PROCESSING OF ELECTROSLAG REFINED METAL

摘要

A method and apparatus for the electroslag refining of metal, the method includes providing a refining vessel to contain an electroslag refining layer floating on a layer of molten refined metal. The refining vessel representing an upper part of a cooled mould comprising a plurality of superimposed sleeves which are electrically insulated from one another. The top sleeve, being the refining vessel, is substantially a non-consumable electrode and has a current lead electrically insulated from the sleeve. The molten electroslag layer is heated by a refining current which is passed from a power source through the mould and slag layer to the metal pool. An unrefined metal is lowered into the vessel into contact with the molten electroslag layer such that its surface is melted and overheated at the point of contact with the slag such that droplets of the metal are formed and these droplets pass down through the slag and are collected in a pool of molten refined metal beneath the slag. There is the separation of the functions of current supply and metal source material feeding in the apparatus. The present methods make it possible to use both compact (ingots, bars, tubes, plates, etc.) and loose and even liquid material as a filler metal. The refined metal is held within a hearth electrically insulated from the refining vessel. At the bottom of the hearth, a cold finger orifice is provided to permit the withdrawal of refined metal from the cold hearth apparatus. The refined metal passes from the cold finger orifice as a stream and may be processed into a sound metal structure having desired grain structure or other process.