A SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONSISTENT FLOW THROUGH MULTIPLE PERMEABLE PERIMETER WALLS IN A CASTING MOLD

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for providing consistent lubricant and/or gas flow through multiple permeable perimeter walls (30) in a casting mold table (10). One or more of the properties of the perimeter walls indicative of the lubricant flow or gas flow rates through the perimeter walls are predetermined and the sizing of the surface area of the delivery conduits providing the lubricant or the gas are determined based on a correlation to the properties related to the measured or estimated lubricant flow rate and/or measured or estimated gas flow rates through the perimeter walls.

Description: DESCRIPTION A SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONSISTENT FLOW THROUGH MULTIPLE PERMEABLE PERIMETER WALLS IN A CASTING MOLD Technical Field This invention pertains to a system for providing consistent lubricant and/or gas flow through multiple permeable perimeter walls in a metal casting mold table. Background Art Metal ingots and billets are typically formed by a casting process, which utilizes a vertically oriented mold situated above a large casting pit beneath the floor level of the metal casting facility. The lower component of the vertical casting mold is a starting block mounted on starting block pedestals. When the casting process begins, the starting blocks are in their upward-most position and in the molds. As molten non-ferrous metal is poured into the mold and cooled, the starting block is slowly lowered at a pre-determined rate by a hydraulic cylinder or other device. As the starting block is lowered, solidified non-ferrous metal or aluminum emerges from the bottom of the mold and ingots or billets are formed. While the invention applies to casting of metals in general, including without limitations aluminum, brass, lead, zinc, magnesium, copper, steel, etc., the examples given and preferred embodiment disclosed are for aluminum, and therefore the term aluminum will be used throughout for consistency even though the invention applies more generally to metals. There are numerous mold and pour technologies that fit into these mold tables. Some are generally referred to as "hot top" technology, while others are more conventional casting technologies that use floats and downspouts, both of which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The hot top technology generally includes a refractory system and molten metal trough system located on top of the mold table, whereas the conventional pour technology involves suspending or supporting the source of molten metal above the mold table and the utilization of down spouts or tubes and floats to maintain the level of molten metal in the molds while also providing molten metal to the molds. These different casting technologies have different advantages and disadvantages and produce various billet qualities, but no one of which is required to practice this invention. The metal distribution system is also an important part of the casting system. In the two technology examples given, the hot top distribution trough sits atop the mold table while the conventional pouring trough is suspended above the mold table to distribute the molten metal to the molds. Mold tables come in all sizes and configurations because there are numerous and differently sized and configured casting pits over which mold table are placed. The needs and requirements for a mold table to fit a particular application therefore depends on numerous factors, some of which include the dimensions of the casting pit, the location(s) of the sources of water and the practices of the entity operating the pit. The upper side of the typical mold table operatively connects to, or interacts with, the metal distribution system. The typical mold table also operatively connects to the molds which it houses. The use of a permeable or porous perimeter wall has proven to be an effective and efficient way to distribute lubricant and gas to the inside surface of a continuous casting mold, such as is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,598,763 to Wagstaff. In the typical use of a permeable perimeter wall, lubricant and gas are delivered to the perimeter wall under pressure through grooves or delivery conduits around the perimeter wall, typically using one delivery conduit (if grooves are used for the delivery of lubricant) and one or two delivery conduits (grooves) for the delivery of gas. The preferred lubricants are synthetic oils, whereas the current preferred gas is air. The lubricant and gas then permeate through the perimeter wall and are delivered to the interior of the mold as part of the casting process. The perimeter walls on existing mold tables each have delivery conduits to deliver the lubricant and/or gas, and the delivery conduits may be circumferential groove-shaped delivery conduits with the same depth and width, or they may be holes partially drilled through the perimeter walls, or any other delivery means for that matter. The typical perimeter wall has a separate lubricant delivery conduit and a gas conduit. Graphite has proven to be the preferred permeable material for use as the perimeter wall material or media. However, graphite has proven to be expensive in consistently producing high quality individual products which have very similar permeability to other graphite perimeter walls. One of the significant factors causing the high cost incurred in providing consistent permeability or lubricant/gas flow rates through the perimeter walls is the variability in the relevant properties of the perimeter wall material. The properties related to the lubricant and gas flow rates can vary significantly from batch to batch of graphite for instance, and even within the same batch and within a given perimeter wall. Variations in properties such as porosity, permeability and density, impact the rate of delivery of lubricant and or gas through the perimeter wall. Furthermore, the viscosity of a particular lubricant or gas as well as