Patent ID: 7870885

Claim:
A method of producing a liquid-solid metal composition ( 8 ), comprising: charging a vessel ( 2 ) with a molten metal or alloy ( 3 ), charging the vessel ( 2 ) with a solid metal or alloy ( 6 ), stirring the molten metal or alloy ( 3 ) upon cooling thereof, wherein an amount of solid metal or alloy ( 6 ) is chosen such that at least 1 wt % of solid particles ( 7 ) will be formed in the melt ( 3 ) due to an enthalpy exchange between the solid metal or alloy ( 6 ) and the molten metal or alloy ( 3 ), at least a part of the added solid metal or alloy ( 6 ) being melted by the heat transferred to the solid metal or alloy by the molten metal or alloy ( 3 ), such that the liquid-solid metal composition is formed, the solid metal or alloy ( 6 ) is dissolvable in the molten metal or alloy ( 3 ), the stirring is performed by a mechanical stirrer ( 5 ) and the solid metal or alloy ( 6 ) is charged to the vessel ( 2 ) via the stirrer ( 5 ), the solid metal or alloy ( 6 ) is attached directly to the stirrer ( 5 ), and the thus formed liquid-solid metal composition, including formed solid particles, is provided to a casting operation.