PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMIZING THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSIONS IN THE DIRECT CHILL CASTING OF ALUMINUM LITHIUM ALLOYS

摘要

Steam exhaust ports are located around a perimeter of a direct chill casting pit, at various locations from below the top of the pit to the pit bottom to rapidly remove steam from the casting pit with addition of dry excess air. Gas introduction ports are also located around a perimeter of the casting pit and configured to introduce an inert gas into the casting pit interior.

主权项

1. A process in direct chill casting wherein molten metal is introduced into a casting mold and cooled by impingement of a liquid coolant on solidifying metal in a casting pit having top, intermediate and bottom portions and including a movable platen comprising:
detecting an occurrence of a bleed-out or a run-out; after detecting the occurrence of a bleed-out or a run-out:
exhausting generated gas from the casting pit; andintroducing an inert gas into the casting pit, the inert gas having a density less than a density of air.