the pressure at which the lubricant or gas is supplied to the perimeter wall, are factors affecting the respective flow rates through the permeable perimeter walls. Experience has taught that graphite from a particular supplier or source will tend to have more similar properties than graphite from two different sources or suppliers, however, there may still be unacceptable variations in the properties of the graphite from a single source and even from a single batch. This is the case even though a particular density is typically specified when ordering. In a typical application, one perimeter wall is used for each mold, and there are typically numerous molds on a single mold table, each mold having a perimeter wall. It is preferred to supply gas from one source line at one pressure and to supply lubricant from one source line at one pressure, to all perimeter walls in molds of a particular mold table. The variations of most concern in the lubricant and/or gas flow rates through the graphite are therefore based on the variability in the properties of the graphite related to the respective flow rates, which becomes the critical factor in accomplishing the goal of the equal or predictable flow rates of lubricant and gas through the perimeter walls in each of the molds on the same mold table, or even in the same manufacturing facility. Prior to this invention, achieving the same flow rate or delivery rate of lubricant and/or gas flow through multiple perimeter walls on the same mold table, was very time consuming and expensive, and resulted in significant waste. Each individual perimeter wall was extensively tested to determine its properties relevant to flow rate and an unnecessarily large percentage were rejected due to the flow rate variations. With numerous molds on the same table simultaneously casting metal, it becomes critical to achieving a reliable process for producing high quality molded products (billet, ingot or special shapes) that the lubricant and/or gas delivered to the perimeter walls during casting is very closely the same from perimeter wall to perimeter wall in the same mold table. In order to achieve consistent lubricant and/or gas flow rates through the perimeter walls in each of the molds in a given mold table, a high rate of rejection of graphite rings has been experienced. Typically, graphite perimeter walls with similar properties may be grouped together to achieve closely similar lubricant and/or gas flow rates. However, while grouping perimeter walls together may work for new construction, managing the selective replacement of perimeter walls in place in a facility can be very difficult. From a practical and expense perspective, lubricant and/or gas are supplied at a constant pressure, and the perimeter walls are manufactured at a constant or fixed thickness and general size to fit within the molds. The inner and outer diameters of the perimeter walls, as well as their overall height also is generally fixed. It is an objective of this invention to achieve a sufficiently consistent lubricant and/or gas flow rate through multiple perimeter walls on a mold table or in a casting facility, even though the perimeter walls generally have variations in their individual properties related to the flow rate of lubricant and/or gas through the perimeter wall body. It is also an objective of this invention to reduce the significant expense of a high rejection rate for perimeter walls to achieve the sufficiently consistent lubricant and/or gas flow rate. This invention accomplishes these objectives by providing a system for providing consistent lubricant and/or gas flow through multiple permeable perimeter walls. The system involves ascertaining one or more of the relevant properties, or the actual flow rate, of the perimeter walls, and then determining and creating the appropriate surface area of the delivery conduit which provides the lubricant and/or gas to the exterior of the perimeter wall, and/or the appropriate delivery distance. The system provided by this invention has the significant advantage of allowing the use of multiple perimeter walls with different flow related properties, or with different lubricant and/or gas flow rates, to be used in the same mold table, while achieving consistent flow rates through each perimeter wall. The system provided by this invention has the significant advantage of providing a significantly similar flow rate of lubricant or gas in a plurality of perimeter walls in molds on the same mold table. In accomplishing these objectives, this invention provides a system which is simpler and less expensive than all prior systems. Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. Figure 1 is an elevation view of a typical casting pit, caisson and aluminum casting apparatus; Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation view of a typical mold casting assembly, illustrating the perimeter wall in place; Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a perimeter wall seated in a mold housing, illustrating the flow of lubricant or gas through its body; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a perimeter wall seated in a mold housing, illustrating the flow of lubricant or gas through its body, only wherein the delivery conduits are in the mold housing; Figure 5 is a perspective of one embodiment of a perimeter wall which is contemplated for use by this invention; Figure 6 is a top view of the perimeter wall illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an elevation view of the perimeter wall illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 8 is Section 8 - 8 from the perimeter wall illustrated in Figure 6; Figure 9 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a perimeter wall contemplated by this invention, wherein lubricant and/or gas are delivered to the perimeter wall through holes drilled from the top of the perimeter wall; Figure 10 is a top view of an alternative embodiment in which lubricant and/or gas are delivered to the perimeter wall through holes drilled from the top of the perimeter wall, and wherein the holes through which