Molten metal-containing vessel, and methods of producing same
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a vessel for containing or conveying molten metal therein. At least part of the outer surface of the vessel incorporates a web of metal wires embedded in the surface, the wires being mutually overlaid with openings formed therebetween. The refractory material penetrates into the openings. The web may comprise woven metal wires or non-woven wires or both. The web imparts resistance to cracking (or containment of cracks, once formed) and/or resistance to molten metal leakage if cracks develop. The invention also provides metal containment structures containing such vessels, and methods of producing the same.
1. A method of making a reinforced refractory vessel or vessel section, the method comprising:
providing a mold having an intended shape of the vessel or vessel section;
creating a slurry of a castable refractory material capable of forming a cast refractory body;
lining at least one internal surface of the mold with a web of metal wires, the metal wires being overlaid with openings formed therebetween, wherein the web of metal wires comprises at least two overlying web sections, one of the at least two overlying web sections comprising a woven matrix of metal wires for providing structural reinforcement to the refractory material and another of the at least two overlying web sections comprising a non-woven matrix of metal wires including a plurality of metal wires overlying one another in a random fashion;
introducing the slurry into the mold while causing the slurry to penetrate the openings;
allowing the slurry to set to form the vessel or vessel section incorporating the web at an outer surface thereof; and
removing the vessel or vessel section from the mold,
wherein the non-woven matrix of metal wires defines a plurality of openings having an average width in a range of 50 μm to 350 μm and a plurality of convoluted paths across a thickness of the non-woven matrix for resisting penetration of the slurry through the non-woven matrix of metal wires.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising vibrating the mold before the slurry sets to facilitate penetration of the slurry into the openings of the web.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pressurizing the mold before the slurry sets to facilitate penetration of the slurry into the openings of the web.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising vibrating and pressurizing the mold before the slurry sets to facilitate penetration of the slurry into the openings of the web.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the web of metal wires is lined on all parts of the at least one internal surface of the mold up to at least a horizontal level, wherein the horizontal level corresponds to a maximum intended surface height of molten metal within the vessel or vessel section.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the metal wires of the woven matrix is greater than a thickness of the metal wires of the non-woven matrix.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least two overlying web sections are joined to each other.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-woven matrix is positioned closer to the outer surface of the vessel or vessel section than the woven matrix.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the woven matrix is positioned closer to the outer surface than the non-woven matrix.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the woven matrix has openings with an average width greater than an average width of openings in the non-woven matrix.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein an average width of the openings in the woven matrix is in a range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein an average width of the openings in the woven matrix is in a range of 1 mm to 10 mm.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein an average width of the openings in the non-woven matrix is in a range of 50 μm to 150 μm.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein an average width of the openings in the non-woven matrix is about 100 μm.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal wires are made from a metal which resists attack by molten metal conveyed by the vessel or vessel section.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal wires are made from a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, Ni—Cr based alloys, and Fe—Cr—Al based alloys.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vessel or vessel section is an elongated trough or trough section with a cavity forming a channel extending from one longitudinal end of the cast refractory body to another end thereof.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vessel or vessel section has an upper surface and a channel that is open at the upper surface.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vessel or vessel section completely encloses a channel except at a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end.