U.S. patent application number 13/262157 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-12 for sealing plug for an outlet opening of a container and container having a sealing plug.
This patent application is currently assigned to VDEH-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH. Invention is credited to Sigurd Rodl, Heiko Schuster.
Application Number | 20120086158 13/262157 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42307981 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120086158 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schuster; Heiko ; et
al. |
April 12, 2012 |
SEALING PLUG FOR AN OUTLET OPENING OF A CONTAINER AND CONTAINER
HAVING A SEALING PLUG
Abstract
The invention relates to a sealing plug for an outlet opening of
a container which accommodates a liquid melt. The sealing plug has
a sealing region disposed on the outer surface thereof that is
configured to come into contact with a section of the delimiting
wall delimiting the outlet opening in order to close the outlet
opening. The sealing plug narrows from the sealing region towards a
front end along the longitudinal axis of the sealing plug. The
front end is configured for insertion into the outlet opening,
wherein a section between the sealing region and the front end is
designed to have a concave shape.
Inventors: |
Schuster; Heiko; (Willich,
DE) ; Rodl; Sigurd; (Duisburg, DE) |
Assignee: |
VDEH-Betriebsforschungsinstitut
GmbH
Dusseldorf
DE
|
Family ID: |
42307981 |
Appl. No.: |
13/262157 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
March 30, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/002022 |
371 Date: |
December 8, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
266/272 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C21C 5/4653 20130101;
B22D 41/18 20130101; F27D 3/15 20130101; F27D 3/1536 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
266/272 |
International
Class: |
C21C 5/48 20060101
C21C005/48 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 30, 2009 |
DE |
1020090148639 |
Claims
1.-12. (canceled)
13. A sealing plug for an outlet opening of a container which
receives a liquid melt, the sealing plug comprising: an outside
surface defining a sealing region, said sealing region configured
to contact a section of a boundary wall that delimits the outlet
opening for closing the outlet opening, wherein the sealing region
is tapered along a longitudinal axis of the sealing plug from the
sealing region to a front end of the sealing plug constructed to be
inserted in the outlet opening, wherein a first section of the
sealing region extending between the sealing region and the front
end has a concave shape or wherein the sealing region is located in
a concave-shaped section of the sealing plug, wherein a radius of
the concave-shape first section is greater than half a difference
between a cross-section of the sealing plug at the sealing region
distal from the front end and a cross-section of the front end.
14. The sealing plug of claim 13, wherein a surface of the sealing
plug has only continuous shape changes in a region between an end
of the sealing region distal from the front end and immediately
before the front end.
15. The sealing plug of claim 13, wherein a second substantially
cylindrical section is located between the concave-shaped first
section and the front end.
16. The sealing plug of claim 13, wherein the front end has a flat
surface located in a plane which is oriented perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis of the sealing plug.
17. The sealing plug of claim 16, wherein the flat surface is an
end face of the substantially cylindrical second section arranged
between the concave-shaped first section and the front end.
18. The sealing plug of claim 13, wherein a convex-shaped section
is arranged above the sealing region.
19. (canceled)
20. The sealing plug of claim 13, further comprising a fluid outlet
opening arranged at the front end and a feed line, with a fluid
which flowing through the feed line exiting through the fluid
outlet opening.
21. A container for receiving a melt, comprising: a boundary wall
delimiting an outlet opening, and a sealing plug having a
longitudinal axis and a contoured outside surface defining a
sealing region configured to come into contact with a section of
the boundary wall for closing the outlet opening, wherein the
sealing plug is tapered along the longitudinal axis from the
sealing region to a front end of the sealing plug constructed to be
inserted into the outlet opening, wherein the contoured outside
surface of the sealing plug and a shape of the outlet opening are
matched to one another and define a gap therebetween when the
sealing plug is partially lifted out of the outlet opening while
the front end of the sealing plug is still inserted in the outlet
opening, such that the melt flowing into the outlet opening has a
flow direction in a flow region adjacent to the boundary wall that
is oriented substantially parallel to the boundary wall, wherein a
first section of the sealing region extending between the sealing
region and the front end has a concave shape or wherein the sealing
region is located in a concave-shaped section of the sealing plug,
wherein a radius of the concave-shape first section is greater than
half a difference between a cross-section of the sealing plug at
the sealing region distal from the front end and a cross-section of
the front end.
22. The container of claim 21, wherein the gap widens towards the
front end.