lubricant and/or gas are delivered are not equally spaced; Figure 11 is a top view of an alternative embodiment in which lubricant and/or gas are delivered to the perimeter wall through holes drilled from the top of the perimeter wall, and wherein shape of the perimeter wall is not circular; and Figure 12 is a top partial view of a perimeter wall which illustrates the movement of the location of the delivery holes to affect the flow rates. Best Modes for Carrying Out the Invention and Disclosure of Invention While there are numerous ways to achieve and configure a vertical casting arrangement, Figure 1 illustrates one example. In Figure 1, the vertical casting of aluminum generally occurs beneath the elevation level of the factory floor in a casting pit. Directly beneath the casting pit floor la is a caisson 3, in which the hydraulic cylinder barrel 2 for the hydraulic cylinder is placed. As shown in Figure 1, the components of the lower portion of a typical vertical aluminum casting apparatus, shown within a casting pit 1 and a caisson 3, are a hydraulic cylinder barrel 2, a ram 6, a mounting base housing 5, a platen 7 and a starting block base 8, all shown at elevations below the casting facility floor 4. The mounting base housing 5 is mounted to the floor la of the casting pit 1, below which is the caisson 3. The caisson 3 is defined by its side walls 3b and its floor 3a. A typical mold table assembly 10 is also shown in Figure 1, which can be tilted as shown by hydraulic cylinder 11 pushing mold table tilt arm 10a such that it pivots about point 12 and thereby raises and rotates the main casting frame assembly, as shown in Figure 1. There are also mold table carriages which allow the mold table assemblies to be moved to and from the casting position above the casting pit. Figure 1 further shows the platen 7 and starting block base 8 partially descended into the casting pit 1 with billet 13 being partially formed. Billet 13 is on starting block 14, which is mounted on pedestal 15. While the term starting block is used for item 14, it should be noted that the terms bottom block and starting head are also used in the industry to refer to item 14, bottom block typically used when an ingot is being cast and starting head when a billet is being cast. While the starting block base 8 in Figure 1 only shows one starting block 14 and pedestal 15, there are typically several of each mounted on each starting block base, which simultaneously cast billets or ingots as the starting block is lowered during the casting process. When hydraulic fluid is introduced into the hydraulic cylinder at sufficient pressure, the ram 6, and consequently the starting block base 8, are raised to the desired elevation start level for the casting process, which is when the starting blocks are within the mold table assembly 10. The lowering of the starting block base 8 is accomplished by metering the hydraulic fluid from the cylinder at a pre-determined rate, thereby lowering the ram 6 and consequently the starting blocks at a pre-determined and controlled rate. The mold is controllably cooled during the process to assist in the solidification of the emerging ingots or billets, typically using water cooling means.

Claims: CLAIMS The invention claimed is: 1. A permeable perimeter wall disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. a perimeter wall body, which includes an inner surface and an outer surface; b. the outer surface includes at least one lubricant delivery conduit, the lubricant delivery conduit having a conduit surface area in the perimeter wall body; and wherein the surface area of the lubricant delivery conduit is predetermined by the correlation of the lubricant delivery conduit surface area to the estimated flow rate of lubricant through the perimeter wall. 2. A permeable perimeter wall disposed about a metal mold cavity as recited in claim 1, and wherein the outer surface further includes a gas delivery conduit, the gas delivery conduit having a surface area; and wherein the surface area of the gas delivery conduit is pre-determined by the correlation of the surface area to the estimated flow rate of gas through the perimeter wall body. 3. A permeable perimeter wall disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. a perimeter wall body, which includes an inner surface and an outer surface; b. the outer surface includes at least one gas delivery conduit, the gas delivery conduit having a conduit surface area in the perimeter wall body; and wherein the surface area of the gas delivery conduit is pre-determined by the correlation of the delivery conduit surface area to the estimated flow rate of gas through the perimeter wall. 4. A permeable perimeter wall disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. a perimeter wall body, which includes an inner surface and an outer surface; b. the perimeter wall body including a plurality of lubricant delivery conduits spaced apart a pre-determined delivery distance from an inner surface of the perimeter wall; and wherein the delivery distance is pre-determined by correlation to the flow rate of lubricant through the perimeter wall. 5. A permeable perimeter wall disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. a perimeter wall body, which includes an inner surface and an outer surface; b. the perimeter wall body including a plurality of gas delivery conduits spaced apart a pre-determined delivery distance from an inner surface of the perimeter wall; and wherein the delivery distance is pre-determined by correlation to the flow rate of gas through the perimeter wall. 6. A mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. a plurality of casting molds attached to the mold table, each casting mold including a mold cavity; b. a plurality of permeable perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, and each perimeter wall including: i. at least one lubricant delivery conduit, the lubricant delivery conduit disposed to receive a lubricant, and each of the lubricant delivery conduits having a surface area; c. a plurality of mold housings corresponding to the