US-12623279-B1 - System, apparatus, and method for providing casting gas in a direct chill casting mold

US12623279B1US 12623279 B1US12623279 B1US 12623279B1US-12623279-B1

Abstract

Provided herein is a system, apparatus, and method for providing casting gas to a direct chill casting mold, and more particularly, to supplying casting gas to a direct chill casting mold at a well-regulated pressure and volume using fluid injectors. Systems for supplying casting gas to a continuous casting mold can include: a continuous casting mold cavity; a casting gas supply line; an injector receiving casting gas from the casting gas supply line; and a post injector casting gas supply line, where the casting gas supply line provides casting gas at a pressure above 300 psi (pounds per square inch) to an input of the injector, where a controller controls the injector to supply casting gas via the post injector casting gas supply line to the continuous casting mold cavity.

Inventors

Nicholas Shaber
Brett Thielman

Assignees

WAGSTAFF, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250610

Claims (20)

1 . A system for supplying casting gas to a continuous casting mold, the system comprising: a continuous casting mold cavity; a casting gas supply line; an automotive fuel injector receiving casting gas from the casting gas supply line; and a post fuel injector casting gas supply line, wherein casting gas is supplied via the casting gas supply line at a first pressure, wherein the automotive fuel injector is pulsed to deliver casting gas at a second pressure to the post fuel injector casting gas supply line, wherein a ratio of the first pressure to the second pressure is about two-to-one, wherein a controller controls the automotive fuel injector to supply casting gas via the post fuel injector casting gas supply line to the continuous casting mold cavity.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automotive fuel injector comprises an electronically controlled injector.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a channel within the continuous casting mold, wherein the post fuel injector casting gas supply line provides the casting gas to the channel which distributes the casting gas around the continuous casting mold cavity.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the continuous casting mold cavity comprises a porous graphite mold wall, wherein the casting gas is provided to the continuous casting mold cavity through the porous graphite mold wall.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the casting gas comprises at least air and a lubricant.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the automotive fuel injector is driven by the controller using pulse width modulation.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automotive fuel injector comprises a solenoid operated valve to open and close the automotive fuel injector, wherein in an open condition the automotive fuel injector permits flow of casting gas from the casting gas supply line to the post fuel injector casting gas supply line.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the automotive fuel injector comprises a fixed orifice for supplying casting gas to the post fuel injector casting gas supply line.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automotive fuel injector is controlled using an open loop control strategy.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the automotive fuel injector is controlled according to a temperature and a pressure of the casting gas at the casting gas supply line.
11 . A system for supplying casting gas to a continuous casting mold, the system comprising: a controller; at least one continuous casting mold cavity; a casting gas manifold; and at least one automotive style fuel injector wherein each of the at least one automotive style fuel injector is associated with a respective one of the at least one continuous casting mold cavity, wherein the at least one automotive style fuel injector receives casting gas from the casting gas manifold at a first pressure and is controlled by the controller to supply casting gas to the respective one of the at least one continuous casting mold cavity at a second pressure, wherein a ratio of the first pressure to the second pressure is about two-to-one.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one automotive style fuel injector comprises a solenoid operated valve to open and close the at least one automotive style fuel injector, wherein in an open condition the at least one automotive style fuel injector permits flow of casting gas from a casting gas supply line to a post injector casting gas supply line.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one automotive style fuel injector comprises a fixed orifice for supplying casting gas to the post injector casting gas supply line.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one automotive style fuel injector is driven by the controller using pulse width modulation.
15 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a channel within the continuous casting mold, wherein the post injector casting gas supply line provides the casting gas to the channel which distributes the casting gas around the at least one continuous casting mold cavity.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one continuous casting mold cavity comprises a porous graphite mold wall, wherein the casting gas is provided to the at least one continuous casting mold cavity through the porous graphite mold wall.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one automotive style fuel injector is controlled using an open loop control strategy.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one automotive style fuel injector is controlled according to a temperature and a pressure of the casting gas at a casting gas supply line.
