Stirrer equipment for the continuous treatment of liquid metals

Abstract: Equipment for the treatment of a liquid such as metal melt. The equipment comprises one or more rotors (5) for the supply of gas and/or particulate material to the liquid in a reaction chamber (1). The reaction chamber (1) is closed and has an inlet (3) and an outlet (13) and is designed to be placed under a vacuum, in which connection the outlet (13) communicates with another chamber or outlet passage (2). The equipment may also comprise several reaction chambers (1, 2) arranged in series. The first reaction chamber (1) communicates with the second reaction chamber (2), the second reaction chamber with the third, etc. via an opening (16).

Description: The present invention concerns equipment for the treatment of a liquid such as metal melt. The equipment comprises a rotor for the supply of gas and/or particulate material to the liquid in a reaction chamber. A number of solutions for the treatment of liquid using rotating bodies of different designs and types are known from the market and the literature. DE 43 07 867 presents a treatment chamber for the batchwise treatment of molten aluminium. Such chambers enables the treatment of a batch of metal which has to be filled into the chamber prior to the treatment and emptied out of it after the treatment is completed. Such equipment is highly inefficient compared to an equipment designed for the continuous treatment of melted metal. US 3,572,671 describes a method for the continuous degassing of metals. The publication is presenting a reactor chamber for continuous treatment of molten metal where the metal is lifted up from the basic level due to a reduced pressure. The reactor chamber is formed as a cylinder which is open in the bottom and closed on the top. The reactor chamber is placed over a tank formed in an open channel. Metal is lifted up to a predefined level in the reactor chamber through an inlet in the bottom of the cylinder. After being treated the metal is sent out through an outlet in the bottom of the cylinder and into the open channel. A low frequency stirring coil is placed around the reactor chamber and a tube for the supply of inert gas to the melted liquid is located near the inlet on the inside of the chamber. US 5, 846,479 describes another apparatus for de-gassing of molten metal. Metal is lead through a chamber where argon gas is blown into the chamber at high Reynolds No, thereby breaking the gas into small bubbles. US 5,462,581 is describing a method for treating molten metal. US 5,462,581 disclose conventional in line treatment units for continuous treatment of metal comprising a reaction chamber with an inlet and outlet, one or more rotors for the supply of gas and treatment of metal in a reaction chamber. However, this known melt treatment unit cans can not be used for treatment of melt with vacuum, as the reaction chamber is not designed for the use of vacuum. Another example is the applicant's own European patent no. 0151434 which describes a method for treating liquid in which a hollow, cylindrical rotor is used in which particulate material and/or gas are/is designed to be supplied to the rotor's cavity through a drilled hole in the rotor shaft and in which the rotation of the rotor causes the melt to be drawn in through an opening in the base of the rotor and slung out through openings in the side together with the gas and/or material supplied. Although this solution creates little turbulence and agitation in the liquid and is very effective and has high treatment capacity, it was an objective of the present invention to produce equipment for the treatment of a liquid, in particular aluminium melt, which is even more effective and has even higher treatment capacity. At the same time, it was an objective to avoid the liquid treated coming into contact with the surrounding air, in particular the oxygen in it, in order to prevent the liquid being affected by the air. Moreover, regarding the treatment of aluminium melt, it was an objective to achieve increased removal of both hydrogen and sodium. Another objective was to be able to return most or all of the residual melt to the casting furnace at the end of casting or possibly feed all melt to the casting machine. It has been possible to achieve the above objectives with the present invention. The present invention is characterised in that the reaction chamber has an inlet and an outlet and is designed to be placed under a vacuum, in which connection the outlet communicates with another chamber or outlet passage, as stated in the attached claim 1. The attached dependent claims 2-6 define advantageous features of the present invention. The present invention will be described in the following in further detail with reference to the attached figures, where: Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram, seen from a) the side and b) above, of the equipment in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram, seen a) in elevation and b) from above, of an alternative embodiment, with two reaction chambers, of the equipment in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment with a motor drive arranged on the underside, seen a) in elevation and b) from above. Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment with a motor drive arranged on the side, seen a) in elevation and b) from above. Fig. 1 shows, as stated, a schematic diagram of the equipment in accordance with the present invention. The equipment was initially developed with a view to treating aluminium melt. However, in reality it may be used to treat any type of liquid, for example for the removal of oxygen from water. The equipment comprises a preferably cylindrical, upright reaction chamber 1 and an outlet passage in the form of an outlet pipe 2*. The liquid to be treated flows in through an opening 3 at the lower end of the reaction chamber 1 and is lifted up on account of the vacuum in the chamber produced using a vacuum pump (not shown) connected to a connection socket 4. A rotor 5 is arranged in the chamber 1. The rotor 5 is driven by a motor 6 arranged on the lid 11. The rotor 5 may, for example, expediently be of the type described in the applicant's European patent no. 0151434, which is designed to be supplied gas through the rotor shaft 12 via a swivel coupling 7. Instead of being supplied through the rotor 5, the gas may be supplied through a nozzle 8 of porous plugstone or similar arranged in the base of the container. On account of the change in own weight, the rising gas bubbles cause the liquid to flow from the inlet 3 into the reactor 1 and from there out through the outlet pipe 2*, which is connected to the reaction chamber via a flange connection 15. The equipment may expediently be arranged in a channel, preferably closed, or long container 9 for continuous treatment of a liquid, for example, as stated above, aluminium melt. In such case, the inlet 3 may be located at one end and the outlet of the pipe 2* at the other end of the channel 9. In connection with the equipment, a sluice valve 10 is also arranged in the channel (operation of this is not shown). When the liquid treatment process begins, the sluice valve 10 is opened so that the liquid runs past the chamber 1 and fills the channel up to a certain level. The sluice valve can now be closed. When a vacuum is applied from a vacuum pump or similar (not shown) via the socket 4 and, at the same time, gas is supplied to the rotor 5 or through the nozzle 8, the circulation of the liquid through the equipment starts as stated above. Moreover, the sluice valve 10 is designed to be opened in connection with gas supply or lack of vacuum or when the treatment process ends so that the melt can run back to the liquid reservoir, a holding furnace, casting furnace or similar. As an alternative, it is also possible to supply gas in a counterflow in the outlet pipe 2 (not shown) through a gas nozzle or similar. This allows the effectiveness of the treatment, for example in connection with removal of hydrogen from an aluminium melt, to be increased further in connection with increased reaction time. I.e. the treatment gas supplied will "meet" the melt which has the lowest hydrogen concentration at the outlet end of the pipe 2 and the gas will come into contact with the melt which has a higher concentration up in the pipe. A combination of a rotor in the reaction chamber 1 and the supply of gas in a counterflow in the outlet pipe 2 will increase the effectiveness. However, the level difference between the liquid in the reaction chamber 1 and the liquid in the outlet pipe will decrease. Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment in which two rotors 5 are used and consequently two reaction chambers. The two chambers 1 and 2 are connected in series. Chamber 2 corresponds to the outlet pipe 2* in the previous example shown in Fig. 1. As in the previous example, the two chambers are arranged in connection with a channel 9 and are designed in such a way that the liquid to be treated flows in through a lateral opening 3, up through the chamber 1, via an opening 16 into the chamber 2 and from there back to the channel 9 via an opening 13. In the chamber 1, the liquid flows in the same direction as the gas supplied through the rotor 5, while in chamber 2, the liquid will flow against the flow of the gas supplied to an equivalent rotor 5. Another sluice 14 is arranged in the channel 9. When the process begins, the sluice 14 is held open so that the liquid to be treated can flow into the chambers 1 and 2. When the liquid level in the chambers has reached the liquid level in the channel, a vacuum is applied via the socket 4 so that the metal level in the chambers increases (to 17). Circulation through the chambers can now begin by closing the sluice 14, opening the sluice 10 and simultaneously supplying treatment gas to the two respective rotors 5. With this solution, further improved effectiveness is achieved as the reaction time is increased and the liquid flows against the flow of the gas in the reaction chamber 2, as stated under the previous example. In this connection, it should, moreover, be noted that the present invention is not restricted to the solutions described above and shown in the figures. The equipment for treating liquid may, therefore, consist of three, four or more than four reaction chambers connected in series. Moreover, instead of rotors driven from above, rotors may be used which are driven by motors arranged on the underside, as shown in Fig. 3, or on the side of the reaction chamber(s), as shown in Fig. 4, where the rotor shaft(s) extend(s) through the base or side of the chamber(s) respectively. Example Comparative tests were carried out for the removal of oxygen from water using a rotor arranged in an open vessel (standard solution) and a rotor arranged in an equipment solution as shown in Fig. 1 (the present invention). The diameter of the vessel in the standard solution was the same as for the reaction chamber (equivalent to 1 in Fig. 1) in accordance with the present invention. The diameter of the rotor was also the same. Nitrogen gas was supplied through the rotor in both cases. Moreover, the following test apparatuses and components were used. Power unit 1.5 kW motor with 1400 RPM at 50 Hz. Frequency converter Siemens Micro Master, 3 kW Variation range: 0-650 Hz Nitrogen The gas is supplied from 200-bar 50-litre bottles via reduction valves. 