Ultrasonic device with integrated gas delivery system
View Patent ↗Ultrasonic devices having an integrated gas delivery system are described, and these devices can be used to remove dissolved gasses and impurities from molten metals.
1. An ultrasonic device comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer;
a probe attached to the ultrasonic transducer, the probe comprising a tip; and
a gas delivery system, the gas delivery system comprising:
a gas inlet,
a gas flow path through the probe, and
a gas outlet at the tip of the probe;
wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 30:1 to about 1000:1.
2. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises stainless steel, titanium, niobium, a ceramic, or a combination thereof.
3. The ultrasonic device of claim 2 , wherein the probe is a unitary part.
4. The ultrasonic device of claim 3 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon, a Silicon carbide, a Boron carbide, a Boron nitride, a Silicon nitride, an Aluminum nitride, an Aluminum oxide, a Zirconia, or a combination thereof.
5. The ultrasonic device of claim 4 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon.
6. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe is an elongated probe, and the elongated probe is secured to the ultrasonic transducer with an attachment nut.
7. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe is an elongated probe, and a length to diameter ratio of the elongated probe is in a range from about 5:1 to about 25:1.
8. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic device further comprises a thermal protection system surrounding at least a portion of the probe.
9. The ultrasonic device of claim 8 , wherein a fluid is circulated within the thermal protection system.
10. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic device further comprises a booster between the ultrasonic transducer and the probe.
11. The ultrasonic device of claim 10 , wherein the gas inlet is in the booster.
12. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe is generally cylindrical.
13. The ultrasonic device of claim 1 , wherein the probe has a radius of curvature of at least about ½-inch on an attachment side of the probe.
14. A method for reducing an amount of a dissolved gas and/or an impurity in a molten metal bath, the method comprising:
(a) operating the ultrasonic device of claim 1 in the molten metal bath; and
(b) introducing a purging gas through the gas delivery system and into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 0.1 to about 150 L/min.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the dissolved gas comprises oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur dioxide, or a combination thereof;
the impurity comprises an alkali metal;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, zinc, steel, magnesium, or a combination thereof;
the purging gas comprises nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, chlorine, or a combination thereof; or
any combination thereof.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 10 to about 500 mL/hr of purging gas per kg/hr of output from the molten metal bath.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 1 to about 50 L/min;
the dissolved gas comprises hydrogen;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, or a combination thereof;
the purging gas comprises argon, nitrogen, or a combination thereof; or
any combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 1 to about 10 L/min.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 30 to about 200 mL/hr of purging gas per kg/hr of output from the molten metal bath.
20. An ultrasonic device comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer;
an elongated probe comprising a tip;
a booster between the ultrasonic transducer and the elongated probe; and
a gas delivery system, the gas delivery system comprising:
a gas inlet in the booster,
a gas flow path through the probe, and
a gas outlet at the tip of the probe;
wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 30:1 to about 1000:1.
21. The ultrasonic device of claim 20 , wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 60:1 to about 750:1.
22. The ultrasonic device of claim 21 , wherein the probe comprises stainless steel, titanium, niobium, a ceramic, or a combination thereof.
23. The ultrasonic device of claim 20 , wherein the probe is a unitary, generally cylindrical probe having a length to diameter ratio in a range from about 5:1 to about 25:1.
24. The ultrasonic device of claim 23 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon, a Silicon carbide, a Boron carbide, a Boron nitride, a Silicon nitride, an Aluminum nitride, an Aluminum oxide, a Zirconia, or a combination thereof.
25. The ultrasonic device of claim 23 , wherein the probe comprises a Sialon.
26. The ultrasonic device of claim 25 , wherein:
the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the probe to the cross-sectional area of the gas outlet is in a range from about 100:1 to about 700:1; and
the length to diameter ratio of the probe is in a range from about 7:1 to about 22:1.
27. A method for reducing an amount of a dissolved gas and/or an impurity in a molten metal bath, the method comprising:
(a) operating the ultrasonic device of claim 20 in the molten metal bath; and
(b) introducing a purging gas through the gas delivery system and into the molten metal bath.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein:
the dissolved gas comprises oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur dioxide, or a combination thereof;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, zinc, steel, magnesium, or a combination thereof; and
the purging gas comprises nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, chlorine, or a combination thereof.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein:
the purging gas is introduced into the molten metal bath at a rate in a range from about 1 to about 50 L/min;
the dissolved gas comprises hydrogen;
the molten metal bath comprises aluminum, copper, or a combination thereof;
the purging gas comprises argon, nitrogen, or a combination thereof; or
any combination thereof.