23. (canceled)
24. A container for receiving a melt, comprising: a boundary wall
delimiting an outlet opening, and a sealing plug having a
longitudinal axis and a contoured outside surface defining a
sealing region configured to come into contact with a section of
the boundary wall for closing the outlet opening, wherein the
sealing plug is tapered along the longitudinal axis from the
sealing region to a front end of the sealing plug constructed to be
inserted into the outlet opening, wherein a first section of the
sealing region extending between the sealing region and the front
end has a concave shape or wherein the sealing region is located in
a concave-shaped section of the sealing plug, wherein a radius of
the concave-shape first section is greater than half a difference
between a cross-section of the sealing plug at the sealing region
distal from the front end and a cross-section of the front end.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a sealing plug for an outlet
opening of a container adapted to receive a liquid melt or other
fluids (gases and liquids) loaded with solids, which has a sealing
region on its outside surface which is configured to come into
contact with a section of the boundary wall delimiting the outlet
opening to close the outlet opening and which tapers along its
longitudinal axis from the sealing region to a front end which is
configured to be inserted into the outlet opening. The invention
also relates to a container for receiving a melt or other fluids
(gases and liquids) loaded with solids, in which an outlet opening
is formed which is delimited by a boundary wall, and which has a
sealing plug for closing the outlet opening, wherein the sealing
plug has a sealing region on its outside surface configured to come
into contact with a section of the boundary wall delimiting the
outlet opening to close the outlet opening, and which is tapered
along its longitudinal axis from the sealing region to a front end
which is configured to be inserted into the outlet opening. The
invention also relates to the use of such sealing plugs and/or the
use of such containers.
[0002] It is known in the technical field of handling metal melts
that solid particles may be dispersed in metal melts which can
deposit on the walls of systems through which the metal melts flow,
for example on the walls of the outlet opening, for example, when
flowing out of a container through its outlet opening.
[0003] WO 2005/042189 A2 discloses a sealing plug for an outlet
opening of a container receiving a liquid melt, which has a sealing
region and wherein its outside surface configured to come into
contact with a section of the boundary wall delimiting the outlet
opening to close the outlet opening, and which is tapered along its
longitudinal axis from the sealing region to a front end configured
to be inserted into the outlet opening. WO 2005/042189 A2 also
discloses a container for receiving a melt in which an outlet
opening delimited by a boundary wall is formed, and wherein the
container has a sealing plug for closing the outlet opening,
wherein the sealing plug has on its outside surface a sealing
region which is configured to come into contact with a section of
the boundary wall delimiting the outlet opening to close the outlet
opening, and wherein the sealing plug is tapered along its
longitudinal axis from the sealing region to a front end that is
configured to be inserted into the outlet opening.
[0004] According to WO 2005/042189 A2, the aforedescribed problem
associated with deposits of solid particles of metal melts is
presumably solved by providing corrugations on the surface of the
sealing plug or on the surface of the boundary wall delimiting the
outlet opening which are arranged such that, when the sealing plug
is lifted, the size of the passage channel formed between the
outside surface of the sealing plug and the boundary wall of the
outlet opening becomes discontinuously larger the farther the
respective part of the passage channel is removed from the contact
point between the sealing plug and the boundary wall when the
sealing plug is closed. With the wavy stepped structure of the
surface of the sealing plug, the design according to WO 2005/042189
A2 is intended to cause the flow flowing past the surface of the
sealing plug to detach at certain locations along the surface,
because the surface suddenly springs back at these points and
causes formation of turbulent vortices at the surface of the
sealing plug. WO 2005/042189 A2 teaches that the controlled
turbulences at the surface of the sealing plug reduce the blockage
rate at the surface of the sealing plug by continuously carrying
away nonmetallic particles. WO 2005/042189 A2 moreover states that
when gases are--potentially--present, the controlled turbulences in
the region of the sealing plug surface distribute the gas bubbles
uniformly about this part of the sealing plug and thereby aid in
the prevention of blocking deposits.
[0005] Plug geometries, wherein the sealing plug has a spherical or
conical tip, are also known from practical applications.
[0006] In view of this background, it was the object of the
invention to propose a sealing plug for an outlet opening of a
container receiving a liquid melt, as well as a container for
receiving a melt, which reduces deposition of particles when a
fluid loaded with particles flows through such system. The use of
such sealing plug and/or such container is also discussed.
[0007] This object is solved by the independent claims 1, 9 and 12.
Advantageous embodiments are recited in the dependent claims and
the following description.
[0008] The invention is based on the concept that blockage of
flow-through discharge systems has, among others, a flow-related
cause, namely recirculation regions on the boundary wall of the
outlet opening below the plug which are produced by flow separation
with resulting local maxima of the flow velocity at the center of
the core flow below the plug. The invention is based on the premise
that this causes increased deposition of particles on the interior
wall of the flow-through system.
