Rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot falling boat forming device

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of rare earth purification, in particular to a rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot falling boat forming device. Comprising a transverse furnace and a longitudinal furnace, the bottom end of the longitudinal furnace is communicated with the middle of the transverse furnace, a longitudinally-arranged positioning mechanism used for containing a graphite sleeve with materials is arranged in the longitudinal furnace, and a boat forming mechanism is arranged on the transverse furnace and located below the positioning mechanism. The positioning mechanism is used for accurately fixing and guiding the graphite sleeve with the material, so that the purified rare earth metal can be automatically separated from the graphite sleeve, the operation of manually knocking and demolding in the traditional process is avoided, the metal splashing and pollution risks are reduced, the demolding efficiency is improved, and the production cost is reduced. And the boat forming mechanism directly receives the molten metal falling from the graphite sleeve, so that the steps of breaking a metal block and manually transferring the metal block in the traditional process are omitted, the automatic transfer of the metal from distillation to collection is realized, and the operation efficiency of secondary purification is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of rare earth purification technology, specifically a rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting device. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasingly widespread application of rare earth metals in high-tech fields (such as permanent magnet materials, catalysts, and new energy), the requirements for their purity are constantly increasing. Vacuum distillation is one of the important processes for purifying rare earth metals, removing impurities through high-temperature distillation to obtain high-purity metals. However, after purification in a traditional vacuum distillation furnace, the metal usually forms a continuous solidified layer along the inner wall of the graphite sleeve, which needs to be broken into blocks before transfer.

[0003] In subsequent processing, operators need to use tools to break the metal into blocks before transferring them to a quartz boat for secondary purification. This method has obvious drawbacks: on the one hand, manual hammering can easily cause metal splattering or contamination, and the volume of the molten metal blocks in the quartz boat is difficult to control, which may lead to overflow; on the other hand, the tight adhesion between the graphite sleeve and the metal increases the difficulty of demolding, affecting production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the above problems, thereby providing a rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting device that accelerates secondary purification efficiency.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the aforementioned problem is:

[0006] A rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot forming device includes a horizontal furnace and a vertical furnace. The bottom of the vertical furnace is connected to the middle of the horizontal furnace. A longitudinally arranged positioning mechanism is provided in the vertical furnace for placing graphite sleeves with material. A forming mechanism is provided in the horizontal furnace below the positioning mechanism.

[0007] Compared with the prior art, the outstanding features of this utility model, which adopts the above technical solution, are:

[0008] By precisely fixing and guiding the graphite sleeve with the material through the positioning mechanism, the purified rare earth metal can automatically detach from the graphite sleeve, avoiding the manual demolding operation required in the traditional process. This reduces the risk of metal splashing and contamination, and improves demolding efficiency. The boat-forming mechanism directly receives the molten metal falling from the graphite sleeve, eliminating the step of breaking the metal blocks and manually transferring them in the traditional process. This realizes the automated transfer of metal from distillation to collection, significantly improving the efficiency of secondary purification. Through the direct receiving and positioning of the molten metal by the boat-forming mechanism, the metal enters the subsequent processing stage in a controllable form, avoiding the risk of overflow of block metal due to uncontrollable volume during subsequent melting, and improving process stability and product consistency.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, a further technical solution of this utility model is:

[0010] Furthermore, the positioning mechanism includes a lifting pipe and two stepped positioning platforms. A positioning ring is located at the bottom of the lifting pipe. The lower platform passes through the positioning ring, and the upper platform is engaged with the top of the positioning ring. A groove is formed on the outer edge of the top of the positioning ring. A retaining ring protrudes from the outer edge of the bottom of the graphite sleeve carrying the material. The graphite sleeve carrying the material is located within the lifting pipe, and the retaining ring is embedded in the groove. A graphite cap is located on the top of the graphite sleeve carrying the material. A guide hole is formed on the positioning platform. Through the coordinated design of the lifting pipe and the stepped positioning platforms, precise positioning and stable support of the graphite sleeve carrying the material are achieved. The engaging structure between the positioning ring and the groove ensures that the graphite sleeve remains vertically aligned under high-temperature conditions, preventing deflection when the molten metal drips. The guide hole allows the molten metal to flow in a directional manner.

