SEPARATION OF NONMETALLIC INCLUSIONS FROM MOLTEN-METAL USING TRAVELING MAGNETIC-FIELD

A new method for separating inclusions from a molten metal by using a traveling magnetic field is proposed. A bundle of thin tubes for flowing molten metal is set between two linear induction motors which generates a transverse magnetic field traveling in the direction perpendicular to the molten melt flow. As the flow driven by the electromagnetic force which is induced to the traveling direction of magnetic field is constrained by the tube wall, inclusions move toward the tube wall opposite to the direction of the electromagnetic force. Two mathematical models to evaluate the electromagnetic force acting on inclusions were developed. The analytical formulations of the electromagnetic force in both the models were derived as a function of the design parameters of induction motors and the operating variables. The elimination principle of inclusions proposed here was confirmed in the experiment in a Al-Al2O3 system. A feasibility study on the application of the method to the elimination of inclusions from molten steel was performed.