Description of a Furnace for the Creation of Anisotropic Porous Metals
A furnace has been built for the purpose of producing anisotropic porous metals through solid-gas eutectic solidification. This process allows control of continuously formed anisotropic pores in metals and was discovered at the State Metallurgical Academic' University in Dnepropetrovsk Ukraine. The process incorporates hydrogen gas within the metal as it solidifies from the molten state. Metals which do not form hydrides, including iron, nickel, aluminum, copper and others can be formed in this manner. The furnace is housed within a ~.64 meter³ (30 ft³) ASME code stamped cylindrical stainless steel vacuum/pressure vessel. The vessel is a water chilled vertical cylinder with removable covers at the top and bottom. It can be evacuated to 20 mTorr or pressurized to 5.5 MPa (800 psi). A charge of 2700 cc (167 in³) of molten metal can be melted in a crucible in the upper portion within a watercooled 30 cm (12 in.) ID induction coil. A 175 kW Inductotherm power source energizes the coil. Vertical actuation of a ceramic stopper rod allows the molten metal to be tapped into a solidification mold beneath the melting crucible. The cylindrical mold rests on a water cooled copper base inducing directional solidification from the bottom. Mixtures of hydrogen and argon gases are introduced during the process. The system is remotely controlled and located in a structure with frangible walls specially designed for possible ambient pressure excursions as a result of equipment failure. This paper includes a general description of the furnace and operating procedure and a detailed description of the control, monitoring and interlock systems.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 7223
- Report Number(s):
- SAND99-1031; ON: DE00007223
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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