[0011] Furthermore, the boat-forming mechanism includes an arc-shaped graphite base placed inside the horizontal furnace. The graphite base is topped with a cover, and a tray is positioned above the cover. A positioning groove is formed along the inner edge of the top of the tray, and the bottom of the positioning platform is embedded in the positioning groove. A flow divider baffle extending into the feed hole is provided inside the tray. Two quartz boats are arranged parallel to each other inside the graphite base on both sides of the flow divider baffle. Flow divider holes are formed at the bottom of the tray on both sides of the flow divider baffle. An opening is provided on the cover between the tray and the quartz boats. The flow divider baffle evenly distributes the molten metal to the two quartz boats, avoiding metal splashing caused by manual transfer. The embedded cooperation between the tray positioning groove and the positioning platform ensures the precise alignment of the molten metal transmission path, solving the risk of overflow caused by the uncontrollable volume of bulk metal.

[0012] Furthermore, the feed guide hole includes a conical hole located on the upper part of the positioning platform and a stepped hole located on the lower part of the positioning platform. The top of the stepped hole is connected to the bottom of the conical hole. The diameter of the lower layer of the stepped hole is equal to the inner diameter of the tray. A limiting groove is opened at the bottom of the inner cavity of the tray. The flow divider includes an integrally formed lower plate and an upper plate. The bottom of the lower plate is stuck in the limiting groove and its two sides contact the lower layer of the stepped hole and the inner wall of the tray, respectively. The upper plate extends into the upper layer of the stepped hole, and its two sides contact the inner wall of the upper layer of the stepped hole and divide it equally. The composite structure of the conical hole and the stepped hole forms a gradually changing flow guide channel. Combined with the upper and lower segmented design of the flow divider, it ensures the smooth flow of molten metal and achieves precise equal-volume flow division. The limiting groove structure ensures the positional stability of the flow divider under high-temperature conditions.

[0013] Furthermore, a first cooling water jacket is provided on the outer wall of the longitudinal furnace and near the furnace opening, and a second cooling water jacket is provided on the outer wall of the transverse furnace and near the furnace opening. A circulating water channel is provided between the first and second cooling water jackets. Through the targeted arrangement of the cooling water jackets on the furnace opening side, a temperature gradient barrier is formed, which effectively blocks the diffusion of high-temperature steam to the flange sealing end, so that the temperature in the flange area is maintained within a safe range of 80-120℃. This not only prevents the aging of the sealing material, but also eliminates the deformation of the metal flange caused by excessive temperature difference.

[0014] Furthermore, both the longitudinal and transverse furnaces are equipped with sealing flanges on their opening sides and sealed with fluororubber O-rings, overcoming the problem of vacuum reduction caused by the aging of traditional sealing methods.

[0015] Furthermore, the outer walls of the horizontal and vertical furnaces are equipped with linear heating elements, which are wrapped with insulation cotton. The combination of the linear heating elements and the insulation cotton creates a uniform heat field distribution.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a vacuum pump, which is connected to the upper part of the longitudinal furnace in sequence through a bellows and a rigid vacuum tube. A vacuum valve is installed between the bellows and the rigid vacuum tube. A vacuum pressure gauge and a venting valve are installed on the rigid vacuum tube. The combination connection of the bellows and the rigid vacuum tube not only ensures the sealing reliability of the vacuum pipeline, but also eliminates thermal deformation stress through flexible compensation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a side view of the horizontal and vertical furnaces according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] The following are marked in the diagram: Horizontal furnace 1, Vertical furnace 2, Graphite sleeve with charge 3, Hanging pipe 4, Positioning platform 5, Graphite cover 6, Graphite base 7, Top cover 8, Tower tray 9, Diversion hole 91, Quartz boat 10, Diversion baffle 11, First cooling water jacket 12, Second cooling water jacket 13, Water tank 14, Water pump 15, Sealing flange 16, Linear heating element 17, Insulation cotton 18, Vacuum pump 19, Corrugated pipe 20, Rigid vacuum tube 21, Vacuum valve 22, Heating power supply 23. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments, the purpose of which is only to better understand the content of the present invention. Therefore, the examples given do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] A rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot forming device includes a horizontal furnace 1 and a vertical furnace 2. The opening of the horizontal furnace 1 is located on the right side, and the opening of the vertical furnace 2 is located at the top. The horizontal furnace 1 and the vertical furnace 2 are fixed by a frame. The bottom end of the vertical furnace 2 is connected to the middle of the horizontal furnace 1. The horizontal furnace 1 and the vertical furnace 2 are combined in a T-shape. The vertical furnace 2 is provided with a longitudinally arranged positioning mechanism for placing the graphite sleeve 3 with material. The horizontal furnace 1 is provided with a forming mechanism located below the positioning mechanism.