99.7% purity. Rotometer The gas speed was measured by a rotometer of type Fischer & Porter - pipe FP-1/2-27-G-10/80. Float: 1/2 GNSVT - 48 Water flowmeter SPX (Spanner- Pollux GMBH) with Q, 2.5 m 3 /h. Cross-sectional opening approx. 25 mm. Vacuum In order to produce a vacuum in the reaction chamber, an industrial vacuum cleaner of type KEW WD 40-11 was used. Power 1400 W. Air flow rate: max. 60 l/sec. Oxygen meter: The quantity of oxygen in the water was measured with two oxygen meters of type Oxi 340. Tochmeter: The RPM were measured with a tochmeter of type SHIMPO DT-205. Rotor: Standard Hycast TM rotor . With holes in the side and base as shown in EP 0151434. The results of the tests are shown in the table below. Reactor type Rotor type Gas flow rate Nl/min RPM C in ppm C out ppm C in- C out ppm % O 2 removed Invention Hycast 30 750 11.9 4.54 7.36 61.8 Invention Hycast 60 750 11.9 3.18 8.72 73.3 Invention Hycast 90 750 11.9 2.6 9.3 78.2 Standard Hycast 30 750 11.83 5.9 5.93 50.1 Standard Hycast 60 750 11.78 4.57 7.21 61.2 Standard Hycast 90 750 11.76 3.84 7.92 67.3 As the table shows, an improvement in oxygen removal effect, depending on RPM, of in the order of 11-15% was achieved with the present invention compared with the standard type of reactor. This represents a considerable improvement regarding the liquid treatment effectiveness. Compared with traditional melt treatment solutions, the present invention offers several advantages: 1. The vacuum in the reaction chamber(s) results in a lower partial pressure over the melt of the contaminants which are dissolved in the liquid. In an aluminium melt, this will apply in particular to sodium and hydrogen. The low vapour pressure over the melt will affect the equilibrium between the atmosphere and the liquid and thus produce an increased removal effect of the dissolved elements in the reactor/treatment unit. 2. By lifting the liquid level in the reaction chamber(s) to a level which is higher than the level in the channel system, the contact time between the process gas and the liquid will be increased considerably. This results in the process gas being utilised optimally and an improved treatment effect of a given quantity of gas will be achieved. 3. The atmosphere in the reaction chamber(s) will be virtually unaffected by the atmosphere in the room in which the reactor is placed. A low content of hydrogen and water vapour in the reaction chamber(s) reduces the potential for absorption of hydrogen in the reactor. A low content of oxygen and water vapour will reduce the formation of slag in a reactor for treatment of aluminium. 4. Dust and gases which are generated in the reaction chamber(s) during operation are effectively removed by the exhaust system, thus avoiding such gases being emitted into the room in which the reactor is placed. 5. When the treatment has been completed (for example, when the casting of aluminium has been completed), the liquid is automatically drained out of the reactor and out to, for example, a casting machine and/or furnace. Consequently, unwanted drainage of liquid/metal in connection with changing the liquid composition (for example, a new alloy) is avoided and the furnace capacity in the production line can be utilised optimally for production of merchantable products.

Claims: Equipment for the continuous treatment of a liquid such as metal melt, comprising a reaction chamber (1) having an inlet (3) and an outflow opening (15,16) and including one or more rotors (5) and optionally further means for the supply of gas and/or particulate material to the liquid in the reaction chamber (1), characterised in that the reaction chamber (1) is closed and is designed to be placed under a vacuum by a connection (4), whereby the liquid outlet (15,16) of the reaction chamber (1) is located above the inlet opening (3) of said chamber and above the outlet (13) of an outlet pipe (2*) thereof to channel means (9) or above the outlet (13) of another chamber (2*) communicating with chamber (1). Equipment in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that several reaction chambers (1, 2) are arranged in series, the first reaction chamber (1) communicates with the second reaction chamber (2), the second reaction chamber with the third, etc. via an opening (16). Equipment in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gas and/or particulate material is supplied via a rotor(s) (5). Equipment in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gas and/or the particulate material is supplied via a nozzle (8) or similar arranged in the base of the respective reaction chamber (1, 2). Equipment in accordance with the previous claims, characterised in that the vacuum in the respective reaction chambers is at least 0.2 bar. Equipment in accordance with the previous claims 1-5, characterised in that the rotor(s) (5) in the respective reaction chamber (1) is(are) driven via a shaft (12) of a motor (6) arranged on the top, underside or side of the reaction chamber (1).

Inventors: MYRBOSTAD ERLING, SKARET PAL CHRISTIAN, STEEN IDAR, STRAND PER GUNNER, VENAS KARL, MYRBOSTAD, ERLING, SKARET, PAL CHRISTIAN, STEEN, IDAR, STRAND, PER GUNNER, VENAS, KARL
Applicants: NORSK HYDRO AS, NORSK HYDRO ASA
Application year: 2000
Main classification: C22B9
IPC codes: C21C7, C22B9, F27D3, C22B21, F27D23, F27D7, B01J10