Vacuum vertical alloy billet caster

Abstract

This application provides a vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine, including a vacuum chamber, a melting component, and a casting component. A vacuum environment is created inside the vacuum chamber. The melting component is located inside the vacuum chamber and is used to heat the metal material to form molten material. The casting component includes a crystallizing component located at the outlet of the melting furnace. The crystallizing component has multiple independent flow channels and is used to cool the molten material in the melting component to form multiple independent rod-shaped billets. This vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine can improve casting efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of metal wire processing technology, and in particular to a vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine. Background Technology

[0002] Copper-based wires, as an important conductor material for data transmission copper cables, are mainly used in storage area networks, data centers and high-performance computer connections, industrial automation, automotive electronics, and consumer electronics products.

[0003] Wire rod preparation requires the pre-casting of rod blanks. Most rod blanks in related technologies are cast using a single channel, which results in low single-line production efficiency and cannot meet the demand for mass supply. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine that can improve casting efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: This application provides a vacuum vertical alloy rod continuous casting machine, comprising: A vacuum chamber, wherein a vacuum environment can be formed inside the vacuum chamber; A melting assembly, located inside the vacuum chamber, is used to heat metal materials to form molten material; A casting assembly, comprising a crystallizing component located at the outlet of the melting furnace, the crystallizing component having multiple independent flow channels, the crystallizing component being used to cool the molten material within the melting assembly to form multiple independent rod-shaped billets.

[0006] In some embodiments, the crystallization component includes a crystallizer, a cooling jacket, and a protective sleeve. The crystallizer has multiple flow channels arranged in parallel and respectively communicating with the melting furnace. The cooling jacket surrounds the outside of the crystallizer and has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is connected to a cooling source so that the coolant enters through the inlet and exits through the outlet. The protective sleeve is located downstream of the crystallizer, with its inlet connected to the crystallizer's outlet and its outlet connected to the traction component.

[0007] In some embodiments, the casting assembly further includes a traction component located at the outlet end of the crystallizing component, the traction component being used to pull and cast the rod-shaped billet discharged from the crystallizing component into a rod-shaped billet.

[0008] In some embodiments, the traction components are characterized by having a plurality of traction components arranged sequentially in the vertical direction. Each traction component includes a first support frame, an adjusting slide rail, an adjusting rod, and a plurality of traction wheels. The adjusting slide rail is mounted on the first support frame and is movable in the left-right direction. The adjusting rod is connected to the adjusting slide rail to drive the adjusting slide rail to move in the left-right direction. The plurality of traction wheels are evenly spaced in the left-right direction. The traction wheels in the plurality of traction components correspond one-to-one in the vertical direction and are located on the same vertical line. And / or, the plurality of traction wheels are located on the same vertical line as the flow channel axis of the crystallizer.

[0009] In some embodiments, the vacuum vertical alloy rod continuous casting machine further includes a sampling assembly, which includes a sampling sleeve, a sampling rod, and a driver. One end of the sampling sleeve is connected to the vacuum chamber. The sampling rod passes through the sampling sleeve and is movable in the vertical direction to extend into the melting assembly. The driver is installed at the upper end of the sampling sleeve and is connected to the sampling rod to drive the sampling rod to move in the vertical direction.

[0010] In some embodiments, the bottom of the feeding rod has a feeding cavity, one side of which is closed and the other side facing the interior of the melting assembly has an opening, and the feeding cavity extends downward at an angle.

[0011] In some embodiments, the smelting assembly includes a smelting furnace and a heating element. The smelting furnace is hollow inside for storing materials to be smelted. The top of the smelting furnace has a feed inlet. The heating element surrounds the outside of the smelting furnace and is used to generate heat to melt the materials inside the smelting furnace.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heating component includes a heating coil, a coil protective sleeve, and a heating electrode. The heating electrode is fixed to the wall of the vacuum chamber, one end of the heating electrode extends into the vacuum chamber and is connected to the heating coil, the heating coil surrounds the outer wall of the melting furnace, and the coil protective sleeve covers the outside of the heating coil.

[0013] In some embodiments, the vacuum vertical alloy rod continuous casting machine further includes a feeding assembly located between the feed cylinder and the vacuum chamber. The feeding assembly includes a feeding chamber and a discharge valve. The lower end of the feed cylinder is connected to the feeding chamber, and the discharge valve is located at the bottom of the feeding chamber. The discharge valve can open and close the outlet of the feeding chamber to connect and disconnect the connection with the vacuum chamber.

[0014] In some embodiments, the vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine further includes a support assembly, which includes a support base, an upper support plate, a lower support plate, and a support column. The support base is installed on the inner bottom surface of the vacuum chamber, the support column extends in the vertical direction, the upper support plate and the lower support plate are respectively installed at the upper and lower ends of the support column, and the height of the upper support plate on the support column is adjustable. The smelting furnace is installed on the upper support plate.

[0015] Beneficial effects: This application discloses a vacuum vertical alloy rod casting machine. By integrating a vacuum chamber that creates a vacuum environment, a melting assembly located inside the chamber for melting metal, and a multi-channel crystallization unit equipped with multiple independent flow channels, the melting is carried out under vacuum protection to obtain a high-purity melt. The multi-channel crystallizer then simultaneously cools and shapes a single melt stream into multiple independent solid rods, achieving a shift from single-stage production to parallel output. This not only reduces material oxidation and impurity contamination at the source but also significantly increases the billet output per unit time through structural innovation. This effectively overcomes the problems of low production efficiency and difficulty in meeting batch demand in traditional single-channel casting. The manufacturing process of this application, while ensuring the intrinsic quality of the material, significantly improves production efficiency and supply capacity, representing a key optimization of the rod preparation process in terms of capacity and quality control. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. Wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a crystallizer provided according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 A top view of a crystallizer provided according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a microstructure diagram of a rod-shaped blank prepared according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 5 Microstructure diagram of rod-shaped billets processed using existing casting equipment.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: Sampling component 1, material receiving sleeve 111, material receiving rod 112, driver 113; Vacuum chamber 2; Melting assembly 3, melting furnace 31, heating component 32, first heating coil 321, coil protective sleeve 322, heating electrode 323; Casting component 4, crystallization component 41, crystallizer 411, flow channel 4111, cooling jacket 412, protective jacket 413; Traction component 42, first support frame 421, adjusting slide rail 422, adjusting rod 423, traction wheel 424; Feeding assembly 5, feeding chamber 51, discharge valve 52; Support component 6, support base 61, upper support plate 62, lower support plate 63, support column 64. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Various examples are provided by way of explanation and not by way of limitation. In fact, those skilled in the art will understand that modifications and variations can be made to the present application without departing from the scope or spirit of the present application. For example, a feature shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] This application provides a vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine, including a sampling component 1, a vacuum chamber 2, a melting component 3, and a casting component 4. The vacuum chamber 2 can form a vacuum environment, and the melting component 3 is located inside the vacuum chamber 2. The melting component 3 is used to heat the metal material to form molten material. The sampling component 1 is located above the vacuum chamber 2, and one end of the sampling component 1 can extend into the melting component 3 to sample the material inside the melting component 3. The casting component 4 is used to cast the material discharged from the melting component 3 into rod-shaped billets.

[0020] The inner wall of vacuum chamber 2 can be made of double-layer stainless steel and circulated with cooling water. A vacuum extraction valve is provided on the side wall of vacuum chamber 2, which is connected to a vacuum extraction system. The system can evacuate the chamber to a vacuum state to isolate air, inhibit metal oxidation, and prevent the escape of volatile impurities. A top cover is provided at the upper end of vacuum chamber 2, and sampling component 1 is located on the top cover of vacuum chamber 2.

