US 12,030,114 B2
Method of controlling the shape of an ingot head
Phillip Wilson, Kennesaw, GA (US); John Robert Buster McCallum, Kennesaw, GA (US); Aaron David Sinden, Kennesaw, GA (US); Brent Opdendries, Post Falls, ID (US); Jason Dell Hymas, Kennesaw, GA (US); and Todd F. Bischoff, Kennesaw, GA (US)
Assigned to NOVELIS INC., Atlanta, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/907,161
Filed by NOVELIS INC., Atlanta, GA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 25, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/024152
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/195379, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/000,058, filed on Mar. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0105627 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. B22D 11/049 (2006.01); B22D 11/00 (2006.01); B22D 11/112 (2006.01); B22D 11/22 (2006.01)
CPC B22D 11/049 (2013.01) [B22D 11/003 (2013.01); B22D 11/112 (2013.01); B22D 11/22 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of ingot formation, the method comprising:
forming a base of an ingot by feeding molten metal into a mold that defines an initial casting footprint and by lowering a movable bottom relative to the mold to increase a height of the ingot;
moving at least one cooling structure at least in a vertical direction from an initial position into contact with the molten metal, wherein the at least one cooling structure is movable independent of the mold;
moving the at least one cooling structure at least in a horizontal direction within the initial casting footprint and along a top plane of the molten metal to produce a reduced casting footprint bounded at least in part by the at least one cooling structure, wherein the reduced casting footprint is smaller than the initial casting footprint; and
feeding supplemental molten metal into the reduced casting footprint to form a narrowing shape in a head of the ingot.
 
12. A system for ingot formation, the system comprising:
a mold for receiving molten metal, the mold defining an initial casting footprint;
a movable bottom, movable in a vertical direction relative to the mold;
a nozzle positioned for feeding molten metal into the mold; and,
at least one cooling assembly, the at least one cooling assembly comprising:
at least one cooling structure movable independent of the mold, the at least one cooling structure movable at least in the vertical direction from an initial position into a lowered position in which the at least one cooling structure is within the initial casting footprint defined by the mold and along a top plane of the molten metal; and
an actuator coupled with the at least one cooling structure and operable to move the at least one cooling structure within the initial casting footprint and between sides of the mold at least in a lateral direction along the top plane of the molten metal so as to define a reduced casting footprint bounded at least in part by the at least one cooling structure and smaller than the initial casting footprint.