperature inside the insulation unit too.

(54) The outside unit 300, as described above, is preferably made of heat resistant and refractory materials.

(55) The outside unit 300 is preferably formed of a stack of a plurality of blocks forming most of the body of the runner apparatus.

(56) And the outside unit 300 forms an exterior wall rising upward for the insulation unit too covering both sides thereof, thus guiding the molten materials from the furnace to to the spread unit 400.

(57) The spread unit 400, disposed under the insulation unit 100, is configured to spread the molten materials 1 dropping from the dam unit 200 and transfer the same to the casting mold.

(58) The spread unit 400, as shown in FIG. 8, comprises furrows, preferably, such that the molten materials can be split in a lateral direction of the flow.

(59) The spread unit 400 of a runner apparatus for preventing thermal loss of molten materials according to the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises a filter 410, a first spread portion 420, a second spread portion 430, and a dispersing portion 440.

(60) First, the filter 410, as shown in FIG. 8, as a perforated mesh disposed under the insulation unit 100, is configured to filter out the plurality of silicate particles from the mixture of the silicate particles and the molten materials 1 having reached the insulation unit 100.

(61) The filter 410 is configured to filter out an aggregate of the plurality of silicate particles from the mixture of the plurality of silicate particles and the molten materials having reached the spread unit 400, thus preventing the silicate particles from entering into the casting mold.

(62) A unit hole of the perforated mesh of the filter 410 may preferably have as big a diameter as can block the aggregate of a plurality of the silicate particles only from the mixture having reached the spread unit 400.

(63) And the filter 410, as shown in FIG. 8, may be disposed under the first spread portion 420, but is not particularly limited in terms of its position.

(64) Therefore, the filter 410 may be disposed over the first spread portion 420, or between the second spread portion 430 and the dispersing portion 440, which may be preferably determined depending on the given conditions.

(65) The first spread portion 420, stacked and partially exposed under the insulation unit 100, is configured to provide furrows in the direction of the flow of the molten materials 1, thus initially spreading the molten materials 1 dropping from the insulation unit 100.

(66) The second spread portion 430, stacked and partially exposed under the first spread portion, is configured to provide furrows in an opposite direction to the flow of the molten materials, thus further spreading the molten materials dropping from the first spread portion 420.

(67) The second spread portion 430 provides furrows in an opposite direction to those of the first spread portion 420.

(68) The dispersing portion 440, stacked and partially exposed under the second spread portion 430, is configured to spread the molten materials coming from the second spread unit in a width direction and evenly distribute the same into the casting mold.

(69) The dispersing portion 440 is configured to have a steeper slope and a wider width than those of the second spread portion 430, thus preventing the slowing down of the flow of the molten materials 1.

(70) That is, the dispersing portion 440 is configured to further spread the molten materials already spread by the first and second spread portions 420, 430 while speeding up the flow thereof.

(71) The dispersing portion 440 has furrows which contribute to evenly distributing the molten materials into the casting mold by splitting the same in a lateral direction.

(72) The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the appended claims, and the parentheses used in claims are intended not to indicate an optional limitation but to more clarify the configuration thereof; therefore any limitations in parentheses should be understood as essential to the disclosure.