Ladle bottom
The present invention relates to a metallurgical ladle and more particularly to the bottom of the ladle having an outlet through which the molten metal can drain. An object of the present invention is to increase the efficiency of a ladle draining operation, including reducing the amount of discarded metal, avoiding the premature flow of slag through the outlet, and reducing the contamination of slag in the molten metal effluent. The ladle bottom comprises a plurality of terraces and flow channels, ultimately directing the stream of molten metal to an outlet of the ladle. The terraces are described as capturing slag and the channels permit molten metal to flow preferentially through the outlet.
1. A ladle bottom adapted for use in a ladle for molten metal applications, the ladle bottom comprising:
a) a plurality of lower faces including at least one outlet face defining an outlet and one sloping face inclined upwards from the outlet face towards at least one intermediate face;
b) a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the lower faces, thereby defining at least a single flow channel, the flow channel forming a single outlet channel at the sloping face; and
c) a plurality of uppermost faces above the lower faces relative to the outlet and at least substantially separated by at least one flow channel, whereby the uppermost faces are adapted to preferentially capture slag while the flow channel permits the molten metal to drain toward the outlet.
2. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the ladle bottom comprises at least three uppermost faces.
3. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the uppermost faces are substantially horizontal.
4. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the uppermost faces are at different heights relative to the outlet.
5. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate face has an inclination towards the sloping face and the inclination is less than an inclination of the sloping face.
6. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the sloping face is substantially vertical, and the sloping face and the sidewalls define a well around the outlet face.
7. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls are substantially perpendicular to the faces.
8. The ladle bottom of claim 1 , wherein the flow channel has a plurality of branches.
9. The ladle bottom of claim 8 , wherein the branches include at least one feeder branch and an outlet branch, the feeder branch being higher above the outlet than the outlet branch.
10. The ladle bottom of claim 8 , wherein the feeder branch are is shallower than the outlet branch.
11. A ladle bottom adapted for use in a ladle for molten metal applications, the ladle bottom comprising:
a) at least one outlet face defining an outlet;
b) one sloping face having a lower end inclined upwards from the outlet face and an upper end;
c) at least one intermediate face contacting the upper end of the sloping face;
d) a plurality of sidewalls extending upward substantially perpendicular from the outlet face, sloping face and intermediate face, thereby defining at least one flow channel including at least a single feeder branch and a single outlet branch at the sloping face; and
e) a plurality of uppermost faces above the intermediate face and at least substantially separated by the feeder branch, whereby the uppermost faces are adapted to preferentially capture slag while the feeder branch permits the molten metal to drain toward the outlet branch and the outlet.