Patent ID: 6520388
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: B22D,C22B

Abstract:
A casting furnace for continuous casting of molten magnesium in which a layer of said molten magnesium is maintained in contact with a layer of a liquid heating medium having greater density than said molten magnesium, said casting furnace comprising:a furnace body for containing said molten magnesium and said liquid heating medium, said furnace body having side walls and a bottom wall, with inner surfaces of said walls having a refractory lining; at least one vertical weir extending between two of said side walls and dividing said furnace body into a plurality of compartments, said plurality of compartments including a feed compartment into which said molten magnesium is introduced and an extraction compartment from which said molten magnesium is removed for casting, said at least one vertical weir having a top which is situated below a maximum level of said molten magnesium and a bottom which is situated below an interface between the molten magnesium and the heating medium, with an opening being provided between the bottom of the at least one vertical weir and the bottom wall of the furnace body, said at least one vertical weir being free of openings between its top and the interface; a charging pipe through which magnesium is introduced into said feed compartment, said charging pipe having a discharge end which is located below the top of the at least one vertical weir and above the interface between the molten magnesium and the heating medium; magnesium redirection means provided at the discharge end of the charging pipe, said redirection means having a redirecting portion extending substantially parallel to the interface and spaced therefrom so as to direct said molten magnesium along the interface; and heating means to maintain said liquid heating medium and said molten magnesium in a liquid state.