IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STIRRING OF MOLTEN METALS

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for stirring a molten metal are provided. The apparatus comprising: an electromagnetic stirrer, the electromagnetic stirrer including a core, the core being provided with two or more teeth, the core being provided with two or more electrically conducting coils; connections for applying a current to the electrically conducting coils; wherein the two or more teeth have an end proximal the core and an end distal the core, the end distal the core defining a tooth end face, the tooth end face for at least one of the teeth not being aligned with the tooth end face for at least one of the other teeth. In this way the air gap between the teeth and the container in which molten metal is to be stirrer can be kept small, even with curved walls or bases to the container.

Claims

1. Apparatus for stirring a molten metal, the apparatus comprising: an electromagnetic stirrer, the electromagnetic stirrer including a core, the core being provided with two or more teeth, the core being provided with two or more electrically conducting coils; connections for applying a current to the electrically conducting coils; wherein the two or more teeth have an end proximal the core and an end distal the core, the end distal the core defining a tooth end face, the tooth end face for at least one of the teeth not being aligned with the tooth end face for at least one of the other teeth.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tooth end face for at least one of the teeth is not aligned with the tooth end face for at least one of the other teeth when one or more or all of the following apply: 1) One or more tooth end faces are inclined at an angle relative to one or more another tooth end faces; 2) One or more tooth end faces are inclined at an angle relative to a face of the base connector which connects two or more of the teeth together; 3) One or more tooth end faces are inclined at an angle relative to one or more another tooth end faces and one or more tooth end faces are parallel to a face of the base connector which connects two or more of the teeth together; 4) One or more tooth end faces are parallel to, but not coplanar with one or more another tooth end faces; 5) One or more tooth faces are parallel to, but not coplanar with one or more another tooth end faces and are parallel to, but not coplanar with a face of the base connector.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more or each of the tooth end faces have a tooth edge around that tooth end face, the tooth edge is defined by the boundary between the tooth end face and the side surface or surfaces of the tooth, a tooth end face plane being defined for one or more of the tooth end faces, the tooth end plane being defined as a plane passing through three points on the tooth edge of the tooth end face.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tooth end face for at least one of the teeth is not aligned with the tooth end face for at least one of the other teeth when the tooth end face plane for at least one of the teeth is not aligned with the tooth end face place for at least one of the other teeth.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tooth end faces are not aligned when one or more or all of the following apply: 1) One or more tooth end face planes are inclined at an angle relative to one or more another tooth end face planes; 2) One or more tooth end face planes are inclined at an angle relative to a face of the base connector which connects two or more of the teeth together; 3) One or more tooth end face planes are inclined at an angle relative to one or more another tooth end face planes and one or more tooth end faces are parallel to a face of the base connector which connects two or more of the teeth together; 4) One or more tooth end face planes are parallel to, but not coplanar with one or more another tooth end face planes; 5) One or more tooth end face planes are parallel to, but not coplanar with one or more another tooth end face planes and are parallel to, but not coplanar with a face of the base connector; 6) One or more of the tooth end faces is non-planar, but one or more of criteria 1 to 5 in this list apply.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more or all of the teeth extend perpendicular to a base connection, each tooth has an extent away from the base connection, one or more of the teeth having a greater extent that one or more of the other teeth.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the outermost tooth on one side of the set of teeth, preferably the outermost tooth on both sides of the set of teeth, have a greater extent and/or are longer than one or more and preferably all of the other teeth.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the extent and/or length of the outermost teeth is the same.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the inner most tooth for an odd number of teeth and the innermost pair of teeth for an even number of teeth have a lesser extent and/or are shorter than one or more or preferably all of the other teeth.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the teeth intermediate the outermost and the innermost teeth or pair of teeth have an intermediate extent and/or length.

11. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one or more or all of the tooth end faces are provided such that the air gap between the end face and the outer wall of the opposing part of the container for the molten metal is less than 10 cm.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, where the air gap is less than 5 cm.

13. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the tooth end faces are be inclined and/or orientated and/or profiled so as to provide all of the tooth end face within a maximum air gap value.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the maximum air gap value is less than 10 cm, preferably less than 5 cm, more preferably less than 4 cm, still more preferably less than 3 cm, yet more preferably less than 2 cm and ideally less than 1 cm.

15. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one or more or all of the tooth end faces are aligned with the opposing part of the container for the molten metal, a tooth end face being so aligned when one or more or all of the following apply: a) A location on the tooth end face for two or more and preferably all tooth end faces lies on a common arc; b) A location on the tooth end face for two or more and preferably all tooth end faces lies on a common arc and that common arc is concentric with the arc defined by at least the opposing part of the container for the molten metal; c) An equivalent location on the tooth end face for two or more and preferably all tooth end faces lies on a common arc; d) An equivalent location on the tooth end face for two or more and preferably all tooth end faces lies on a common arc and that common arc is concentric with the arc defined by at least the opposing part of the container for the molten metal; e) The centre of the tooth end face for two or more and preferably all tooth end faces lies on a common arc; f) The centre of the tooth end face for two or more and preferably all tooth end faces lies on a common arc and that common arc is concentric with the arc defined by at least the opposing part of the container for the molten metal.

16. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus further includes one or more of: a casing for the apparatus; a support frame; one or more cooling spaces; a control system. The support frame may support the core and/or one or more or all of the coils of electrical conductor and/or the control system.

17. A method of manufacturing apparatus for stirring a molten metal, the method comprising: measurement of the non-planar characteristics of the wall for the container for the molten metal at the location at which stirring is to be provided; providing an electromagnetic stirrer, the electromagnetic stirrer including a core, the core being provided with two or more teeth, the core being provided with two or more electrically conducting coils; providing connections for applying a current to the electrically conducting coils; wherein the two or more teeth have an end proximal the core and an end distal the core, the end distal the core defining a tooth end face, the tooth end face for at least one of the teeth not being aligned with the tooth end face for at least one of the other teeth; and wherein the extent of non-alignment of the tooth end faces is determined from the measurement of the non-planar characteristics of the wall.

18. A method of stirring molten metal within a container, the method including: providing an electromagnetic stirrer, the electromagnetic stirrer including a core, the core being provided with two or more teeth, the core being provided with two or more electrically conducting coils; applying a current to at least one of the electrically conducting coils at a first time to generate a first magnetic field configuration; applying a current to at least one of the other electrically conducting coils at a second time to generate a second magnetic field configuration, such that the changes in magnetic field configuration cause movement of the molten metal within the container; wherein the two or more teeth have an end proximal the core and an end distal the core, the end distal the core defining a tooth end face with a tooth edge around that tooth end face, a tooth end face plane being defined as the plane passing through three points on the tooth edge of the tooth end face, the tooth end face plane for at least one of the teeth not being aligned with the tooth end face plane for at least one of the other teeth.

19. (canceled)

Description

[0066] Various embodiments of the invention will not be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of example only, in which:

[0067] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art planar electromagnetic stirrer configuration;

[0068] FIG. 2 illustrates in plan view a first embodiment of the present invention deployed relative to a rotary furnace;

[0069] FIG. 3 illustrates the electromagnetic stirrer configuration for the embodiment of FIG. 2 in more detail;

[0070] FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed view of the end configuration of one of the poles of the electromagnet of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0071] FIG. 5 illustrates a detailed view of the end configuration of one of the poles of the electromagnet according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0072] FIG. 6 illustrates schematically an electromagnetic stirrer configuration according to a third embodiment of the invention;

[0073] FIG. 7a illustrates a plan view of a tooth and FIG. 7b illustrates a side view of the same tooth with reference to the definition of a tooth end face plane;

[0074] FIG. 8 illustrates a plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0075] As illustrated in FIG. 1, an electromagnetic stirrer 1 comprises a closely coiled electrical conductor 3 wrapped around a first tooth 5 of a core 7. In such an arrangement the tooth can be considered as a pole and the terms can be used interchangeably. The conductor 3 is connected to a power supply 9 via a control system 11. The control system 11 determines the timing, current, voltage and other operating conditions applied to the electrical conductor 3 and hence the resultant magnetic field generated by the electrical conductor 3.