plurality of permeable perimeter walls, each mold housing including an aperture with an inner surface corresponding to an outer surface of the perimeter walls, such that the inner surface of the mold housings combine with the lubricant delivery conduit in the outer surface of the perimeter walls to form a lubricant passageway; and wherein at least one of the perimeter walls has at least one lubricant delivery conduit with a surface area different than the corresponding surface area of the lubricant delivery conduit on at least one other perimeter wall. 7. A mold table for the continuous casting of metal as recited in claim 6, and in which each perimeter wall further includes: a. a gas delivery conduit, the gas delivery conduit disposed to receive a gas, and each gas delivery conduit having a surface area; b. a plurality of mold housings corresponding to the plurality of permeable perimeter walls, each mold housing including an aperture with an inner surface corresponding to an outer surface of the perimeter walls, such that the inner surface of the mold housings combine with the gas delivery conduit in the outer surface of the perimeter walls to form a gas passageway; and wherein at least one of the perimeter walls having a gas delivery conduit with a surface area different than the corresponding surface area of the gas delivery conduit on at least one other perimeter wall. 8. A mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. a plurality of casting molds attached to the mold table, each casting mold including a mold cavity; b. a plurality of permeable perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, and each perimeter wall including: i. a plurality of lubricant delivery conduits within each perimeter wall spaced apart from an inner surface of the perimeter wall a pre-determined delivery distance, the lubricant delivery conduits being disposed to receive a lubricant, and each of the lubricant delivery conduits having a surface area; and wherein at least one of the lubricant delivery conduits within at least one of the perimeter walls is spaced apart from the inner surface a different pre-determined delivery distance than at least one lubricant delivery conduit of at least one other perimeter wall. 9. A mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. a plurality of casting molds attached to the mold table, each casting mold including a mold cavity; b. a plurality of permeable perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, and each perimeter wall including: i. a plurality of gas delivery conduits within each perimeter wall spaced apart from an inner surface of the perimeter wall a pre-determined delivery distance, the gas delivery conduits being disposed to receive a gas, and each of the gas delivery conduits having a surface area; and wherein at least one of the gas delivery conduits within at least one of the perimeter walls is spaced apart from the inner surface a different pre-determined delivery distance than at least one gas delivery conduit of at least one other perimeter wall. 10. A mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. a plurality of casting molds attached to the mold table, each casting mold including a mold cavity; b. a plurality of permeable perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, and each perimeter wall including: i. a gas delivery conduit, the gas delivery conduit disposed to receive a gas, and each of the gas delivery conduits having a surface area; c. a plurality of mold housings corresponding to the plurality of permeable perimeter walls, each mold housing including an aperture with an inner surface corresponding to an outer surface of the perimeter walls, such that the inner surface of the mold housings combine with the gas delivery conduit in the outer surface of the perimeter walls to form a gas passageway; and wherein at least one of the perimeter walls having a gas delivery conduit with a surface area different than the corresponding surface area of the gas delivery conduit on at least one other perimeter wall. 11. A mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. a plurality of casting molds attached to the mold table, each casting mold including a mold cavity; b. a plurality of mold housings, each with an aperture with an inner surface, and the inner surface further including: i. at least one lubricant delivery conduit around its interior circumference, the lubricant delivery conduit disposed to receive a lubricant, and each of the lubricant delivery conduits having a surface area; c. a plurality of permeable perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, each perimeter wall including an outer surface disposed with the aperture within each mold housing such that the outer surface of the perimeter wall combines with the corresponding lubricant delivery conduit to form a lubricant passageway; and wherein at least one of the mold housings having at least one lubricant delivery conduit with a surface area different than the corresponding surface area of the lubricant delivery conduit on at least one other mold housing. 12. A process for providing a mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. providing a plurality of casting molds, each which includes a mold cavity; b. providing a plurality of perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, the perimeter walls being fluid permeable and including an outer surface; c. placing at least one lubricant delivery conduit around the outer surface of each of the perimeter walls, the lubricant delivery conduit disposed to receive a lubricant, each of the lubricant delivery conduits having a surface area; and wherein at least one of the perimeter walls has at least one lubricant delivery conduit with a surface area different than the corresponding surface area of the lubricant delivery conduit on at least one other perimeter wall. 13. A process for providing a mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. providing a plurality of casting molds, each which includes a mold cavity; b. providing a plurality of perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, the