[0021] The melting component 3 is a functional module installed inside the vacuum chamber 2 and has the ability to heat at high temperatures. The melting component 3 is used to heat solid metal materials to a molten state, providing a basic liquid phase for subsequent composition control and crystallization.

[0022] Sampling component 1 is located at the top of vacuum chamber 2. The lower end of sampling component 1 can be inserted into the molten pool to obtain liquid samples. The samples are sent to a spectrometer to achieve real-time feedback of key components such as oxygen content.

[0023] The casting component 4 is a forming module that completes the solidification of molten material. Through the synergistic action of the multi-channel crystallizer 4111 and the traction component 42, under the matching of cooling gradient and traction rhythm, the solidification front is directionally advanced along the axis, thereby obtaining a dense rod billet with an axial columnar crystal structure.

[0024] Vacuum chamber 2, melting assembly 3, sampling assembly 1 and casting assembly 4 are arranged in an integrated vertical layout. Sampling assembly 1 and melting assembly 3 form a closed-loop composition monitoring circuit, and melting assembly 3 and casting assembly 4 form a continuous melting and casting physical link. Together, they support the output of high-density, low-oxygen, and controllable billet.

[0025] It should be noted that the vacuuming operation of vacuum chamber 2 can be performed by first roughing with a Roots pump and a rotary vane pump, and then finely evacuating with a diffusion pump (or molecular pump) before starting the melting process.

[0026] In another alternative embodiment, the heating of the melting component 3 can be achieved by applying an alternating magnetic field through a medium-frequency first heating coil 321 surrounding the outer wall of the graphite crucible, thereby inducing Joule heating in the crucible and raising the temperature of the electrolytic copper plate to 1100 to 1300°C and maintaining it in a molten state.

[0027] Furthermore, the sampling action of the sampling component 1 can also adopt a three-stage timing control of the servo motor driving the material handling rod 112 to move down, stay, and move up. The traction action of the casting component 4 can also operate in a cyclic mode of traction 0.1 to 0.5s to stop 0.2 to 1.0s to match the cooling rate inside the crystallizer 411 and promote the preferential growth of columnar crystals.

[0028] This application constructs an oxygen-free melting environment through a vacuum chamber 2, combined with the precise temperature control capability of the melting component 3 to suppress the formation of oxidative inclusions. The sampling component 1 enables dynamic monitoring and feedback adjustment of the oxygen content in the molten pool, ensuring the purity of the melt. Relying on the synergy of the multi-channel crystallizer 411 and the controllable traction mechanism in the casting component 4, the solidification direction is guided to develop along the axial direction, ultimately obtaining a high-density rod billet, eliminating loose structure and micropores, and providing high-quality raw materials for subsequent processing.

[0029] This configuration, by integrating a vacuum chamber capable of creating a vacuum environment, a melting assembly located within it for melting metal, and a multi-channel crystallization component equipped with multiple independent flow channels, allows melting to take place under vacuum protection to obtain a high-purity melt. The multi-channel crystallizer then simultaneously cools and shapes the single melt flow into multiple independent solid rods, achieving a shift from single-stage production to parallel output. This not only reduces material oxidation and impurity contamination at the source but also significantly increases the billet yield per unit time through structural innovation. This effectively overcomes the problems of low production efficiency and difficulty in meeting batch demand in traditional single-channel casting. The manufacturing process of this application, while ensuring the intrinsic quality of the material, significantly improves production efficiency and supply capacity, representing a key optimization of the rod preparation process in terms of capacity and quality control. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is known that the internal structure of existing continuous casting machines is relatively dispersed. The rod-shaped billet processed by the continuous casting machine of this application has a columnar crystal structure distributed along the axial direction. Due to the greater pressure generated by the molten copper in the crucible, the rod-shaped billet processed by the continuous casting machine of this application eliminates defects such as porosity and micropores, resulting in a denser internal structure. The density of the rod-shaped billet is ≥8.92 g / cm³. 3 This effectively controls the oxygen content in the copper rod, meeting the requirement of high performance consistency for high-speed copper wire.

[0030] In some embodiments, the sampling assembly 1 includes a sampling sleeve 111, a sampling rod 112, and a driver 113. One end of the sampling sleeve 111 is connected to the vacuum chamber 2. The sampling rod 112 passes through the sampling sleeve 111 and is movable in the vertical direction to extend into the melting assembly 3. The driver 113 is installed at the upper end of the sampling sleeve 111 and is connected to the sampling rod 112 to drive the sampling rod 112 to move in the vertical direction.

[0031] See Figure 1 As shown, the lower end of the material taking sleeve 111 is connected to the vacuum chamber 2, and the material taking rod 112 is inserted into the material taking sleeve 111. The material taking rod 112 can move in the vertical direction to extend into the melting assembly 3. The material taking sleeve 111 is a hollow cylindrical rigid structure, and the material can be high-temperature resistant stainless steel or nickel-based alloy. Its lower end is sealed to the top wall of the vacuum chamber 2 through a flange, and a metal static sealing ring is provided to maintain the overall airtightness of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0032] The inside of the picking sleeve 111 forms an axial channel that penetrates the top wall of the vacuum chamber 2, which not only provides a linear motion guide for the picking rod 112, but also serves as the physical path for the picking rod 112 to enter and exit the vacuum chamber 2. The picking rod 112 is a slender columnar component that passes through the inner cavity of the picking sleeve 111 axially. Its outer diameter and the inner diameter of the picking sleeve 111 are fitted with a clearance of 0.1 to 0.5 mm. This clearance is sufficient to ensure smooth movement. At the same time, it is combined with a dynamic sealing structure, such as a bellows seal or a magnetohydrodynamic seal, to prevent vacuum leakage.

[0033] The picking rod 112 can perform reciprocating linear displacement along its own axis under the action of the driver 113. The displacement stroke range is 50 to 300 mm, so that its bottom picking chamber is completely below the molten pool surface of the melting component 3 and stays stably. The lower end of the picking rod 112 enters the space occupied by the molten material in the melting furnace 31 to capture representative liquid samples.

[0034] Optionally, the dynamic sealing structure of the material taking sleeve 111 can be a bellows seal, with one end of the bellows welded and fixed to the inner wall of the material taking sleeve 111 and the other end welded and fixed to the outer wall of the material taking rod 112. The bellows extends and retracts synchronously with the material taking rod 112, thereby maintaining vacuum isolation throughout the movement. In another alternative embodiment, the dynamic sealing structure of the material-receiving sleeve 111 includes a magnetohydrodynamic sealing assembly, which consists of a permanent magnet ring, pole shoes, and a magnetic fluid. The magnetic fluid fills the annular gap between the material-receiving rod 112 and the sleeve under the constraint of a magnetic field, forming a non-contact dynamic seal. Furthermore, the dynamic sealing structure can also adopt a combination of multi-stage labyrinth mechanical seal and graphite packing, with an annular groove set on the surface of the feed rod 112, which is then pressed together with flexible graphite packing to achieve a highly reliable and low-leakage dynamic seal.

[0035] The driver 113 is installed at the upper end of the picking sleeve 111 and is connected to the picking rod 112 to drive the picking rod 112 to move in the vertical direction. The driver 113 is a linear displacement output type actuator, which can be a servo motor with a ball screw pair, an electric cylinder, or a pneumatic / hydraulic linear push rod. The driver 113 is installed at the upper end of the picking sleeve 111, which means that its housing is rigidly fixed to the outer side of the top of the picking sleeve 111 by a bracket or flange. The output shaft extends downward in the vertical direction and is coaxially connected to the upper end of the picking rod 112. The driver 113 can achieve the connection of torque and displacement through a coupling, threaded joint or quick-release buckle to ensure no slippage and no backlash.