[0076] The core 7 is generally of a ferromagnetic or ferromagnetic material, such as iron, and is crucial to concentrating the magnetic flux and hence the generation of a more powerful magnetic field than would be achieved without the core 7. Typically a thousand time increase in the strength of the magnetic field is possible through the use of the core 7.

[0077] The magnetic field arises which a current passes through the conductor 3 and disappears when the current is removed. This occurs quickly and so makes the use of electromagnets beneficial where a changing magnetic field is required.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 1, the second tooth 13 has a second coil 15 and the third tooth 17 has a third coil 19. The control system 11 ensures that current can be fed to the first coil 7, second coil 15 and third coil 19 at different times. The use of different phases means that the configuration of the overall magnetic field arising changes with time. Correct configuration of the operating conditions, including the phase for the coils, ensures that the resultant magnetic field serves to move molten metal 21 (for instance aluminium) within the container 23 which the electromagnetic stirrer 1 is provided for.

[0079] In the FIG. 1 embodiment, the core 7 forms a continuous mass throughout the first tooth 5, second tooth 15, third tooth 17 and the connecting base 25. The connecting base 25 links the three poles and also provides a first side extension 27 and a second side extension 29 at the two ends. As a result, the first tooth 5, second tooth 15 and third tooth 17 are effectively individual teeth extending from the connecting base 25.

[0080] In effect, the core 7 and the molten metal 21 form a magnetic circuit with relatively low reluctance. The air gap AG has a higher reluctance but is kept small by the relative deployment of the electromagnetic stirrer 1 and the container 23.

[0081] As shown, the electromagnetic stirrer 1 is provided in proximity with a planar wall 31 of the container 23. The casing 33 provided around the electromagnetic stirrer 1 has a planar wall 35 facing the planar wall 33 of the container 23. The end faces 37a, 37b and 37c of the three poles are also aligned in a common plane (extending left to right in the illustration) and the connecting base 25 of the core 7 also means that the connecting base 25 and the ends 35a, 35b and 35c of the three poles distal to the planar wall 35 also occupy a separate common plane (extending left to right in the illustration).

[0082] In very many cases, the container 23 in which molten metal 21 is to be stirred features a planar wall 31, for instance as a side wall or a base wall, for the container 23 and so the planar wall 35 of the casing 33 can be placed close to the planar wall 31 of the container. This means that the total air gap AG is kept low.

[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 2, there are containers 123 which contain molten metal 121 and which require stirring, but which feature curved walls. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the container 123 is a circular furnace and as such has a substantial diameter, for instance greater than 4 m, and hence a substantial circumference. The overall mass and/or size of the circumference means that furnace is not moveable and that a stirrer cannot encircle the container. Curved surfaces are also encountered in rotary furnaces and other such containers for molten metal.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 2, the major portion of the side wall 131a is curved. The limited planar walls 131b, 131c, 131d, are not suitable locations at which to provide stirring of the molten metal 121 within the container 123. As a consequence, any attempt to use a planar wall 35 style casing 33 for a an electromagnetic stirrer 1 of the type illustrated in FIG. 1 will result in a very large airgap AP, particularly at the location of the first tooth 5 and the third tooth 17 relative to the container 123.

[0085] In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, a number of modifications to the electromagnetic stirrer 101 have been made.

[0086] The profile of the casing 133 is modified to be generally concentric with the perimeter wall 131a of the container 123. As a consequence, the air gap AG.sub.1 between the outside of the perimeter wall 131a and the outside of the casing 133 is kept similar and low for all three poles.