19 . A method for supplying casting gas to a continuous casting mold, the method comprising: providing casting gas at a first pressure and temperature to an inlet of an automotive fuel injector; controlling the automotive fuel injector based, at least in part, on the first pressure and temperature, to open and close the automotive fuel injector; and receiving, at a continuous casting mold cavity, the casting gas at a second pressure, wherein the casting gas is provided to the continuous casting mold cavity through a porous graphite liner of the continuous casting mold, and wherein a ratio of the first pressure to the second pressure is about two-to-one.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein controlling the automotive fuel injector further comprises controlling the automotive fuel injector via pulse width modulation.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a system, apparatus, and method for providing casting gas to a direct chill casting mold, and more particularly, to supplying casting gas to a direct chill casting mold at a well-regulated pressure and volume using fluid injectors. BACKGROUND Metal products are formed in a variety of ways; however numerous forming methods first require an ingot, billet, or other cast part that can serve as the raw material from which a metal end product can be manufactured, such as through rolling, extrusion, or machining, for example. One method of manufacturing an ingot or billet is through a continuous casting process also known as direct chill casting, whereby a vertically oriented mold cavity is situated above a platform that translates vertically down into a casting pit. A starter block may be situated on the platform and form a bottom of the mold cavity, at least initially, to begin the casting process. Molten metal is poured into the mold cavity whereupon the molten metal cools, typically using a cooling fluid. The platform with the starter block thereon descends into the casting pit at a predefined speed to allow the metal exiting the mold cavity and descending with the starter block to solidify. The platform continues to be lowered as more molten metal enters the mold cavity, and solid metal exits the mold cavity. This continuous casting process allows metal ingots and billets to be formed according to the profile of the mold cavity and having a length limited only by the casting pit depth and the hydraulically actuated platform moving therein. To aid in release of the partially solidified metal from the continuous casting mold and to reduce heat transfer from the metal to the mold wall, air may be introduced through the mold walls to create an air barrier that reduces friction and reduces thermal conductivity. BRIEF SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to a system, apparatus, and method for providing casting gas to a direct chill casting mold, and more particularly, to supplying casting gas to a direct chill casting mold at a well-regulated pressure and volume using fluid injectors. Embodiments provided herein include a system for supplying casting gas to a continuous casting mold, the system including: a continuous casting mold cavity; a casting gas supply line; a valve receiving casting gas from the casting gas supply line; and a post valve casting gas supply line, where a pressure ratio of a pressure in the casting gas supply line to a pressure in the post valve casting gas supply line is about two-to-one, where a controller controls the valve to supply casting gas via the post injector casting gas supply line to the continuous casting mold cavity using pulsed flow. According to some embodiments the valve includes an electronically controlled injector. The electronically controlled injector is, in some embodiments, an automotive fuel injector. The system of some embodiments further includes a channel within the continuous casting mold, where the post injector casting gas supply line provides the casting gas to the channel which distributes the casting gas around the continuous casting mold cavity. According to some embodiments the continuous casting mold cavity includes a porous graphite mold wall, where the casting gas is provided to the continuous casting mold cavity through the porous graphite mold wall. The casting gas of an example embodiment includes at least air and a lubricant. According to certain embodiments the injector includes a solenoid operated valve to open and close the injector, where in an open condition the injector permits flow of casting gas from the casting gas supply line to the post injector casting gas supply line. According to some embodiments the injector includes a fixed orifice for supplying casting gas to the post injector casting gas supply line. According to certain embodiments the injector is driven by the controller using pulse width modulation. The injector of an example embodiment is controlled using an open loop control strategy. According to some embodiments the injector is controlled according to a temperature and a pressure of the casting gas at the casting gas supply line. Embodiments include a system for supplying casting gas to a continuous casting mold, the system including: a controller; at least one continuous casting mold cavity; a casting gas manifold; at least one injector where each of the at least one injector is associated with a respective one of the at least one continuous casting mold cavity, where the at least one injector receives casting gas from the casting gas manifold and is controlled by the controller to supply casting gas to the respective one of the at least one continuous casting mold cavity. According to some embodiments the at least one injector comprises a solenoid operated valve to open and close the at least one injector, where in an open condition the at least one injector permits fl