[0036] The driver 113 converts rotational motion or pressure energy into precise axial displacement of the pick-up rod 112, with a displacement resolution better than ±0.05mm and a repeatability better than ±0.1mm, meeting the process requirements for layered sampling at different depths of the molten pool.

[0037] In one optional embodiment, the driver 113 may be an integrated electric cylinder that combines a servo motor and a precision ball screw pair. The servo motor receives pulse commands from the PLC or industrial control computer and controls the ball screw nut to drive the take-up rod 112 to achieve closed-loop position control.

[0038] In another alternative embodiment, the driver 113 includes a combination of a stepper motor and a harmonic reducer, which enables smooth start and stop through microstepping and is used in conjunction with photoelectric limit switches to calibrate the zero point and travel boundaries.

[0039] Furthermore, the actuator 113 can also employ a pneumatic actuator with a proportional pressure regulating valve and a displacement sensor to control the output thrust by adjusting the air source pressure and correct the motion trajectory in real time based on displacement feedback, making it suitable for vacuum environments with stringent electromagnetic compatibility requirements.

[0040] This application constructs a dual-function structure of vacuum sealing channel and mechanical guidance through the material taking sleeve 111. With the help of the driver 113, it realizes high-precision and high-repeatability axial displacement control of the material taking rod 112, so that the material taking rod 112 can stably extend into the molten pool of the melting component 3 according to a predetermined sequence and depth to complete the quantitative sampling action. On this basis, after the material taking rod 112 is withdrawn, it can be quickly transferred to an external spectrometer for component detection. The detection results are fed back to the melting control system, thereby adjusting the feeding amount or refining parameters, forming a closed-loop control link of sampling-analysis-control, thus solving the technical problems of large sampling disturbance, uncontrollable position, and poor repeatability in vacuum high temperature environment, which leads to lag in component control.

[0041] In some embodiments, the bottom of the feeding rod 112 has a feeding cavity, one side of which is closed and the side facing the interior of the melting assembly 3 has an opening, and the feeding cavity extends downward at an angle.

[0042] The material taking chamber is located at the lower end of the material taking rod 112 and is a local volume structure used to accommodate molten metal materials; as the functional execution end of the sampling action, it directly participates in the physical contact and interception of the material in the molten pool. The sampling chamber has a continuous, unopened solid structure on the side facing away from the center of the melting assembly 3. The closed side forms the sample bearing surface. During the lifting of the sampling rod 112, it catches the collected melt and prevents it from flowing back or dripping along the outer wall of the rod. The sampling chamber has a through-hole on the wall facing the center area of ​​the crucible in the melting furnace 31. This opening is directly opposite the main flow direction of the molten pool or the active area of ​​liquid surface disturbance, so that the melt can flow naturally into the chamber during the downward insertion process driven by gravity and local convection.

[0043] The central axis of the material intake chamber extends downward at an acute angle relative to the vertical direction. The inclined orientation makes the chamber form a flow-facing slope when inserted into the molten pool, which enhances the efficiency of molten material filling and forms a stable liquid column shape in the chamber, suppressing liquid surface sloshing and splashing caused by vibration or traction disturbance.

[0044] For example, the tilt angle of the material receiving chamber is 15° to 45°, and can be selected as 25° to 35°. This angle range takes into account both the injection response speed and the stability of the liquid column residence. The material receiving chamber is a cylindrical cavity with a diameter of 6 to 12 mm and a depth of 8 to 15 mm. Its size matches the diameter of the main body of the material receiving rod 112 to ensure structural strength and thermal stress resistance.

[0045] The feeding chamber is integrally formed from high-purity graphite material, which has the characteristics of high temperature resistance (≥1300℃), thermal shock resistance, and low wettability, and can effectively prevent the melt from climbing up the chamber wall or adhering to the residue.

[0046] In one optional embodiment, the opening edge of the material receiving chamber is provided with a flow-guiding chamfer, which can guide the melt to smoothly enter the chamber and reduce turbulence disturbance.

[0047] In another alternative embodiment, the inner surface of the closed side of the feeding chamber is provided with micro-protrusion texture, which can increase the adhesion of the melt and further prevent the sample from slipping during the lifting process.

[0048] Furthermore, the material receiving chamber can also adopt a stepped depth design, that is, the depth is shallower near the open end and gradually increases near the closed end, in order to adapt to the filling uniformity under different melt viscosity conditions.

[0049] This application utilizes a single-sided closed structure of the sampling chamber and a single-sided opening facing the center of the molten pool to enable the sampling rod 112 to achieve directional pouring of the melt during downward insertion and reliable sample holding during the upward lifting stage. By using the inclined downward extending cavity axis, the gravitational component is converted into the axial retention driving force of the liquid column in the cavity, thereby improving the consistency of the single sampling volume.

[0050] In some embodiments, the vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine 100 further includes a feeding assembly 5, which is located between the feeding cylinder and the vacuum chamber 2. The feeding assembly 5 includes a feeding chamber 51 and a discharge valve 52. The lower end of the feeding cylinder is connected to the feeding chamber 51, and the discharge valve 52 is located at the bottom of the feeding chamber 51. The discharge valve 52 can open and close the outlet of the feeding chamber 51 to connect and disconnect the connection with the vacuum chamber 2. See Figure 1 As shown, the feeding assembly 5 is independent of the vacuum chamber 2 body and is located between the bottom of the feeding cylinder and the top opening of the vacuum chamber 2, ensuring that the feeding path is through the feeding cylinder → feeding chamber 51 → discharge valve 52 → vacuum chamber 2, forming a unidirectional, controllable, and airtight material conveying channel.

[0051] The top of the vacuum chamber 2 is equipped with an interface that connects to the feeding chamber 51. The interface is fitted with a sealing flange and an O-ring to prevent a sudden drop in vacuum and atmospheric contamination caused by opening the cover.

[0052] The top of the feeding chamber 51 is connected to the lower end of the receiving cylinder via a flange or threaded structure. The bottom is provided with an interface that matches the discharge valve 52. Optionally, the side wall of the feeding chamber 51 is provided with a viewing hole, such as a quartz glass observation window, to visually confirm the feeding status. The top is provided with an inert gas filling port and a vacuum pumping port. The inner surface is polished to reduce material adhesion to the wall. The feeding chamber 51 can serve as a material temporary storage and pressure buffer space. It is subjected to an atmospheric pressure inert atmosphere during the feeding stage and a near-vacuum negative pressure during the feeding stage.

[0053] The discharge valve 52 can be a pneumatic or electric control valve installed at the bottom outlet of the feeding chamber 51. Its valve core structure is a flat plate or conical sealing structure with a high vacuum sealing level, which can realize rapid opening and closing action. After the feeding chamber 51 is evacuated, it acts as a passage to control the opening and closing of the flow channel 4111 between the feeding chamber 51 and the vacuum chamber 2, thereby determining whether the material falls into the melting component 3 under the pressure difference drive. The opening and closing sequence of this valve is linked with the vacuum system, forming the core execution unit of the non-vacuum feeding logic.

[0054] The lower opening of the sampling cylinder is connected to the top inlet of the feeding chamber 51 via a detachable flange structure. The interface is equipped with a metal spiral wound gasket or a fluororubber sealing ring to ensure dynamic sealing reliability. The connection between the sampling cylinder and the feeding chamber 51 is axially straight, without diameter reduction or deflection, ensuring that the up and down movement of the sampling rod is not interfered with. At the same time, it allows the material to slide smoothly along the direction of gravity during the feeding process. The connection structure makes the feeding chamber 51 an extension of the sampling cylinder, realizing space reuse between sampling and feeding operations and improving equipment integration.