[0087] As seen in the detailed view of FIG. 3, furthermore, the end face 137a for the first tooth 105, end face 137b for the second tooth 113 and end face 137c for the third tooth 117 are arranged such that the end faces lie on a common arc A-A which is concentric to the common arc B-B followed by the perimeter wall 131 of the container 123. The common arc A-A is not parallel to the planar connecting base 125 of the core 107, plane Y-Y. The casing 133 has been omitted for clarity, but also follows an arcuate profile concentric to both the common arc A-A and common arc B-B.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 3, the end face 137b of the second tooth 113 is parallel to the planar connecting base 125 of the core 107, plane Y-Y. However, the end face 137a of the first tooth 105 is inclined relative to the planar connecting base 125 of the core 107, plane Y-Y, in a first direction. The end face 137c of the third tooth 117 is also inclined relative to the planar connecting base 125 of the core 107, plane Y-Y, in a second opposing direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the end faces 137a, 137b, 137c are each arcuate in their own right, as shown for the first end face 137a and so the end face 137a fully follows the opposing curved wall 131 of the container (curve emphasised in FIG. 4).

[0089] Other non-planar arrangements for the combination of the end faces 137a, 137b, 137c of the first tooth 105, second tooth 113 and third tooth 117 are possible.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 5, in relation to just the end face 237a of the first tooth 205, the centre-point 250 lies precisely on the arc A-A. The individual end faces 237a, 237b, 237c, as shown for the first end face 237a are planar and not arcuate. As such, the air gap varies very slightly from a lowest value at the centre-point 250 to slightly higher values at the edges 252a, 252b of the first end face 237a.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 6, each of the end faces 337a, 337b, 337c are parallel to the planar connecting base 333 of the core 307, plane Y-Y, and to each other. However, the end faces 337a, 337b, 337c are not coplanar with each other. The first end face 337a and the third end face 337c are coplanar, but the second end face 337b is offset relative to that plane Z-Z. The offset is present by the second end face 337b being closer to the planar connecting base 333 and its plane Y-Y.

[0092] Whilst the modification to the casing and to the poles is shown with reference to a three tooth electromagnetic stirrer, the same principles can be applied to a two stirrer or a stirrer with more than three poles.

[0093] In the above illustrations, the invention has been shown with reference to a curved container wall, however, other non-planar container walls can be accommodated by the principle of the invention.

[0094] When considering the alignment of the end faces relative to each other and/or the connecting base at its plane, it can be beneficial to consider that alignment in the context of a tooth end face plane. The tooth end face plane can be established by the approach shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIG. 7a shows a plan view of the tooth looking down the axis of the tooth. FIG. 7b shows a side view of the tooth, a view taken perpendicular to the view in FIG. 7b. The axis of the tooth T-T is perpendicular to the plane of the connecting base Y-Y in this instance. If any three points are selected on the edge of the tooth end face, points A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3 in FIG. 7a, then it is possible to define a plane upon which all three points A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3 lie and consider this to be the tooth end face plane, TEFP in FIG. 7b. Any three points can be selected, for instance B.sub.1, B.sub.2, B.sub.3 and a plane defined. In many configurations of the tooth end face the tooth end face plane defined by any set of three points will be the same or substantially the same. Two tooth end planes are not aligned when they are angled relative to one another, such as is the case in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 or when they are in parallel but off set planes, as is the case in FIG. 6.

[0095] FIG. 8 is another detailed, plan view of an embodiment of the invention. The end face 137a for the first tooth 105, end face 137b for the second tooth 113 and end face 137c for the third tooth 117 are arranged such that the end faces lie on positions approaching the common arc A-A (seen in FIG. 3) which is concentric to the common arc B-B followed by the perimeter wall of the container (not shown but consistent with the FIG. 3 approach). The casing 133 is present and is formed of a series of angled panels to also generally accommodate an arcuate profile for the container (not shown). In this case the end faces 137a, b, c are planar.