In-Situ Sensors for Liquid Metal Quality

Abstract

The development of effective methods for directly measuring liquid metal quality, prior to casting and final solidification, has long been a goal for Process Metallurgists. For aluminum, which is generally much cleaner than steel, it is first necessary to concentrate the inclusions by filtering the metal through a porous frit, before then freezing the remaining metal, and subjecting it to microscopic examination (e.g. PoDFA). An alternative method is to take a sample of metal, freeze it, and then dissolve the metal to release the particles (inclusions) through elutriation (the Slime Technique). The only true on-line, in-situ, methods are the Ultrasonic Liquid Metal Sensors (such as the Mansfield Molten Metal Sensor), and the Electric Sensing Zone Methods (such as LiMCA and ESZ-pas).

Keywords

• limca
• metal quality
• electric sensing zone (esz)
• eszpas
• ultrasonic probes