Method for submerging entraining, melting and circulating metal charge in molten media

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein the charge comprises aluminum or aluminum alloys.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein the charge comprises aluminous cans or can portions.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 2 wherein said melting media is molten aluminum.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein said charge melts while within said circulator.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein said charge entraining molten media circulator includes an integral unit having spaced apart top and bottom plates, said top plate having a circular opening centrally disposed therein, said bottom plate having centrally disposed and integrally secured thereto a frusto conical hub with a central axis coincident with the center axis of said top plate circular opening and having a height less than the distance between said plates, said hub having a drive shaft secured thereto, radially extending vanes secured to said hub at one end and along the entire radial length thereof to said bottom plate, said top plate central circular opening having an inside diameter greater than that of the base of said frusto conical hub, said vanes secured at the other ends thereof to said top plate; rotation of said drive shaft creating a mild vortex in said molten media by the cooperation of said molten media circulator vanes, frusto conical hub, top and bottom plate to thereby entrain said charge carried by said heated molten media drawn vertically downward by said circulator into and through said central opening of said top plate and thence through the space between said plates thereby creating a horizontal fluid current in said molten media to deliver said molten media for said subsequent heating, and recirculation.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein a fluxing agent is simultaneously introduced along with said charge in close proximity to said submerged molten media circulator.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 which further includes the step of introducing scrap that is capable of self-submergence into said molten media circulation path.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 which further includes the step of continuously removing molten media and melted charge from said molten media circulation path at a rate approximating the rate of introduction of said charge.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 which further includes the step of removing skim from the surface of the molten media above the molten metal circulation path prior to reheating.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 wherein said metal charge is aluminum and said molten media is at a temperature range of 1200° to 1600° F.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 wherein one of said walls has an opening through which said molten media path flows.

Claim 14

An improved method of melting aluminum scrap in a recirculating system that has a closed heating bay and an open charging and fluxing bay in which scrap is charged and entrained in molten aluminum by the action of a molten metal circulator; molten aluminum at a temperature in the range of 1200° to 1600° F. is circulated from said open bay to and through said heating bay and thence to said open bay, said open bay having a wall interposed between said closed bay and said open bay, said wall having integral therewith a wall segment extending into said open bay, said interposed wall further having two openings through said interposed wall one of said openings on either side of said wall segment, said molten metal circulator positioned to one side of said wall segment, said improved method comprising: (a) introducing a supply of said scrap to said open bay in the vicinity of said molten metal circulator to initiate melting of said scrap in said molten aluminum, (b) simultaneously with melting said scrap, continuously circulating said molten metal from said closed heating bay into said open bay by drawing molten metal from said closed heating bay through said opening in said wall in the immediate vicinity of said molten metal circulator, said initial scrap melting and drawing of molten aluminum from said heating bay being induced directly by said molten metal circulator which has a spaced apart bottom plate and top plate, said top plate having a circular opening centrally disposed therein, said bottom plate having centrally disposed an integrally secured thereto at its base a frusto conical hub with a central axis coincident with the center axis of said top plate circular opening, said hubs having a drive shaft secured thereto radially extending vanes secured to said hub and along the entire radial length thereof to said bottom plate, said top plate central circular opening having an inside diameter greater than that of said frusto conical hub, said vanes secured at the ends thereof to said top plate; rotation of said drive shaft creating by the cooperation of said molten metal with said circulator vanes, frusto conical hub, top and bottom plate, a mild vortex in said molten metal to thereby entrain said scrap and deliver vertically downward entrained scrap into and through said central opening in said top plate and through the space between said plates and create a horizontal fluid current path in said molten metal which draws said molten metal from said closed heating bay into said open bay and from said open bay through said opening remote from said molten metal circulator to said closed heating bay.

Claim 15

An improved method of melting aluminum scrap in a recirculating system that has a closed heating bay and an open charging and fluxing bay in which scrap is charged and entrained in molten aluminum by the action of a molten metal circulator; molten aluminum at a temperature in the range of 1200° to 1600° F. is circulated from said open bay to and through said heating bay and thence to said open bay, said open bay having a wall interposed between said closed bay and said open bay, said wall having integral therewith a wall segment extending into said open bay, said interposed wall further having two openings through said interposed wall one of said openings on either side of said wall segment, said molten metal circulator positioned to one side of said wall segment, said improved method comprising: (a) introducing a supply of said scrap to said open bay in the vicinity of said molten metal circulator to initiate melting of said scrap in said molten aluminum, (b) simultaneously with melting said scrap, continuously circulating said molten metal from said closed heating bay into said open bay by drawing molten metal from said closed heating bay through said opening in said wall in the immediate vicinity of said molten metal circulator, said initial scrap melting and drawing of molten aluminum from said heating bay being induced directly by said molten metal circulator which has a spaced apart bottom plate and top plate, said top plate having a circular opening centrally disposed therein, said bottom plate having centrally disposed an integrally secured thereto at its base a frusto conical hub with a central axis coincident with the center axis of said top plate circular opening, said hubs having a drive shaft secured thereto radially extending vanes secured to said hub and along the entire radial length thereof to said bottom plate, said top plate central circular opening having an inside diameter greater than that of said frusto conical hub, said vanes secured at the ends thereof to said top plate; rotation of said drive shaft creating by the cooperation of said molten metal with said circulator vanes, frusto conical hub, top and bottom plate, a mild vortex in said molten metal to thereby entrain said scrap and deliver vertically downward entrained scrap into and through said central opening in said top plate and through the space between said plates and create a horizontal fluid current path in said molten metal which draws said molten metal from said closed heating bay into said open bay and from said open bay through said opening remote from said molten metal circulator to said closed heating bay.

Claim 16

The improved method of claim 13 wherein said aluminum scrap is comprised of aluminous cans, can portions, saw chips or punchings.

Claim 17

The improved method of claim 13 wherein said wall opening immediately adjacent said molten metal circulator is located at a point below the surface of said molten aluminum and above said molten metal circulator.

Claim 18

The improved method of claim 13 wherein the wall opening remote from said molten metal circulator is located such that the bottom of said opening is at a point lower than said molten metal circulator and the top of said opening is at a point beneath the surface of said molten metal.

Claim 19

The improved method of claim 13 wherein a fluxing agent is simultaneously introduced into said open bay along with said aluminum scrap in close proximity to said molten metal circulator.

Claim 20

The method of claim 13 which further includes the step of continuously removing molten aluminum from said molten metal circulation path at a rate approximating the rate of introduction of said aluminum scrap.

Claim 21

The method of claim 18 which further includes the step of removing skim from the surface of the molten aluminum above the molten metal current path prior to reheating in said closed heating bay.