[0055] The discharge valve 52 is located at the lowest point of gravity at the bottom of the feeding chamber 51, which is conducive to the material being completely discharged by its own weight after opening, avoiding residue. When the valve is open, a dual passage for airflow and material is formed between the inner cavity of the feeding chamber 51 and the main cavity of the vacuum chamber 2. At this time, because the pressure in the feeding chamber 51 is higher than that in the vacuum chamber 2, the metal material automatically falls into the melting component 3 in the vacuum chamber 2 under the action of pressure difference. When the valve is closed, the feeding chamber 51 and the vacuum chamber 2 are completely physically isolated, and the two can independently maintain different pressure states. This on-off control mechanism is the key action node to achieve non-vacuum feeding, and its reliability determines the stability of oxygen content control.

[0056] In an optional embodiment, the discharge valve 52 can be opened by receiving an electrical signal from the vacuum monitoring system after the feeding chamber 51 is evacuated to a vacuum, driving the actuator to vertically lift the valve core, so that the valve port is fully open, and the material falls freely into the vacuum chamber 2 under the combined action of gravity and pressure difference.

[0057] In another optional embodiment, the discharge valve 52 can be opened by first issuing a pre-opening command by the PLC controller after the vacuum in the feeding chamber 51 reaches the standard, so that the valve core is slightly opened to release the residual positive pressure, and then fully opened after a delay of 0.3 to 0.8 seconds, so as to avoid material splashing or impacting the liquid surface inside the melting furnace 31 due to excessive instantaneous pressure difference. Furthermore, the discharge valve 52 can also adopt a dual-valve series structure, that is, the upstream is a coarse control gate valve and the downstream is a fine control butterfly valve. The two valves work together: first, the coarse control valve is opened to establish the initial passage, and then the opening of the fine control valve is adjusted according to the liquid level feedback signal in the melting furnace 31 to realize the material feeding in stages and controllable rate, which can adapt to the requirements of different melting stages for the feeding rhythm.

[0058] This application sets up a feeding assembly 5 located between the feeding cylinder and the vacuum chamber 2, using the feeding chamber 51 as a pressure buffer and material transfer cavity, and using the discharge valve 52 to precisely control the on / off state between it and the vacuum chamber 2, thus achieving physical isolation between the feeding process and the vacuum environment of the main cavity of the vacuum chamber 2. On this basis, by using the controllable pressure difference between the feeding chamber 51 and the vacuum chamber 2, the metal material is driven to automatically fall into the melting assembly 3, completely avoiding the voiding operation caused by opening the vacuum chamber 2 for traditional feeding. This not only reduces the overall vacuum fluctuation of the vacuum chamber 2, ensuring the purity of the melting atmosphere and the stability of the oxygen content, but also shortens the single feeding cycle.

[0059] In some embodiments, the smelting assembly 3 includes a smelting furnace 31 and a heating element 131. The smelting furnace 31 is hollow inside for storing materials to be smelted. The top of the smelting furnace 31 has an inlet. The heating element 131 surrounds the outside of the smelting furnace 31 and is used to generate heat to melt the materials inside the smelting furnace 31.

[0060] The interior of the smelting furnace 31 is hollow and used to store the materials to be smelted. The top of the smelting furnace 31 has an inlet. The smelting furnace 31 contains and carries metal materials for high-temperature melting in a vacuum environment. Its structure is a hollow cylindrical shape, axially connected, and the top opening is the inlet, which is used to continuously or intermittently introduce solid metal materials such as electrolytic copper plates during the smelting process. The material of the smelting furnace 31 can be graphite, which has the characteristics of high temperature strength, good thermal stability, strong thermal shock resistance and low impurity precipitation.

[0061] In this embodiment, the outer wall of the smelting furnace 31 is covered with an alumina fiber insulation sleeve to reduce heat loss and maintain a stable furnace temperature field. The inlet is located directly above the smelting furnace 31 and is connected to the bottom outlet of the charging chamber 51. A slide valve is configured to realize opening and closing control, thereby completing the charging operation while keeping the vacuum chamber 2 sealed.

[0062] Heating element 131 surrounds the outside of melting furnace 31 and is used to generate heat to melt the material inside melting furnace 31; Among them, the heating component 131 is a device that can apply non-contact heat energy input to the melting furnace 31 through the principle of electromagnetic induction. Without intruding into the vacuum chamber 2 or directly contacting the molten material, it can make the melting furnace 31 body heat up and then conduct / radiate heat the internal material.

[0063] The heating element 131 is arranged in a ring, completely covering the lower middle outer periphery of the melting furnace 31, ensuring that the heat flow is symmetrically distributed radially along the furnace wall, avoiding local overheating that could cause the furnace body to crack or excessive temperature gradient that could lead to component segregation.

[0064] In this embodiment, the heating component 131 includes a first heating coil 321, a coil protective sleeve 322, and a heating electrode 323. The first heating coil 321 is a hollow copper conductor with a high-temperature insulating resin protective layer coated on its surface and is wound around the outer wall of the melting furnace 31. The heating electrode 323 is fixed to the wall of the vacuum chamber 2, with one end extending into the vacuum chamber 2 and electrically connected to the first heating coil 321, and the other end connected to an external medium-frequency power supply.

[0065] When current passes through the first heating coil 321, eddy currents are induced in the graphite wall of the melting furnace 31, causing the furnace wall to heat up due to its own resistance. The heat is conducted into the furnace cavity and then heats the internal metal material through thermal radiation and convection. This induction heating method has a fast heating rate, which meets the temperature window required for copper liquid refining. At the same time, since no electrodes are inserted into the furnace, the risk of electrode material contaminating the melt and short circuit breakdown is completely avoided.

[0066] In one optional embodiment, the heating component 131 is wound in a single-layer continuous spiral. This heating method controls the heat distribution in different height areas of the smelting furnace 31 by matching and adjusting the number of turns, wire diameter and current density of the first heating coil 321, so as to adapt to the differentiated heat requirements of the upper feeding area and the lower molten pool area.

[0067] In another optional embodiment, the heating component 131 is arranged in a ring-shaped manner as a group of multiple independently powered ring coils, with each coil corresponding to a different axial section of the melting furnace 31. This heating method includes closed-loop control logic based on the furnace wall temperature feedback signal. By adjusting the input power of each coil segment, dynamic correction of the axial temperature gradient of the melting furnace 31 is achieved, thereby improving the overall homogeneity of the melt.

[0068] Furthermore, the heating component 131 adopts a water-cooled hollow copper coil structure, with deionized cooling water flowing inside the coil to suppress coil temperature rise while ensuring high-power operation and extend the continuous operation time of the equipment.

[0069] This application achieves efficient, clean, and controllable induction melting in a vacuum environment by arranging the heating element 131 in a ring around the outside of the melting furnace 31 and cooperating with the top inlet structure. On the one hand, the ring arrangement ensures that the heat input path is symmetrical and uniform, improving the temperature field distortion problem caused by traditional side-inserted electrodes or bottom resistance heating.

[0070] In some embodiments, the heating component 131 includes a first heating coil 321, a coil protective sleeve 322, and a heating electrode 323. The heating electrode 323 is fixed to the wall of the vacuum chamber 2, and one end of the heating electrode 323 extends into the vacuum chamber 2 and is connected to the first heating coil 321. The first heating coil 321 surrounds the outer wall of the melting furnace 31, and the coil protective sleeve 322 covers the outside of the first heating coil 321.