[0009] The sealing plug according to the invention has an outside
contour designed to efficiently guide the flow. In a preferred
embodiment, the fluid flowing past the sealing plug is directed by
the outside contour of the sealing plug so that the flow is
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sealing plug. In a
preferred embodiment, the front end of the sealing plug is
delimited from the additional surface shape of the sealing plug by
a sharp edge. As a result, the flow separates at this location, but
only at this location. This can prevent the formation of a velocity
maximum below the plug.
[0010] The sealing plug according to the invention has a
concave-shaped section located between the sealing region and the
front end. Alternatively or in addition, the sealing plug is
constructed so that the sealing region is located in a
concave-shaped section of the sealing plug. The sealing plug then
assumes a plug geometry which can be easily manufactured and which
also makes it possible to guide the flow in the outlet opening
parallel to the boundary wall of the outlet opening. This can
prevent the creation of velocity maximum in the center of the core
flow. A more stable flow guidance can also be attained with the
invention. Moreover, the formation of sediments can also be
prevented or minimized. The term concave-shaped section of the
sealing plug refers in particular, and preferably, to a section
which in an intersecting plane of the sealing plug has a contour
containing the longitudinal axis of the sealing plug, wherein all
surface points are located on the contour on one side of a straight
line connecting the origin and the end point of the contour.
[0011] The sealing region may be a surface region. The sealing
region is frequently designed so as to create--in cross-section--a
sealing point or--in relation to the surface of the sealing plug--a
sealing line, through which the sealing plug can come into contact
with a boundary wall of an outlet opening.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the sealing plug
in the region between the end of the sealing region distal from the
front end and immediately before the front end is designed so as to
have only continuous shape changes. A continuous shape change
refers in particular to such shape changes where a first smooth
surface transitions into a second smooth surface without forming a
transition surface. In particular, a continuous shape change refers
to such shape changes where a first smooth surface transitions into
a second smooth surface without forming a transition surface
wherein the radius of the contour of the transition radius is
smaller than the longitudinal extent of the first surface or
smaller than the longitudinal extent of the second surface, wherein
longitudinal extent refers to the extent of the surface away from
the transition surface. A continuous shape changes also refers in
particular to any type of shape change where a flow flowing along a
surface region that includes a shape change does not detach. A
continuous shape change can result in particularly good flow
guidance.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the sealing plug according to the
invention has only a single concave section in the region between
the end of the sealing region distal from the front end and
immediately before the front end. In this way, particularly good
flow guidance can be achieved.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the concave-shaped section is
formed substantially by an arc of a circle or a section of an
ellipse or a section of a parabola in a cross-section through the
sealing plug in a plane that includes the longitudinal axis of the
sealing plug. This also aids in guiding the flow. In a preferred
embodiment, the arc of a circle, the section of the ellipse, and/or
the section of the parabola are formed by the arc of the section of
the circle, the arc of the section of the ellipse, or the arc of
the section of the parabola, wherein the section of the circle or
the section of the ellipse or the section of the parabola has an
angle of at least 10.degree., in particular preferred of at least
25.degree., and particularly preferred of at least 45.degree..
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the sealing plug has a
substantially cylindrical section located between the
concave-shaped section and the front end. This can promote good
flow guiding. In a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical part of
the sealing plug is formed immediately adjacent to the front end.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sealing plug according
to the invention has a single concave-shaped section, which is
joined directly to a cylindrical section of the sealing plug, and
to which, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the front end is
joined.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the front end has a flat surface
located in a plane which is oriented perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of the sealing plug. In a particularly preferred
embodiment, the front end is formed entirely by such flat surface.
In an additional or alternative, also preferred embodiment, the
front end may have an end face with a concave inward curvature. In
a particularly preferred embodiment of this alternative embodiment,
the entire front end is formed by an end face of the plug with a
concave inward curvature.
[0017] In a particularly preferred embodiment, a convex section is
arranged above the sealing region. With such convex section, in a
preferred embodiment where the sealing region of the sealing plug
is located in a concave section of the sealing plug, this sealing
region of the sealing plug may transition via the joined convex
section into the additional, primarily cylindrical upper part of
the sealing plug. However, the invention is not limited to use with
sealing plugs having a substantially cylindrical base body.
[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the radius of the concave-shaped
section is greater than half the difference between the
cross-section of the sealing plug at the end of the sealing region
distal from the front end and the cross-section of the front end.
This contributes to particularly good guidance of the flow.
[0019] In a preferred embodiment, a fluid outlet opening is
disposed on the front end of the sealing plug through which a fluid
that flows through a feed line in the sealing plug can exit. For
example, argon may be discharged from such fluid outlet
opening.
