Ultrasonic grain refining and degassing procedures and systems for metal casting

Abstract

A molten metal processing device including an assembly mounted on the casting wheel, including at least one vibrational energy source which supplies vibrational energy to molten metal cast in the casting wheel while the molten metal in the casting wheel is cooled, and a support device holding the vibrational energy source. An associated method for forming a metal product which provides molten metal into a containment structure included as a part of a casting mill, cools the molten metal in the containment structure, and couples vibrational energy into the molten metal in the containment structure.

1 . A molten metal processing device for a casting wheel on a casting mill, comprising:
 an assembly mounted on the casting wheel, including,   at least one vibrational energy source which supplies vibrational energy to molten metal cast in the casting wheel while the molten metal in the casting wheel is cooled, and   a support device holding said at least one vibrational energy source.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support device includes a housing comprising a cooling channel for transport of a cooling medium therethrough. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling channel includes said cooling medium comprising at least one of water, gas, liquid metal, and engine oils. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibrational energy source comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer, at least one mechanically-driven vibrator, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to provide vibrational energy in a range of frequencies up to 400 kHz. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the mechanically-driven vibrator comprises a plurality of mechanically-driven vibrators. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the mechanically-driven vibrator is configured to provide vibrational energy in a range of frequencies up to 10 KHz. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the casting wheel includes a band confining the molten metal in a channel of the casting wheel. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is positioned above the casting wheel and has passages in a housing for a band confining the molten metal in a channel of the casting wheel to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein
 the housing has a cooling channel for transport of a cooling medium therethrough, and   said band is guided along the housing to permit the cooling medium from the cooling channel to flow along a side of the band opposite the molten metal.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support device comprises at least one or more of niobium, a niobium alloy, titanium, a titanium alloy, tantalum, a tantalum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, rhenium, a rhenium alloy, steel, molybdenum, a molybdenum alloy, stainless steel, a ceramic, a composite, a polymer, or a metal. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the ceramic comprises a silicon nitride ceramic. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the silicon nitride ceramic comprises a silica alumina nitride. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the support device includes a housing comprising a cooling channel for transport of a cooling medium therethrough, and   the housing comprises a refractory material.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the refractory material comprises at least one of copper, niobium, niobium and molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, and rhenium, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the refractory material comprises one or more of silicon, oxygen, or nitrogen. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibrational energy source comprises more than one vibrational energy sources in contact with a cooling medium. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one vibrational energy source comprises at least one vibrating probe inserted into a cooling channel in the support device. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibrational energy source comprises at least one vibrating probe in contact with the support device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibrational energy source comprises at least one vibrating probe in direct contact with a band at a base of the support device. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibrational energy source comprises plural vibrational energy sources distributed at different positions in the support device. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a guide device which guides the assembly with respect to movement of the casting wheel. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the guide device is disposed on a band on a rim of the casting wheel. 
     
     
         24 . A method for forming a metal product, comprising:
 providing molten metal into a containment structure of a casting mill;   cooling the molten metal in the containment structure, and   coupling vibrational energy into the molten metal in the containment structure during said cooling.   
     
     
         25 . A molten metal processing device comprising:
 a source of molten metal;   an ultrasonic degasser including an ultrasonic probe inserted into the molten metal;   a casting for reception of the molten metal;   an assembly mounted on the casting, including,   at least one vibrational energy source which supplies vibrational energy to molten metal cast in the casting while the molten metal in the casting is cooled, and   a support device holding said at least one vibrational energy source.   
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the ultrasonic degasser comprises:
 an elongated probe comprising a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the ultrasonic transducer and the second end comprising a tip, and   a purging gas delivery comprising a purging gas inlet and a purging gas outlet, said purging gas outlet disposed at the tip of the elongated probe for introducing a purging gas into the molten metal.   
     
     
         27 . A metallic product comprising:
 a cast metallic composition having sub-millimeter grain sizes and including less than 0.5% grain refiners therein and having at least one of the following properties:   an elongation which ranges from 10 to 30% under a stretching force of 100 lbs/in 2 ,   a tensile strength which ranges from 50 to 300 MPa; or   an electrical conductivity which ranges from 45 to 75% of IAC, where IAC is a percent unit of electrical conductivity relative to a standard annealed copper conductor.   
     
     
         28 . The product of  claim 27 , wherein the composition includes less than 0.2% grain refiners therein. 
     
     
         29 . The product of  claim 27 , wherein the composition includes less than 0.1% grain refiners therein. 
     
     
         30 . The product of  claim 27 , wherein the composition includes no grain refiners therein.