Nickel magnesium wire injection system and method thereof

Abstract

A method of treating liquid iron in a pour furnace includes providing the pour furnace with a body, an inlet for receiving liquid iron, an outlet for dispensing liquid iron, and an access opening located in the body and remote from the outlet. The method also includes suspending a platform over the pour furnace and in alignment with the access opening, injecting a cored wire containing nickel magnesium through the access opening into an interior of the body of the furnace, and reacting the nickel magnesium with the liquid iron in the body of the furnace. The method further includes treating the liquid iron with the magnesium to increase its ductility and strength.

1 . A method of treating liquid iron in a pour furnace, comprising:
 providing the pour furnace with a body, an inlet for receiving liquid iron, an outlet for dispensing liquid iron, and an access opening located in the body and remote from the outlet;   suspending a platform over the pour furnace and in alignment with the access opening;   injecting a cored wire containing nickel magnesium through the access opening into an interior of the body of the furnace;   reacting the nickel magnesium with the liquid iron in the body of the furnace; and   treating the liquid iron with magnesium from the nickel magnesium material to increase its ductility and strength.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reacting step comprises reacting the liquid iron with the nickel magnesium at a bottom portion of the body of the furnace. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the injecting step comprises injecting the cored wire by an injector drive motor located on the platform. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pressurizing the interior of the body with an inert gas. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising supplying the cored wire on a spool located on the platform. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing an elongated sheet of steel;   placing a powder of the nickel magnesium on the elongated sheet of steel;   folding the sheet of steel to form the cored wire of nickel magnesium;   rolling the cored wire on a spool; and   positioning the spool of the cored wire on the platform.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the injecting step comprises feeding the cored wire into the body of the furnace at a feed rate such that the cored wire reaches a bottom portion of the body before the reacting step. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the reacting step occurs before the cored wire contacts a bottom wall of the furnace. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing ductile liquid iron, comprising:
 melting scrap metal in a melt furnace to produce liquid iron;   forming ductile liquid iron with an alloy;   adding the ductile liquid iron to a pour furnace having a body, an inlet for receiving the ductile liquid iron, an outlet for dispensing the ductile liquid iron, and an access opening located in the body and remote from the outlet;   checking a quality of the ductile liquid iron by comparing a magnesium content of the ductile liquid iron to a threshold;   rejecting the ductile liquid iron if the magnesium content does not satisfy the threshold;   positioning a portable injection system above the pour furnace and in alignment with the access opening;   injecting a cored wire containing nickel magnesium through the access opening into an interior of the body of the furnace;   reacting the nickel magnesium with the liquid iron in the body of the furnace; and   increasing the magnesium content in the ductile liquid iron.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising rechecking the quality of the ductile liquid iron after the reacting step by comparing the magnesium content to the threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising pouring the ductile liquid iron from the outlet into a cast mold after the rechecking step if the magnesium content satisfies the threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising pressurizing the interior of the body with an inert gas. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising forcing the ductile liquid iron from a bottom portion of the furnace to flow towards the outlet when the interior is pressurized with the inert gas. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the reacting step comprises reacting the liquid iron with the nickel magnesium at a bottom portion of the body of the furnace. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the injecting step comprises feeding the cored wire into the body of the furnace at a feed rate such that the cored wire reaches a bottom portion of the body before the reacting step. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the reacting step occurs before the cored wire contacts a bottom wall of the furnace. 
     
     
         17 . A system for treating liquid iron to restore its ductility, comprising:
 a pour furnace comprising a body having a top and a bottom, a pour box, an inlet for receiving liquid iron, an outlet defined in the pour box for dispensing liquid iron, and an access opening defined in the top and located remote from the outlet;   a portable injector system comprising an injector drive motor disposed on a platform suspended above the top of the pour furnace and aligned with the access opening; and   a spool of cored wire formed by an outer steel sleeve and a powder comprising nickel and magnesium within the sleeve, the spool of cored wire located on the platform;   wherein, the injector drive motor receives the cored wire from the spool and injects the cored wire into the body of the pour furnace through the access opening at a feed rate at which the powder reacts with the liquid iron near the bottom but before the cored wire contacts the bottom of the pour furnace.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising an inert gas pressure system fluidly coupled to an interior of the body of the pour furnace, the inert gas pressure system configured to supply an inert gas into the body. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a programmable logic controller disposed in communication with the injector drive motor, the controller operably controlling the injector drive motor to inject the cored wire at a feed rate where the powder reacts with the liquid iron near the bottom before the magnesium oxidizes. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the portable injector system is coupled to the pour furnace.