[0071] The heating electrode 323 is fixed on the wall of the vacuum chamber 2. One end of the heating electrode 323 extends into the vacuum chamber 2 and is connected to the first heating coil 321. The heating electrode 323 feeds external power energy into the vacuum chamber through the wall of the vacuum chamber 2. The heating electrode 323 must simultaneously meet the triple functions of high conductivity, high temperature structural stability and vacuum sealing.

[0072] In this embodiment, the heating electrode 323 serves as a vacuum feedthrough component. Its metal body is made of oxygen-free copper or molybdenum alloy, and its outer wall is provided with a metal-to-ceramic composite sealing ring. It is rigidly connected to the wall of the vacuum chamber 2 through a threaded clamping structure. One end of the heating electrode 323 extends into the vacuum chamber and is electrically connected to the first heating coil 321 through a water-cooled quick-connect terminal, thereby avoiding local overheating and arcing caused by loose connection or oxidation.

[0073] In another alternative embodiment, the heating electrode 323 includes a built-in water-cooling channel 4111, the cooling medium of which is deionized water, to maintain the electrode body temperature below a preset value.

[0074] Furthermore, the heating electrode 323 adopts a double-layer shielding design, with a grounding shielding ring added outside the main electrode to suppress high-frequency electromagnetic leakage and reduce interference to surrounding sensors.

[0075] The first heating coil 321 is a current-carrying conductor structure that generates an alternating magnetic field after an alternating current is applied, thereby causing the metal material inside the melting furnace 31 to heat up. The first heating coil 321 has high conductivity, good mechanical rigidity, and resistance to thermal deformation. For example, the first heating coil 321 is a multi-turn spiral structure wound from a hollow copper tube, made of T2 copper, with a tube diameter of Φ8 to Φ12 mm and a wall thickness of 1.0 to 1.5 mm. The surface is passivated to improve oxidation resistance. Its geometric center line is coaxial with the axis of the outer wall of the melting furnace 31, the inter-turn spacing is uniform, and the whole is in a helical shape with equal pitch, closely attached to the outer wall of the melting furnace 31 to ensure maximum magnetic field coupling efficiency. The first heating coil 321 does not directly contact the melting furnace 31, and an air gap of 0.5 to 2.0 mm is maintained between them to balance thermal isolation and magnetic coupling stability.

[0076] In one alternative implementation, the first heating coil 321 has a segmented structure, consisting of 3 to 6 independently powered coil units arranged sequentially along the height of the melting furnace 31. Each unit can individually adjust the current amplitude and phase, thereby achieving axial gradient control of the temperature field inside the furnace.

[0077] In another alternative implementation, the first heating coil 321 includes an embedded temperature sensor with a measuring point located at the center of the outer surface of the coil, which is used to provide real-time feedback on the temperature rise of the coil body and to link the cooling system for closed-loop regulation.

[0078] Furthermore, the first heating coil 321 is fixed to the outer wall of the melting furnace 31 with a flexible support frame. The frame is made of high-temperature resistant ceramic fiber reinforced composite material, which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high insulation strength, and can be used for a long time in high-temperature environment without deformation or carbonization.

[0079] The coil protective sleeve 322 is a functional covering structure that encloses and protects the first heating coil 321 from high-temperature radiation, plasma bombardment, and mechanical collisions. In vacuum high-temperature induction heating scenarios, the coil protective sleeve 322 must possess high-temperature insulation, heat reflectivity, structural integrity, and chemical inertness. For example, the coil protective sleeve 322 is a cylindrical structure made of high-temperature insulating resin-based composite material, specifically a molded part with silicone resin or polyimide as the matrix and doped with alumina or boron nitride particles. The inner diameter of the coil protective sleeve 322 is slightly larger than the outer contour of the first heating coil 321, forming a static gap of 0.3 to 0.8 mm between it and the coil after installation, which allows for thermal expansion and contraction while preventing vibration and friction. The protective sleeve continuously covers the entire length of the first heating coil 321, with chamfered transition structures at both ends to prevent tip discharge.

[0080] In one alternative embodiment, the coil protective sleeve 322 can be a segmented detachable structure, consisting of 2 to 4 arc-shaped shells assembled by high-temperature resistant buckles or ceramic screws, which facilitates quick disassembly and assembly during equipment maintenance. In another alternative embodiment, the coil protective sleeve 322 has a porous microstructure surface on its side facing the melting furnace 31 to enhance infrared radiation reflectivity, thereby reducing the amount of reverse thermal radiation absorbed by the first heating coil 321.

[0081] Furthermore, the coil protective sleeve 322 integrates a miniature pressure sensing diaphragm. When the protective sleeve undergoes slight deformation due to accidental pressure, a safety interlock signal is triggered, suspending the operation of the heating system.

[0082] This application achieves wall-to-wall communication and reliable electrical connection of the vacuum chamber 2 through the heating electrode 323, constructs a stable magnetic field path with the help of the first heating coil 321, and maintains the geometric accuracy and insulation performance of the coil with the help of the coil protective sleeve 322. This allows the first heating coil 321 to maintain a constant inter-turn distance and low impedance characteristics for a long time in a vacuum high-temperature environment, thereby ensuring the uniformity of heating and the stability of heating power of the melting furnace 31. On this basis, the sealing structure of the heating electrode 323 eliminates the risk of vacuum leakage, and the coil protective sleeve 322 significantly reduces the temperature rise of the first heating coil 321. Ultimately, the power fluctuation of the entire heating component 131 is controlled within a controllable range under continuous operation conditions.

[0083] In some embodiments, the casting assembly 4 includes a crystallizing component 41 and a traction component 42. The crystallizing component 41 is located at the outlet of the melting furnace 31 and is used to cool the molten material in the melting furnace 31 to form a rod-shaped billet. The traction component 42 is located at the outlet end of the crystallizing component 41 and is used to pull the rod-shaped billet discharged from the crystallizing component 41 into a rod-shaped billet.

[0084] The crystallization component 41 is located downstream of the discharge port of the melting furnace 31, directly receiving the high-temperature molten metal and implementing directional solidification, and guiding the melt to complete the phase transformation from liquid to solid under controllable heat flux density.

[0085] The crystallization component 41 serves as a thermal-mechanical coupling transition link between the melting process and the forming process. Its input is a continuous and stable melt flow from the outlet of the melting furnace 31, and its output is a nascent rod-shaped billet with a preliminary shape and a solidified surface shell. The outer surface morphology and internal grain orientation of the nascent rod-shaped billet are directly controlled by its cooling intensity, temperature gradient and interfacial thermal resistance.

[0086] The dynamic phase transformation front formed during the cooling process of the molten material within the crystallization component 41, and its morphology, such as planar, slightly concave, or convex, directly affects the growth direction of columnar crystals and the density of the microstructure. For example, the solid-liquid interface is configured as slightly concave, which is achieved by adjusting the cooling rate and heat flow distribution of the crystallization component 41, thereby promoting the axial extension of grains, inhibiting the formation of radial equiaxed crystals, and ultimately obtaining an axial columnar crystal structure.