[0020] The container according to the invention for receiving a
melt has a sealing plug, wherein the outside contour of the sealing
plug and the shape of the outlet opening are matched such that the
melt flowing into the outlet opening when the sealing plug is
lifted far enough to form a gap between the outside surface of the
sealing plug and the boundary wall, while the sealing plug is still
inserted with its front end in the outlet opening, has in the
region of a flow region adjacent to the boundary wall a flow
direction which is oriented substantially parallel to the boundary
wall. With this guidance of the flow, the deposition of particles
on the boundary wall can be prevented.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the outer contour of the sealing
plug and the shape of the outlet opening are matched to each other
so that a gap is formed between the outside surface of the sealing
plug and the boundary wall when the sealing plug is lifted to a
point where, while the front end of the sealing plug is still
inserted in the outlet opening, wherein the gap cross-section
expands like a diffuser towards the front end. In this way, the
flow is controllably delayed.
[0022] In an alternative or additional embodiment of the container
according to the invention, the container has a sealing plug with
at least one feature of the aforedescribed sealing plug according
to the invention. By combining the measures realized on the sealing
plug with the measures that can be implemented on the boundary wall
of the container and by matching these measures to one another, a
particularly good flow guidance can be attained.
[0023] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sealing plug
according to the invention is used with a container for receiving a
liquid metal melt. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the
container according to the invention is used for receiving a liquid
metal melt. It has been observed that, particularly in applications
with metal melts, the guidance of the flow achieved with the
sealing plug according to the invention and/or the container
according to the invention advantageously reduces the deposit on
the walls of the system. The sealing plug according to the
invention and the container according to the invention can
advantageously also be used with other fluids (gases and liquids)
that are loaded with solid matter.
[0024] The invention will now be described with reference to the
drawings which show only exemplary embodiments. It is shown in:
[0025] FIG. 1a, b a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a
practical sealing plug in engagement with the outlet opening of a
container for receiving a melt,
[0026] FIG. 2 a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a sealing plug
constructed according to the invention in engagement in the outlet
opening of a container for receiving a melt,
[0027] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a sealing plug according to the
invention,
[0028] FIG. 4 a cross-sectional schematic diagram through a first
embodiment of the a sealing plug according to the invention in
engagement in the outlet opening of a container for receiving a
melt, and
[0029] FIG. 5 a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a second
embodiment of a sealing plug according to the invention in
engagement in the outlet opening of a container for receiving a
melt.
[0030] FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2 illustrate the flow conditions created by
the geometry of the sealing plug and the shape of the outlet
opening. The recirculation regions are shown by the dashed lines.
As seen from FIGS. 1a and 1b, wall-proximate recirculation regions
are formed in conventional sealing plugs. With the sealing plug
according to the invention, an upward flow can be established in
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 below the flat front end (plug
bottom), where particles or inclusions can increasingly collect.
However, a deposition of these particles on the plug bottom itself
can be prevented, for example, by discharging a fluid at a fluid
outlet opening located at the front end of the plug. The shape of
the conventional sealing plug illustrated in FIG. la has a
spherical front end. The shape of a conventional sealing plug
illustrated in FIG. 1b has a conical front end.
[0031] The structures of the sealing plug according to the
invention illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 have a sealing region 3
on their outside surfaces which is designed to come into contact
with the section of the boundary wall 1 delimiting the outlet
opening in order to close the outlet opening. The illustrated
sealing plug is tapered along its longitudinal axis from the
sealing region to a front end which is designed to be inserted into
the outlet opening. A concave section 4 is arranged between the end
of the sealing region 3 distal from the front end and the front
end. The sealing region 3 itself is arranged in this concave
section 4 of the sealing plug. The sealing plug has a sealing
point. The plug seals the outlet opening at the sealing point. When
the sealing plug is lifted, the narrowest gap is located at this
point, whereby the volume flow can be controlled by way of the
provided gap area.
[0032] The concave section 4 in form of an arc of a circle deflects
the melt and causes the melt to flow parallel to the boundary wall
of the outlet opening at the transition into a cylindrical section
5 which is joined to the concave section 4. A sharp edge 6 where
the cylindrical section 5 transitions into the front end of the
sealing plug formed by a flat surface causes the flow to detach
from the sealing plug contour. The point of detachment is defined
by the sharp edge. From there, the melt flows parallel to the wall.
A convex section 2 is arranged above the sealing region 3. An
outlet opening 7, from which a fluid flowing through a feed line
disposed in the sealing plug can exit, is arranged at the front end
of the sealing plug formed by a flat surface. This fluid outlet
opening 7 can be used to supply argon.
[0033] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the sealing point
is located at a 45.degree. tangent of the boundary wall of the
outlet opening. In the variant illustrated in FIG. 5, the sealing
point is located at a 30.degree. tangent of the boundary wall of
the outlet opening. This sealing point of the second variant is
frequently used in practical applications of sealing plugs.
* * * * *