Casting fine grained, fully dense, strong inorganic materials

摘要

Methods and apparatuses for casting inorganic materials are provided. The inorganic materials include metals, metal alloys, metal hydrides and other materials. Thermal control zones may be established to control the propagation of a freeze front through the casting. Agitation from a mechanical blade or ultrasonic energy may be used to reduce porosity and shrinkage in the casting. After solidification of the casting, the casting apparatus may be used to anneal the cast part.

主权项

1. A method of forming an inorganic material casting comprising:
(a) providing a charge of molten inorganic material in a vessel having a vessel bottom, and a plurality of thermal control zones from a bottom thermal control zone to a top thermal control zone, wherein the molten inorganic material is simultaneously disposed in each of the plurality of thermal control zones and wherein each of the plurality of thermal control zones includes a thermal moderator operable to establish a desired temperature for the corresponding thermal control zone that is different than the temperatures of the thermal control zones at different elevations; (b) cooling the vessel bottom to a temperature wherein a first portion of cast inorganic material with a freezing front is formed; and (c) cooling the vessel at the plurality of thermal control zones in sequence from the bottom thermal control zone to the top thermal control zone such that the freezing front moves upward through the molten inorganic material until all of the molten inorganic material solidifies and forms the inorganic material casting.