[0087] In an alternative embodiment, the cooling method applies a graded cooling medium flow rate to the crystallization component 41, so that the cooling intensity is lower in the area near the outlet of the melting furnace 31, moderate in the middle area, and higher in the outlet area, thereby creating an axially increasing temperature gradient that drives the solid-liquid interface to gently advance into the melt. In another alternative embodiment, the cooling method sets up independent temperature control loops at different height positions of the crystallization component 41, and adjusts the inlet temperature and flow rate of the coolant in each section through closed-loop feedback to dynamically match the changes in melt flow rate and superheat fluctuations. Furthermore, the cooling method employs a pulsating coolant supply, alternating between high and low flow conditions within a unit time cycle. This, combined with the intermittent motion rhythm of the traction component 42, creates transient thermal boundary conditions synchronized with the "traction to stop to traction" sequence, thereby enhancing the stability of the solid-liquid interface.

[0088] The traction component 42 is used to draw the rod-shaped billet discharged from the crystallization component 41 into a rod-shaped billet. It is arranged downstream of the crystallization component 41 and is an actuator that applies a controllable axial tensile force to the material that has formed a primary solidified shell and realizes continuous or quasi-continuous displacement output.

[0089] In this embodiment, the input of the traction component 42 is the crystallization component 41, and the output is a rod-shaped billet with stable geometric dimensions, good straightness, and dense internal structure. Its operating state directly affects the surface quality of the billet, the accuracy of the cross-sectional dimensions, and the incidence of internal shrinkage defects. Intermittent casting refers to a cyclical action mode in which the traction component 42 does not run continuously at a constant speed, but instead performs a "traction-stop-traction" cycle according to a preset time sequence. This mode is achieved through the coordinated action of a servo motor drive and a PLC timing controller. The traction time is 0.1 to 0.5 seconds, the stop time is 0.2 to 1.0 seconds (twice the traction time), and the traction speed is 30 to 160 mm / min. This action mode allows the melt to obtain sufficient feeding time and interface remelting adjustment opportunities during each traction interval, effectively suppressing shrinkage porosity, cracks, and surface vibration marks caused by uneven cooling.

[0090] In one optional embodiment, the traction method drives the traction wheel 424 to rotate via a servo motor, and converts the angular displacement into linear displacement via a reduction mechanism. The surface of the traction wheel 424 is provided with an elastic coating layer to enhance clamping stability. In another alternative embodiment, the traction method includes multiple traction wheels 424 stacked in a vertical direction, each traction wheel 424 being driven by an independent servo motor, and a synchronous control algorithm ensuring that all traction wheels 424 have the same linear velocity and collinear central axes, thereby avoiding twisting or eccentric bending of the rod blank. Furthermore, the traction method adopts a combination structure of pneumatic clamping and servo feed. During the traction stage, the pneumatic clamp clamps the rod blank, and during the stopping stage, the clamp is released and the servo slide drives the clamp to reset, realizing zero-slip traction and zero-stress stop.

[0091] This application achieves a micro-concave solid-liquid interface by structural coupling and parameter coordination between the crystallization component 41 and the traction component 42. The intermittent traction action enhances the kinetics of axial columnar crystal growth, resulting in a high-density copper rod billet with no visible defects under a 10 to 50x microscope. Based on this, the nascent rod-shaped billet output from the crystallization component 41 is pulled out of the crystallizer 411 by the traction component 42 with precise timing and speed, completing the morphological transformation from liquid to regular rod-shaped solid. This provides a stable, dimensionally accurate, and smooth billet foundation for subsequent cutting and wire drawing processes.

[0092] In some embodiments, the crystallization component 41 includes a crystallizer 411, a cooling jacket 412, and a protective sleeve 413. The crystallizer 411 has a plurality of flow channels 4111 arranged in parallel and communicating with the melting furnace 31 respectively. The cooling jacket 412 surrounds the outside of the crystallizer 411 and has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is connected to a cooling source so that coolant enters through the inlet and exits through the outlet. The protective sleeve 413 is located downstream of the crystallizer 411. The inlet of the protective sleeve 413 communicates with the outlet of the crystallizer 411, and the outlet of the protective sleeve 413 communicates with the traction component 42.

[0093] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the crystallizer 411 has at least two independent flow channels running vertically through it. For example, the number of flow channels 4111 is 6 to 12. The flow channels 4111 have rectangular or circular cross sections, and their axes are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The axes of the flow channels 4111 are connected to the bottom outlet of the melting furnace 31 one by one, ensuring that the molten copper liquid is evenly distributed from the melting furnace 31 to the inlet of each flow channel 4111. The multi-flow channel crystallizer 411 can simultaneously complete the initial solidification of multiple billets within a unit time, thereby improving the continuous casting capacity.

[0094] Cooling jacket 412 surrounds the outside of crystallizer 411. Cooling jacket 412 has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is connected to a cooling source so that coolant enters through the inlet and exits through the outlet. Cooling jacket 412 is an annular sandwich structure closely attached to the outer wall of crystallizer 411, and its inner cavity forms a closed liquid cooling channel 4111. For example, the material can be high thermal conductivity stainless steel or copper. Optionally, the inlet and outlet are staggered around the circumference of the cooling jacket 412 to prolong the residence time of the coolant in the jacket and enhance the turbulent heat transfer effect. The cooling source is a constant temperature circulating water system. By applying forced convection heat transfer to the outer wall of the crystallizer 411, the temperature gradient and solidification rate at the crystallization front are controlled.

[0095] The cooling jacket 412 applies uniform circumferential cooling to the crystallizer 411, offsetting the uneven heat dissipation caused by the positional differences between the multiple flow channels 4111. On the other hand, the coolant flows through a one-way closed loop path from the inlet to the inner flow channel 4111 to the outlet, avoiding local dead zones and ensuring the consistency of cooling intensity in the corresponding areas of each flow channel 4111.

[0096] The protective sleeve 413 is a cylindrical high-temperature resistant metal shell that is open at one end and closed at the other. Its inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the outlet of the maximum flow channel 4111 of the crystallizer 411. Both ends are connected to the outlet of the crystallizer 411 and the inlet of the traction component 42 through flange sealing structures, respectively. A flexible graphite sealing ring is provided between the inlet of the protective sleeve 413 and the outlet of the crystallizer 411, and an adjustable bellows compensator is provided between the outlet and the inlet of the traction component 42 to ensure that airtightness is maintained under thermal expansion conditions. The protective sleeve 413 creates a controlled atmosphere isolation space to prevent the high-temperature nascent billet from oxidizing or nitriding upon contact with air in the phase transformation transition zone. The protective sleeve 413 and the outlet of the crystallizer 411 form a seamless inert atmosphere channel, allowing argon or nitrogen protective atmosphere to continuously flow from the outlet of the crystallizer 411 into the protective sleeve 413. After being stabilized at the outlet, the atmosphere is introduced into the working area of ​​the traction component 42, thus forming a continuous, low-leakage inert atmosphere channel. This eliminates microscopic defects such as oxide films and nitride spots on the billet surface, ensuring the surface processing adaptability for subsequent cutting and wire drawing processes.

[0097] In one optional embodiment, the flow channels 4111 of the multi-channel crystallizer 411 can be arranged by distributing 12 circular flow channels 4111 in a 3×4 matrix within the cross-section of the crystallizer 411, with the center distance between adjacent flow channels 4111 being 1 / 8 of the outer diameter of the crystallizer 411, and the axes of all flow channels 4111 being coplanar and perpendicular to the bottom surface of the crystallizer 411. In another alternative embodiment, the coolant flow path of the cooling jacket 412 may include the coolant rising from the inlet along a spiral direction around the outer wall of the crystallizer 411, turning at the top and descending along the opposite spiral direction, and finally being discharged from the outlet, thereby forming a two-way countercurrent heat exchange in the height direction of the crystallizer 411. Furthermore, the protective sleeve 413 can also adopt a segmented structure, including an upstream sealing section, a midstream constant pressure section and a downstream transition section. The inner wall of the midstream constant pressure section is provided with a microporous flow equalization plate, which is used to evenly disperse the protective gas to the area around the outlet of each flow channel 4111, thereby enhancing the uniformity of atmosphere coverage.

