Method of purifying and casting materials

Abstract

A method of purifying and casting a material comprising placing a material to be purified within a crucible, the crucible located within a purification chamber; providing thermal energy to the material to maintain the material in a molten state; providing a purification gas into the molten material to purify the material until a first measured condition is attained; passing the material in a fluid state from the purification chamber having a first atmosphere to a casting chamber having a second atmosphere, the purification chamber in fluid communication with the casting chamber such that the material passes from the purification chamber to the casting chamber without exposure to a third atmosphere; placing the material into a mold within the casting chamber; cooling the material within the mold to form a cast material.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a purification chamber having a top, a bottom, and a wall extending between the top and bottom, the purification chamber forming a first enclosed environment having a first atmosphere;
 a crucible positioned within the purification chamber and constructed to retain a metallic material in a molten state; 
 a purification supply channel constructed to provide a purification gas to within the molten metallic material; 
   a casting chamber having a top, a bottom, and wall extending between the top and bottom, the casting chamber forming a second enclosed environment having a second atmosphere and in fluid communication with the purification chamber;
 a mold positioned within the casting chamber and constructed to receive the metallic material in the molten state; 
   a conduit located between the purification chamber and the casting chamber, the conduit constructed to regulate flow of the molten metallic material between the purification chamber and the casting chamber such that the metallic material flows from the purification chamber to the casting chamber without exposure to a third atmosphere; and   a purge gas supply connected to the casting chamber for supplying a purge gas to the casting chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a sensor positioned at least partially within the purification chamber and configured to measure at least a first condition within the purification chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first condition measured by the sensor includes a concentration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of gaseous hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, argon, hydrocarbon-based molecules with double or triple bonds, H 2 SO x , SO x , CO x , NO x , water, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the purification gas includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of gaseous hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, ammonia, hydrocarbon-based molecules with double or triple bonds, SO x , H 2 S, H 2 SO x , CO x , NO x , argon, neon, krypton, xenon, methane, propane, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a heating element in thermal contact with the crucible and configured to melt the metallic material within the crucible. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising multiple heating elements in thermal contact with the crucible and configured to melt the metallic material within the crucible, wherein each heating element may be independently operated to a specific temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the conduit is a gate valve. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the metallic material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of tin, indium, lead, aluminum, zinc, antimony, bismuth, selenium, gallium, germanium, tellurium, thallium, and alloys and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A method of purifying and casting a metallic material, the method comprising:
 placing a metallic material to be purified within a crucible, the crucible located within a purification chamber;   providing thermal energy to the metallic material to maintain the metallic material in a molten state;   providing a purification gas into the molten metallic material to purify the molten metallic material until a first measured condition is attained;   passing the molten metallic material from the purification chamber having a first atmosphere to a casting chamber having a second atmosphere, the purification chamber in fluid communication with the casting chamber such that the molten metallic material passes from the purification chamber to the casting chamber without exposure to a third atmosphere;   purging the casting chamber with a purging gas;   placing the molten metallic material into a mold within the casting chamber after purging the casting chamber; and   cooling the molten metallic material within the mold to form a cast material.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the placing step further comprises placing within the crucible at least one member selected from the group consisting of tin, indium, lead, aluminum, zinc, antimony, bismuth, selenium, gallium, germanium, tellurium, thallium, and alloys and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first measured condition is a concentration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of gaseous oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water, argon, krypton, xenon, methane, hydrocarbon-based molecules with double or triple bonds, H 2 SO x , NO x , SO x , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the providing step further comprises providing into the molten metallic material a purification gas that includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of gaseous hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, ammonia, hydrocarbon-based molecules with double or triple bonds, H 2 S, H 2 SO x , CO x , NO x , argon, neon, krypton, xenon, methane, propane, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first atmosphere is at atmospheric pressure, less than atmospheric pressure, greater than atmospheric pressure, equal to the pressure in the second atmosphere, less than the pressure in the second atmosphere, or greater than the pressure in the second atmosphere. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second atmosphere is at atmospheric pressure, less than atmospheric pressure, or greater than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         25 . A system for purifying and casting comprising:
 a first chamber having a top, a bottom, and a wall extending between the top and bottom, the first chamber having a first atmosphere;
 a crucible positioned within the first chamber and constructed to retain a metallic material in a molten state; 
 a sensor positioned at least partially within the purification chamber and configured to measure at least a first condition within the first chamber; 
 a purification gas supply; 
 a purification supply channel in fluid communication with the purification gas supply and configured to deliver a purification gas to within the metallic material; 
   a second chamber having a top, a bottom, and a wall extending between the top and bottom, the second chamber having a second atmosphere and in fluid communication with the first chamber;
 a mold positioned within the second chamber and constructed to retain the metallic material in a molten state; 
   a conduit in fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the conduit configured to regulate flow of the metallic material between the first chamber and the second chamber such that the metallic material flows from the first chamber to the second chamber without exposure to a third atmosphere; and   a purge gas supply connected to the second chamber for supplying a purge gas to the second chamber;   the system configured to:
 maintain a metallic material within the crucible within the first chamber in a molten state; 
 supply purification gas through the purification supply channel into the metallic material; 
 determine a first measured condition has been attained within the first chamber; 
 pass the metallic material in a molten state from the first chamber to the second chamber such that the metallic material passes from the first chamber to the second chamber without exposure to a third atmosphere; 
 retain the metallic material in the mold within the second chamber; and 
 cool the metallic material within the mold to form a cast material. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the first condition measured by the sensor includes a concentration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of gaseous oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water, argon, krypton, xenon, methane, hydrocarbon-based molecules with double or triple bonds, H 2 SO x , NO x , SO x , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the purification gas includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of gaseous hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, ammonia, hydrocarbon-based molecules with double or triple bonds, H 2 S, H 2 SO x , CO x , NO x , argon, neon, krypton, xenon, methane, propane, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the conduit is a gate valve. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the metallic material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of tin, indium, lead, aluminum, zinc, antimony, bismuth, selenium, gallium, germanium, tellurium, thallium, and alloys and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising a heating element in thermal contact with the crucible and configured to melt the metallic material within the crucible.