[0022] Furthermore, the positioning mechanism includes a hanging pipe 4 and two stepped positioning platforms 5. The hanging pipe 4 is movably located in the longitudinal furnace 2 and extends into the transverse furnace 1. A positioning ring is provided at the bottom end of the hanging pipe 4. The lower layer of the positioning platform 5 passes through the positioning ring, and the upper layer of the positioning platform 5 is locked at the top of the positioning ring. A groove is provided on the outer edge of the top of the positioning ring. A retaining ring protrudes from the outer edge of the bottom end of the graphite sleeve 3 carrying the material. The graphite sleeve 3 carrying the material is located in the hanging pipe 4, and the retaining ring is embedded in the groove. A graphite cap 6 is provided on the top of the graphite sleeve 3 carrying the material. A material guide hole is provided on the positioning platform 5. Through the cooperative design of the hanging pipe 4 and the stepped positioning platform 5, the precise positioning and stable support of the graphite sleeve 3 carrying the material are achieved. The locking structure of the positioning ring and the groove ensures that the graphite sleeve remains vertically aligned in a high-temperature environment, preventing skewing when the molten metal drips. The material guide hole allows the molten metal to flow in a directional manner.

[0023] Furthermore, the boat-forming mechanism includes an arc-shaped graphite base 7 placed inside the horizontal furnace 1. A top cover 8 is provided on the top of the graphite base 7, and a tray 9 is provided above the top cover 8. The tray 9 is made of graphite, and a positioning groove is opened on the inner edge of the top of the tray 9. The bottom of the positioning platform 5 is embedded in the positioning groove. A diversion baffle 11 extending into the guide hole is provided inside the tray 9. Two quartz boats 10 are arranged parallel to each other inside the graphite base 7 and on both sides of the diversion baffle 11. Diversion holes 91 are opened on the bottom of the tray 9 and on both sides of the diversion baffle 11. An opening is provided on the top cover 8 between the tray 9 and the quartz boats 10. The diversion baffle 11 evenly distributes the molten metal to the two quartz boats 10, avoiding metal splashing caused by manual transfer. The embedded cooperation between the positioning groove of the tray 9 and the positioning platform 5 ensures the precise alignment of the molten metal transmission path and solves the risk of overflow caused by the uncontrollable volume of block metal.

[0024] Furthermore, the feed guide hole includes a conical hole located on the upper part of the positioning platform 5 and a stepped hole located on the lower part of the positioning platform 5. The solidified metal layer on the graphite sleeve 3 carrying the material is located directly above the inclined surface of the conical hole. After the solidified metal layer melts, it flows downward along the conical hole and will not remain on the top of the positioning platform 5. The top of the stepped hole is connected to the bottom of the conical hole. The diameter of the lower layer of the stepped hole is equal to the inner diameter of the tray 9. A limiting groove is opened at the bottom of the inner cavity of the tray 9. The diversion baffle 11 includes an integrally formed lower plate and an upper plate. The bottom of the lower plate is stuck in the limiting groove and its two sides are in contact with the lower layer of the stepped hole and the inner wall of the tray 9, respectively. The upper plate extends into the upper layer of the stepped hole. The two sides of the upper plate are in contact with the inner wall of the upper layer of the stepped hole and divide it equally. The composite structure of the conical hole and the stepped hole forms a gradual flow guide channel. With the upper and lower segmented design of the diversion baffle 11, it not only ensures the smooth flow of the molten metal, but also achieves precise equal-volume diversion. The limiting groove structure ensures the positional stability of the diversion baffle 11 under high-temperature conditions.

