Tundish impact pad
An impact pad formed from a refractory material for reducing the turbulence of a molten metal poured therein. The impact pad has a plurality of sidewalls, each sidewall having a plurality of spherically shaped portions. The spherically shaped portions disperse the molten metal in a variety of directions.
1. An impact pad for use with a tundish vessel, comprising:
a base portion and a plurality of sidewalls extending from said base portion, the base portion and the sidewalls being formed from a refractory material, each of said sidewalls having a plurality of substantially spherically shaped portions and substantially flat interstices between the spherically shaped portions.
2. The impact pad of claim 1 , wherein the spherically shaped portions have a concave shape.
3. The impact pad of claim 1 , wherein the spherically shaped portions have a convex shape.
4. The impact pad of claim 1 , wherein the spherically shaped portions are formed in a plurality of rows on each sidewall.
5. The impact pad of claim 4 , wherein the rows are staggered.
6. The impact pad of claim 1 , wherein the base portion includes a floor adapted to receive a flow of molten metal.
7. The impact pad of claim 6 , wherein the floor includes a periphery, the inner surface of the sidewalls extending generally upwardly from the periphery of the floor.
8. The impact pad of claim 7 , wherein the periphery forms a polygon.
9. The impact pad of claim 7 , wherein the floor includes at least one raised portion.
10. The impact pad of claim 9 , wherein the at least one raised portion forms a portion of a generally undulating surface.
11. The impact pad of claim 1 , further comprising a top surface integral with each sidewall.
12. The impact pad of claim 11 , wherein the top surface has a first edge and a second edge, the first edge connected with the sidewalls.
13. The impact pad of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of surfaces defining a sloped portion, the sloped portion attached with the second edge of the top surface and angled therefrom.
14. A combination for reducing turbulence of molten metal, comprising:
a tundish vessel formed of a refractory material and adapted to contain molten metal, the vessel including a molten metal inlet and a molten metal outlet; and
an impact pad positioned to receive molten metal from said molten metal inlet, the impact pad including a base portion and a plurality of sidewalls extending from said base portion, each of said sidewalls having an inward facing surface including a plurality of integrally formed flow control elements each having a substantially spherical surface and substantially flat interstices between the flow control elements.
15. The impact pad of claim 14 , wherein the spherical surface of the flow control element recesses into the inward facing surface of the sidewall.
16. The impact pad of claim 14 , wherein the spherical surface of the flow control element protrudes from the surface of the sidewall.
17. The impact pad of claim 14 , wherein the flow control elements are formed in a plurality of rows on each sidewall.
18. The impact pad of claim 14 , wherein the rows are staggered.
19. The impact pad of claim 14 , wherein the floor includes at least one raised portion.