perimeter walls being fluid permeable and having an inner surface; c. placing a plurality of lubricant delivery conduits in each of the perimeter walls, the lubricant delivery conduits disposed to receive a lubricant, each of the lubricant delivery conduits being spaced apart from the inner surface a pre-determined delivery distance; and spacing the delivery conduits apart from the inner surface in at least one of the perimeter walls a different pre-determined delivery distance from the pre-determined delivery distance in at least one other perimeter wall. 14. A process for providing a mold table for the continuous casting of metal, comprising: a. providing a plurality of casting molds, each which includes a mold cavity; b. providing a plurality of perimeter walls disposed around each mold cavity, the perimeter walls being fluid permeable and including an outer surface; c. placing a gas delivery conduit around the outer surface of each of the perimeter walls, the gas delivery conduit placed to receive a gas, each of the gas delivery conduits having a surface area; and wherein at least one of the perimeter walls having a gas delivery conduit with a surface area different than the corresponding surface area of the gas delivery conduit on at least one other perimeter wall. 15. A process for making a plurality of permeable perimeter walls to be disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. providing at least two perimeter walls which include a permeably perimeter wall body, and which include an inner surface and an outer surface; b. determining at least one lubricant flow characteristic through at least two perimeter walls; c. creating at least one lubricant delivery conduit in a first perimeter wall, the lubricant delivery conduit of the first perimeter wall having a surface area which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the first perimeter wall; d. creating at least one lubricant delivery conduit in a second perimeter wall, the lubricant delivery conduit of the second perimeter wall having a surface area which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the second perimeter wall; and wherein the lubricant delivery conduit in the first perimeter wall has a different surface area than the lubricant delivery conduit in the second perimeter wall. 16. A process for making a plurality of permeable perimeter walls to be disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. providing at least two perimeter walls which include a permeable perimeter wall body, and which include an inner surface and an outer surface; b. determining at least one gas flow characteristic through at least two perimeter walls; c. creating a gas delivery conduit in a first perimeter wall, the gas delivery conduit of the first perimeter wall having a surface area which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the first perimeter wall; d. creating a gas delivery conduit in a second perimeter wall, the gas delivery conduit of the second perimeter wall having a surface area which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the second perimeter wall; and wherein the gas delivery conduit in the first perimeter wall has a different surface area than the gas delivery conduit in the second perimeter wall. 17. A process for making a plurality of permeable perimeter walls to be disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. providing at least two perimeter walls which include a permeably perimeter wall body, and which include an inner surface and an outer surface; b. determining at least one lubricant flow characteristic through at least two perimeter walls; c. creating a plurality of lubricant delivery conduits in a first perimeter wall a pre-determined delivery distance from the inner surface, the lubricant delivery conduits of the first perimeter wall having a pre-determined delivery distance from the inner surface which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the first perimeter wall; d. creating a plurality of lubricant delivery conduits in a second perimeter wall, the lubricant delivery conduits of the second perimeter wall having a pre-determined delivery distance from the inner surface which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the second perimeter wall; and wherein the plurality of lubricant delivery conduits in the first perimeter wall are spaced apart from the inner surface of the first perimeter wall a different delivery distance than the plurality of lubricant delivery conduits in the second perimeter wall are spaced apart from the inner surface of the second perimeter wall. 18. A process for making a plurality of permeable perimeter walls to be disposed about a metal mold cavity, comprising: a. providing at least two perimeter walls which include a permeably perimeter wall body, and which include an inner surface and an outer surface; b. determining at least one gas flow characteristic through at least two perimeter walls; c. creating a plurality of gas delivery conduits in a first perimeter wall a pre-determined delivery distance from the inner surface, the gas delivery conduits of the first perimeter wall having a pre-determined delivery distance from the inner surface which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the first perimeter wall; d. creating a plurality of gas delivery conduits in a second perimeter wall, the gas delivery conduits of the second perimeter wall having a pre-determined delivery distance from the inner surface which correlates to at least one flow characteristic of the second perimeter wall; and wherein the plurality of gas delivery conduits in the first perimeter wall are spaced apart from the inner surface of the first perimeter wall a different delivery distance than the plurality of gas delivery conduits in the second perimeter wall are spaced apart from the inner surface of the second perimeter wall.

Inventors: ANDERSON MICHAEL K, ANDERSON, MICHAEL, K.
Applicants: ANDERSON MICHAEL K, WAGSTAFF INC, ANDERSON, MICHAEL, K., WAGSTAFF, INC.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B22D11
IPC codes: B22D11