[0025] Furthermore, a first cooling water jacket 12 is installed on the outer wall of the longitudinal furnace 2 near the furnace opening, and a second cooling water jacket 13 is installed on the outer wall of the horizontal furnace 1 near the furnace opening. A circulating water channel is provided between the first cooling water jacket 12 and the second cooling water jacket 13. Through the targeted arrangement of the cooling water jackets on the furnace opening side, a temperature gradient barrier is formed, effectively preventing the diffusion of high-temperature steam to the flange sealing end, keeping the flange area temperature within a safe range of 40-60℃. This prevents aging of the sealing material and eliminates the risk of aging due to excessive temperature difference. The metal flange is deformed, and a water tank 14 is set on the outside. A water pump 15 is set inside the water tank 14. A first water inlet and a first water outlet are set on the first cooling water jacket 12. A second water inlet and a second water outlet are set on the second cooling water jacket 13. The water outlet pipe of the water pump 15 is connected to the second water inlet. A water pipe is set between the second water outlet and the first water inlet. A water pipe is set between the first water outlet and the water tank 14 to realize water circulation. A titanium tube refrigeration evaporator is integrated inside the water tank 14, and R404A refrigerant is used for phase change heat change.

[0026] Furthermore, both the vertical furnace 2 and the horizontal furnace 1 are equipped with sealing flanges 16 on their opening sides and are sealed with fluororubber O-rings, which overcomes the problem of vacuum reduction caused by the aging of traditional sealing methods.

[0027] Furthermore, the outer walls of the horizontal furnace 1 and the vertical furnace 2 are equipped with linear heating elements 17, such as... Figure 1 Visually, the linear heating element 17 does not conflict with the positions of the first cooling water jacket 12 and the second cooling water jacket 13. The linear heating element 17 is a molybdenum-silicon alloy resistance heating rod. The linear heating element 17 is connected to the heating power supply 23. The linear heating element 17 is wrapped with insulation cotton 18. The wrapping design of the linear heating element 17 and the insulation cotton 18 forms a uniform heat field distribution.

[0028] Furthermore, it also includes a vacuum pump 19, which is connected to the upper part of the longitudinal furnace 2 in sequence through a bellows 20 and a rigid vacuum tube 21. The rigid vacuum tube 21 is connected to the upper part of the linear heating element 17 on the longitudinal furnace 2. The rigid vacuum tube 21 is made of KF25 tube. A vacuum valve 22 is provided between the bellows 20 and the rigid vacuum tube 21. A vacuum pressure gauge and a venting valve are provided on the rigid vacuum tube 21. The combination connection of the bellows 20 and the rigid vacuum tube 21 not only ensures the sealing reliability of the vacuum pipeline, but also eliminates thermal deformation stress through flexible compensation.

[0029] After purification in the vacuum distillation furnace, the purified graphite sleeve 3 with material is removed for later use. The purified graphite sleeve 3 with material is covered with a graphite cap 6, secured to the positioning platform 5, and placed into the vertical furnace body along with the hanging pipe 4. The bottom of the positioning platform 5 is embedded in the positioning groove of the tray 9. The sealing flanges 16 of the longitudinal furnace body and the vertical furnace body are locked to ensure good sealing. The vacuum pump 19 and the vacuum valve are turned on to evacuate the furnace body to a vacuum state. The vacuum pressure gauge is observed to ensure that the required vacuum level for the experiment is reached. The heating power supply 23 is turned on to heat the linear heating element 17 to carry out the purification process. After the purified rare earth metal melts, it flows into the guide hole of the positioning platform 5 and is evenly distributed by the diversion baffle 11. The molten metal flows into the tray 9 and falls into the quartz boat 10 through the diversion hole 91. After cooling to room temperature, it is taken out of the furnace and the rare earth metal ingot is cast into a boat for the next purification step.

