A method of melting and casting zirconium 702 alloy

This article presents a method of melting zirconium alloy in an induction vacuum furnace using a thermally insulated graphite crucible. The design of the Supercast Titan induction centrifugal furnace allows for the quick melting of metal alloys in ceramic crucibles. The ceramic crucible used for melting is separated from the induction coil by a quartz glass casing. The maximal temperature of heating the alloy in the melting ceramic crucible is limited by the permissible operating temperature of quartz casing seals and the furnace chamber. The design of the furnace also allows for melting of titanium in disposable alumina-based crucibles. The melting point of the zirconium, 1859°C, which does not allow for melting in the alumina-based crucible. The problem was solved by using a graphite crucible thermally insulated from a ceramic crucible. The batch of the zirconium alloy 702 after melting in the graphite crucible was poured, using centrifugal force into a rotating horizontal graphite mold. The metallographic structures were determined for both the batch material and the casting. The cast material was subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The densities of the batch material, casting and cast material subjected to the HIP process were determined. The hardness of the cast material was compared to the hardness of the batch material.

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