Patent ID: 6378743
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B22D,H02K

Abstract:
Apparatus for controlling flow of molten metal comprising:a conduit formed of non-magnetic material having a passage suitable for controlling flow of molten metal in said passage; first and second assemblies of neo-magnets positioned on opposite sides of said conduit and being in a magnetic circuit providing an intense magnetic field B extending through said passage in a direction generally perpendicular to flow M of molten metal in said passage; first and second electrodes mounted on opposite sides of said conduit in electrically conductive communication with molten metal within said passage; said first and second electrodes being suitable for connection in an electrical circuit with an electrical source of direct current for providing said first and second electrodes respectively with positive and negative voltage in said electrical circuit for causing electrical direct current I to flow through the molten metal in said passage in a direction generally perpendicular to said intense magnetic field B and also generally perpendicular to flow M of molten metal; wherein: said first and second assemblies of neo-magnets include first and second pole pieces respectively positioned on opposite sides of said conduit; said first and second pole pieces have respectively first and second pole faces in spaced parallel relationship positioned on opposite sides of said conduit and being oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of said intense magnetic field B; said first and second pole pieces have respectively first and second pluralities of side surfaces; said first and second assemblies of neo-magnets include first and second pluralities of neo-magnets; said first plurality of neo-magnets include neo-magnets having North polarity pole faces adjacent to respective side surfaces of said first pole piece; said second plurality of neo-magnets include neo-magnets having South polarity pole faces adjacent to respective side surfaces of said second pole piece; wherein: said intense magnetic field B extends in a direction generally parallel with an imaginary Z axis; said direct current I flows through the molten metal in a direction generally parallel with an imaginary Y axis; said flow M of molten metal is in a direction generally parallel with an imaginary X axis; said X, Y and Z axes are mutually perpendicular; said first and second pole pieces are configured as rectangular parallelepipeds each having two end surfaces and four side surfaces; said first plurality of neo-magnets comprises five neo-magnets; a first of said first plurality of five neo-magnets has its North polarity pole face adjacent to an end surface of the first pole piece and has its magnetic field generally aligned with the Z axis providing North polarity for the pole face at the other end of the first pole piece; a second and third of said first plurality of five neo-magnets have their North polarity pole faces adjacent to respective opposite side surfaces of the first pole piece and have their respective magnetic fields generally aligned with the X axis for augmenting magnetic intensity of the North polarity pole face of the first pole piece; a fourth and fifth of said first plurality of five neo-magnets have their North polarity pole faces adjacent to other respective opposite side surfaces of the first pole piece and have their respective magnetic fields generally aligned with the Y axis for further augmenting the magnetic intensity of the North polarity pole face of the first pole piece; said second plurality of neo-magnets comprises five substantially cubical neo-magnets; a first of said second plurality of five neo-magnets has its South polarity pole face adjacent to an end surface of the second pole piece and has its magnetic field generally aligned with the Z axis providing South polarity for the pole face at the other end of the second pole piece; a second and third of said second plurality of five neo-magnets have their South polarity pole faces adjacent to respective opposite side surfaces of the second pole piece and have their respective magnetic fields generally aligned with the X axis for augmenting magnetic intensity of the South polarity pole face of the second pole piece; and a fourth and fifth of said second plurality of five neo-magnets have their South polarity pole faces adjacent to other respective opposite side surfaces of the second pole piece and have their respective magnetic fields generally aligned with the Y axis for further augmenting the magnetic intensity of the South polarity pole face of the second pole piece.