[0030] By precisely fixing and guiding the graphite sleeve 3 with the material through the positioning mechanism, the purified rare earth metal can automatically detach from the graphite sleeve, avoiding the manual demolding operation required in the traditional process. This reduces the risk of metal splashing and contamination, and improves demolding efficiency. The boat-forming mechanism directly receives the molten metal falling from the graphite sleeve, eliminating the step of breaking the metal blocks and manually transferring them in the traditional process. This realizes the automated transfer of metal from distillation to collection, significantly improving the efficiency of secondary purification. Through the direct receiving and positioning of the molten metal by the boat-forming mechanism, the metal enters the subsequent processing stage in a controllable form, avoiding the risk of overflow of block metal due to uncontrollable volume during subsequent melting. By comparing the volume relationship between the upper surface of the solidified boat and the quartz boat, the process stability and product consistency are improved.

[0031] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the scope of the present utility model. All equivalent changes made based on the content of the present utility model specification and its drawings are included within the scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting and boat forming device, characterized in that: It includes a horizontal furnace and a vertical furnace. The bottom of the vertical furnace is connected to the middle of the horizontal furnace. The vertical furnace is equipped with a longitudinally arranged positioning mechanism for placing the graphite sleeve with material. The horizontal furnace is equipped with a boat-forming mechanism located below the positioning mechanism.

2. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting and boat forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism includes a lifting pipe and two stepped positioning platforms. A positioning ring is provided at the bottom end of the lifting pipe. The lower layer of the positioning platform passes through the positioning ring, and the upper layer of the positioning platform is locked at the top of the positioning ring. A slot is provided on the outer edge of the top of the positioning ring. A retaining ring protrudes from the outer edge of the bottom end of the graphite sleeve with material. The graphite sleeve with material is located in the lifting pipe and the retaining ring is embedded in the slot. A graphite cap is provided on the top of the graphite sleeve with material. A guide hole is provided on the positioning platform.

3. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The boat-forming mechanism includes an arc-shaped graphite base placed inside the horizontal furnace. The top of the graphite base is equipped with a top cover, and a tray is installed above the top cover. A positioning groove is opened along the inner edge of the top of the tray, and the bottom of the positioning platform is embedded in the positioning groove. A diversion baffle extending into the feed hole is installed inside the tray. Two quartz boats are arranged parallel to each other inside the graphite base and on both sides of the diversion baffle. Diversion holes are opened at the bottom of the tray and on both sides of the diversion baffle. An opening is provided on the top cover between the tray and the quartz boats.

4. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that: The feed guide hole includes a conical hole located on the upper part of the positioning platform and a stepped hole located on the lower part of the positioning platform. The top of the stepped hole is connected to the bottom of the conical hole. The diameter of the lower layer of the stepped hole is equal to the inner diameter of the tray. A limiting groove is opened at the bottom of the inner cavity of the tray. The diversion baffle includes an integrally formed lower plate and an upper plate. The bottom of the lower plate is stuck in the limiting groove and its two sides are in contact with the lower layer of the stepped hole and the inner wall of the tray, respectively. The upper plate extends into the upper layer of the stepped hole, and its two sides are in contact with the inner wall of the upper layer of the stepped hole and divide it equally.

5. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first cooling water jacket is provided on the outer wall of the longitudinal furnace and near the furnace opening, and a second cooling water jacket is provided on the outer wall of the transverse furnace and near the furnace opening. A circulating water channel is provided between the first cooling water jacket and the second cooling water jacket.

6. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the longitudinal and transverse furnaces are equipped with sealing flanges on their open sides and are sealed with fluororubber O-rings.

7. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer walls of the horizontal and vertical furnaces are equipped with linear heating elements, which are wrapped with insulation cotton.

8. The rare earth metal vacuum distillation ingot casting and boat forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a vacuum pump, which is connected to the upper part of the longitudinal furnace in sequence through a bellows and a rigid vacuum tube. A vacuum valve is installed between the bellows and the rigid vacuum tube, and a vacuum pressure gauge and a venting valve are installed on the rigid vacuum tube.

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