Tertiary Metallurgy

Special Metallurgy

Leybold vacuum solutions are used in the wide field of metallurgy, refining and in all the production steps.

Reliable and durable vacuum solutions, energy efficiency, compact design

Leybold is a world leading supplier of vacuum pumps, systems and accessories for almost every application. Especially in the wide field of metal production and refining, Leybold vacuum solutions are utilized in all production steps.

From secondary metallurgy degassing processes, over special metallurgy refining steps until the final heat-treatment processes of the machined metals, at all vacuum demanding process steps you can benefit from our long-term experience and market specific competence. The Leybold industrial vacuum solutions feature a durable and reliable design. Combined with excellent performance data, this makes them ideal suitable for demanding special metallurgy applications as e.g. VIM or VAR.

Vacuum Pumps for VIM and VAR Melting Processes

VIM - Vacuum Induction Meeting

VIM - Vacuum Induction Melting

Degassing of molten metal under vacuum. Induction is used to melt and stir the metal. The molten metal is refined under vacuum to remove impurities until the precise melt chemistry is achieved.

The VIM process is used to produce e.g., stainless steels, superalloys, magnetic or battery alloys.

Specific challenges for the vacuum system:

  • Metal- and metal oxide dust entering the vacuum system (potentially pyrophoric)
  • High gas inlet temperatures
  • Low process pressure requirement down to 10-4 mbar, depending on the alloy
VIM Grafic Tertiary Metallurgy
VAR - Vacuum Arc Remelting

VAR - Vacuum Arc Remelting

The VAR process is used to improve the composition of standard air-melted or vacuum induction melted ingots to produce clean, homogeneous metals with improved fatigue resistance and fracture strength. The ingots are used as a consumable electrode and are remolten via an arc under vacuum. High vacuum is maintained during the melting process to remove impurities and prevent from oxide formation.

Specific challenges for the vacuum system:

  • Metal- and metal oxide dust entering the vacuum system (potentially pyrophoric)
  • Residual humidity and aggressive gases
  • Low process pressure requirement down to 10-4 mbar, depending on the alloy
VAR Grafic Steel Degassing

VIM - Vacuum Induction Melting

Degassing of molten metal under vacuum. Induction is used to melt and stir the metal. The molten metal is refined under vacuum to remove impurities until the precise melt chemistry is achieved.

The VIM process is used to produce e.g., stainless steels, superalloys, magnetic or battery alloys.

Specific challenges for the vacuum system:

  • Metal- and metal oxide dust entering the vacuum system (potentially pyrophoric)
  • High gas inlet temperatures
  • Low process pressure requirement down to 10-4 mbar, depending on the alloy
VIM Grafic Tertiary Metallurgy

VAR - Vacuum Arc Remelting

The VAR process is used to improve the composition of standard air-melted or vacuum induction melted ingots to produce clean, homogeneous metals with improved fatigue resistance and fracture strength. The ingots are used as a consumable electrode and are remolten via an arc under vacuum. High vacuum is maintained during the melting process to remove impurities and prevent from oxide formation.

Specific challenges for the vacuum system:

  • Metal- and metal oxide dust entering the vacuum system (potentially pyrophoric)
  • Residual humidity and aggressive gases
  • Low process pressure requirement down to 10-4 mbar, depending on the alloy
VAR Grafic Steel Degassing

Dry Vacuum Pump Systems

Vacuum systems combining Roots pumps with dry screw pumps provide best performance in applications involving the handling of large amounts of dust. They are highly recommended when reduced energy consumption and minimized maintenance demands are required.

Based on their inherent robustness, dry screw-type pumps like the DRYVAC DV and Roots pumps as the RUVAC WH are proven to ensure high system uptime, even for demanding applications as VIM or VAR. Standard systems are typically of a 3-stage design, e.g., combining the RUVAC WH 7000 with a RUVAC WS 2001 and a DRYVAC DV 650. For a VIM furnace typically 2-3 parallel pump-systems are utilized.

Dry fore vacuum system

Oil Vapor Jet Pumps OB

Oil vapor jet pumps and systems are characterized by offering the highest available pumping speed for metallurgical high-vacuum processes. These pumps are rugged endurance runners proven in steel production processes like VIM and VAR.

OB vapor jet pumps comprise out of a four-stage nozzle system backed up by a vapor jet stage. They are best suited for high vacuum generation in the 10-1 to < 10-4 mbar operating range. 

OB System DIffusion Pump
Documents
Steel_Degassing

PDF    3.6 MB

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Special_Metallurgy

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Steel Degassing Revamping

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Furnace

PDF    4.4 MB

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Steel_Degassing

PDF    3.6 MB

language:
Download
Special_Metallurgy

PDF    4.2 MB

language:
Download
Steel Degassing Revamping

PDF    856.1 kB

language:
Download
Furnace

PDF    4.4 MB

language:
Download
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