[0098] This application achieves multi-channel synchronous distribution and initial solidification of the melt through a multi-channel crystallizer 411, provides uniform and controllable radial cooling through a surrounding cooling jacket 412, and constructs a continuous inert atmosphere channel through a protective jacket 413. The three work together to provide the structural support and heat load distribution basis. The cooling jacket 412 ensures the consistency of the solidification behavior of each channel 4111, while the protective jacket 413 isolates the interference of the environmental medium during the cooling process. On this basis, the axis of the crystallizer 411 channel 4111 serves as a through geometric reference, further supporting the spatial positioning and synchronous operation of multiple traction wheels 424 in the traction component 42.

[0099] In some embodiments, there are multiple traction components 42, which are arranged sequentially in the vertical direction. Each traction component 42 includes a first support frame 421, an adjusting slide rail 422, an adjusting rod 423, and multiple traction wheels 424. The adjusting slide rail is mounted on the first support frame 421 and is movable in the left-right direction. The adjusting rod 423 is connected to the adjusting slide rail to drive the adjusting slide rail to move in the left-right direction. The multiple traction wheels 424 are evenly spaced in the left-right direction. The traction wheels 424 in the multiple traction components 42 correspond one-to-one in the vertical direction and are on the same vertical line. And / or, the multiple traction wheels 424 are on the same vertical line as the axis of the flow channel 4111 of the crystallizer 411.

[0100] See Figure 1 As shown, there can be three traction components 42. Each unit has independent mechanical support, position adjustment and power drive capabilities. The number of traction components 42 ensures that a continuous and stable axial traction force is applied to the rod-shaped blank. The traction components 42 are arranged in layers along the vertical direction, and their mounting reference planes are staggered in a stepped manner in the height direction, so that each traction wheel 424 sets forms a relay-style traction on the rod-shaped blank, thereby dispersing the single-point traction load and suppressing the bending deformation of the rod blank under the coupling of gravity and traction force.

[0101] See also Figure 1 As shown, the traction component 42 includes a first support frame 421, an adjusting slide rail 422, an adjusting rod 423, and multiple traction wheels 424. The first support frame 421 is a rigid metal frame structure used to support and fix all subsequent traction functional components. For example, the first support frame 421 can be made of stainless steel or high-strength aluminum alloy, which has the properties of heat deformation resistance and vibration resistance.

[0102] The adjusting slide rail 422 extends horizontally in the left and right directions. The adjusting rod 423 can be a threaded transmission mechanism or a servo electric push rod. One end of the adjusting rod 423 is rigidly connected to the adjusting slide rail 422, and the other end of the adjusting rod 423 is connected to an external manual knob or servo controller. The quantitative displacement of the slide rail is achieved by rotation or electrical signal drive.

[0103] Each traction component 42 is equipped with no fewer than three cylindrical traction rollers, the surface of which is mirror-polished and the hardness is not less than HRC60, for forming a zero-slip or low-slip contact with the outer surface of the rod-shaped billet.

[0104] The adjusting slide rail 422 is mounted on the first support frame 421 and can move in the left and right directions. The adjusting rod 423 is connected to the adjusting slide rail 422 to drive the adjusting slide rail 422 to move in the left and right directions. The adjusting slide rail 422 can move in the left and right direction to eliminate the movement in the up and down or front and back directions. The movement is driven by the adjusting rod 423. Its displacement resolution is not less than 0.01mm, which can realize millimeter-level fine adjustment of the center line of the traction wheel 424.

[0105] In one alternative embodiment, the adjustment method of the slide rail 422 may be to drive the trapezoidal thread pair by rotating the handwheel at the end of the adjusting rod 423, so that the slide rail 422 slides along the high-precision linear bearing.

[0106] In another alternative embodiment, the adjustment method of the adjusting slide rail 422 may include receiving a position command from the PLC via a servo motor, driving the ball screw through a reducer, and pushing the adjusting slide rail 422 to complete closed-loop positioning.

[0107] Furthermore, the adjustment method can also adopt a pneumatic floating support combined with proportional valve control to achieve dynamic fine adjustment while maintaining the preload. All of the above different adjustment methods serve the same technical purpose—to make the center line of the traction wheel 424 accurately aligned with the theoretical axis of the rod-shaped blank, and to eliminate the eccentric load caused by installation tolerances or thermal expansion.

[0108] Within the same traction component 42, the rotation centers of each traction wheel 424 are arranged equidistantly in the left-right direction in the horizontal plane. For example, the distance between the centers of adjacent wheels is 1.5 to 3 times the wheel diameter. A traction channel is formed between two adjacent traction wheels 424, and multiple traction channels correspond one-to-one with multiple flow channels 4111.

[0109] The axis of the flow channel 4111 of the crystallizer 411 coincides with the projection of the central axis of the traction wheel 424 and the axis of the flow channel 4111 in the YZ plane, that is, their X coordinate values ​​are equal. This alignment relationship ensures that the traction direction is consistent with the direction of solidification and growth of the molten material in the crystallizer 411, suppresses the transverse shear stress and interface distortion caused by the traction angle, and ensures the stable axial extension of columnar crystals.

[0110] In one alternative embodiment, the alignment method may be: using the outlet end face of the flow channel 4111 of the crystallizer 411 as a reference, calibrating its axial spatial coordinates using a three-dimensional coordinate measuring instrument, and then driving the adjusting slide rail 422 of each traction component 42 through the adjusting rod 423 to align the center of the corresponding traction wheel 424 with it one by one.

[0111] In another alternative implementation, the alignment method may involve setting an optical target at the outlet of crystallizer 411, acquiring images of the target and the edge of traction wheel 424 using an industrial camera, calculating the deviation using an image recognition algorithm, and feeding it back to the actuator of adjusting rod 423.

[0112] Furthermore, this alignment method can also employ a mechanical edge finder in conjunction with a digital dial indicator to complete the initial adjustment during the cold assembly stage of the equipment, and to perform compensation correction after hot operation.

[0113] The traction wheels 424 in the multiple traction components 42 are one-to-one corresponding in the vertical direction and are on the same vertical line. One-to-one correspondence means that the traction wheels 424 with the same serial number in the traction components 42 at different heights, for example, the leftmost traction wheel 424, the middle traction wheel 424, and the rightmost traction wheel 424 of each component are completely coincident on the vertical projection plane. Being on the same vertical line means that the central axes of these corresponding traction wheels 424 are collinear in the YZ plane, that is, their X coordinate values ​​are completely consistent. In other words, their positions are the same in the left-right direction and the same in the front-back direction. This layout ensures that the resultant force applied by all traction wheels 424 to the rod-shaped billet is strictly along the Z-axis and does not generate a torque component around the Z-axis, thereby fundamentally eliminating the tendency of the rod billet to twist.

[0114] This application achieves multi-point, layered, and balanced enveloping traction of rod-shaped billets by arranging multiple traction components 42 sequentially in the vertical direction, with traction wheels 424 evenly spaced in the left and right directions within each component. A high-precision displacement mechanism composed of adjusting slide rails 422 and adjusting rods 423 supports millimeter-level dynamic calibration of the centerline of the traction wheels 424 in the left and right directions. The dual spatial constraints—one-to-one correspondence of the traction wheels 424 along a common vertical line in the vertical direction, and the common vertical line between the traction wheels 424 and the axis of the flow channel 4111 of the crystallizer 411—ensure that the traction resultant force acts strictly along the theoretical axis of the billet, eliminating torsional torque and lateral shear components.

[0115] In some embodiments, the vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine 100 further includes a support assembly 6, which includes a support base 61, an upper support plate 62, a lower support plate 63, and a support column 64. The support base 61 is installed on the inner bottom surface of the vacuum chamber 2, the support column 64 extends in the vertical direction, the upper support plate 62 and the lower support plate 63 are respectively installed at the upper and lower ends of the support column 64, and the height of the upper support plate 62 on the support column 64 is adjustable. The smelting furnace 31 is installed on the upper support plate 62.

[0116] The support assembly 6 can provide a high-precision, adjustable, and thermally stable mechanical reference base for the melting furnace 31. The support base 61 is a load-bearing foundation component that is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the vacuum chamber 2. Its bottom surface is provided with a positioning groove and a sealing mating surface that match the bottom surface of the vacuum chamber 2. The material is high-temperature resistant stainless steel, and the surface is ground to ensure flatness. The support column 64 is a hollow cylindrical rigid column that passes through the lower support plate 63 in the vertical direction and is fixedly connected. Its outer wall is provided with a precision trapezoidal thread, which is used to cooperate with the internal thread at the bottom of the upper support plate 62 to achieve height adjustment.

[0117] The upper support plate 62 is a rectangular bearing plate with a T-slot and an array of threaded holes on its upper surface. It is used to securely install the smelting furnace 31 on it with fasteners, and the axial position can be locked by adjusting the locking nut on the support column 64.

[0118] The lower support plate 63 is a rigid base plate, which is welded and fixed to the lower end of the support column 64, and is connected to the support seat 61 by bolts to form a double-layer support platform structure.

[0119] The upper support plate 62 is adjustable within a preset stroke range, for example, the adjustment stroke is ±5mm, and the minimum adjustment accuracy is 0.01mm. This adjustment capability allows the center line of the outlet flange of the melting furnace 31 to be kept within φ0.05mm of the axis of the flow channel 4111 of the crystallizer 411 by finely adjusting the height of the upper support plate 62 during the equipment assembly stage. During hot operation, a thermal expansion gap is reserved between the support column 64 and the upper and lower support plates 63, and the flexible sealing fit between the support base 61 and the bottom surface of the vacuum chamber 2 allows the support assembly 6 to generate controllable micro-displacement in the vertical direction, thereby releasing the axial thermal elongation stress caused by the heating of the melting furnace 31 and avoiding structural deformation or sealing failure caused by rigid constraints.

[0120] In one alternative embodiment, the height adjustment method of the upper support plate 62 can be achieved by rotating a handwheel located at the top of the support column 64, which drives a precision screw mechanism inside the support column 64 to raise and lower the upper support plate 62 along the thread.

[0121] In another alternative embodiment, the height adjustment method of the upper support plate 62 can be to use a hydraulic lifting cylinder embedded inside the support column 64, and to achieve stepless lifting and precise positioning of the upper support plate 62 by controlling the oil pressure.

[0122] Furthermore, the height adjustment of the upper support plate 62 can also be achieved by using an electric stepper motor in conjunction with a worm gear reducer to drive the thread on the outer wall of the support column 64, so as to realize remote programmable adjustment and position feedback closed-loop control.

[0123] With this configuration, a "floating-rigid" composite support system is constructed by setting up support component 6, using support base 61 to accurately position the bottom surface of vacuum chamber 2, support column 64 to provide a vertical rigid force transmission path, upper support plate 62 to adjust its height, and lower support plate 63 to form a stable base. On this basis, by adjusting the height of upper support plate 62, the horizontality of the installation plane of smelting furnace 31 is controlled within ±0.02mm, thereby ensuring the spatial docking accuracy between the outlet of smelting furnace 31 and the inlet of crystallizer 411. The support structure can effectively absorb and release thermal expansion stress under hot working conditions, improving the long-term operational stability and sealing reliability of the system.

[0124] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0125] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0126] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0127] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0128] In this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0129] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine, characterized in that, include: A vacuum chamber, wherein a vacuum environment can be formed inside the vacuum chamber; A melting assembly, located inside the vacuum chamber, is used to heat metal materials to form molten material; A casting assembly, comprising a crystallizing component located at the outlet of the melting furnace, the crystallizing component having multiple independent flow channels, the crystallizing component being used to cool the molten material within the melting assembly to form multiple independent rod-shaped billets.

2. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The crystallization component includes a crystallizer, a cooling jacket, and a protective sleeve. The crystallizer has multiple flow channels arranged in parallel and each connected to the melting furnace. The cooling jacket surrounds the outside of the crystallizer and has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is connected to a cooling source so that the coolant enters through the inlet and exits through the outlet. The protective sleeve is located downstream of the crystallizer, with its inlet connected to the crystallizer's outlet and its outlet connected to the traction component.

3. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The casting assembly also includes a traction component located at the outlet end of the crystallization component. The traction component is used to pull the rod-shaped billet discharged from the crystallization component into a rod-shaped billet.

4. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The traction components are multiple, arranged sequentially in the vertical direction. Each traction component includes a first support frame, an adjusting slide rail, an adjusting rod, and multiple traction wheels. The adjusting slide rail is mounted on the first support frame and is movable in the left-right direction. The adjusting rod is connected to the adjusting slide rail to drive the adjusting slide rail to move in the left-right direction. The multiple traction wheels are evenly spaced in the left-right direction, and the traction wheels in the multiple traction components correspond one-to-one in the vertical direction and are located on the same vertical line. And / or, the plurality of said traction wheels are aligned with the flow channel axis of said crystallizer on the same vertical line.

5. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a sampling assembly, which includes a sampling sleeve, a sampling rod, and a driver. One end of the sampling sleeve is connected to the vacuum chamber. The sampling rod passes through the sampling sleeve and is movable in the vertical direction to extend into the melting assembly. The driver is installed at the upper end of the sampling sleeve and is connected to the sampling rod to drive the sampling rod to move in the vertical direction.

6. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom of the material taking rod has a material taking cavity, one side of which is closed and the side facing the interior of the melting assembly has an opening, and the material taking cavity extends downward at an angle.

7. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The smelting assembly includes a smelting furnace and a heating element. The smelting furnace is hollow inside for storing materials to be smelted. The top of the smelting furnace has a material inlet. The heating element surrounds the outside of the smelting furnace and is used to generate heat to melt the materials inside the smelting furnace.

8. The vacuum vertical alloy rod billet continuous casting machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating component includes a heating coil, a coil protective sleeve, and a heating electrode. The heating electrode is fixed to the wall of the vacuum chamber, and one end of the heating electrode extends into the vacuum chamber and is connected to the heating coil. The heating coil surrounds the outer wall of the melting furnace, and the coil protective sleeve covers the outside of the heating coil.

9. The vacuum vertical alloy rod casting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, It also includes a feeding assembly located between the feeding cylinder and the vacuum chamber. The feeding assembly includes a feeding chamber and a discharge valve. The lower end of the feeding cylinder is connected to the feeding chamber. The discharge valve is located at the bottom of the feeding chamber and can open and close the outlet of the feeding chamber to connect and disconnect it from the vacuum chamber.

10. The vacuum vertical alloy rod continuous casting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, It also includes a support assembly, which includes a support base, an upper support plate, a lower support plate, and a support column. The support base is installed on the inner bottom surface of the vacuum chamber, the support column extends in the vertical direction, the upper support plate and the lower support plate are respectively installed at the upper and lower ends of the support column, and the height of the upper support plate on the support column is adjustable. The smelting furnace is installed on the upper support plate.

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