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    © All Rights Reserved
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    17 views12 pages

    Us 7718114

    Uploaded by

    ajoilham
    Us 7718114

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    ‘USOO7718114B2 «2 United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,718,114 B2 6 03) (@) (60) Olson, III et al. 4s) Date of Patent: *May 18, 2010 (CERAMIC FOAM FILTER FOR BETTER (62) US.CL 266/227; 2101660; 75/407 FILTRATION OF MOLTEN IRON (58) Fleld of Classification Search 266122 2ioi660, 757407 Inventors: Rudolph A. Olson, IIL, Lafeyete, LA. ‘See application fie for complete search history (US); Leonard S. Aubrey . : Hendersonville, NC (US): Feng Chi 60) References Cited Gros, $°(US) Christopher ane, US. PATENT DOCUMENTS c 40M212 A * 81977 Dowwetal Haack, Hendersonville, NC (US) 40563586 8 IVI9T7 Pryoretal 4664704 S987 Donato et Assignee: Porvair PLC, Norfolk (GB) A97S191 A 121980 Brockmeyerst a. 210:S10.1 Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the team ofthis SAS6S3 A 101998 Butcher ainass pateat is extended of adjusted under 35 St67.902 A 10/1997 Aubwey 2661209 USCC. 154¢b) by 349 days, 6.210.612 BL* 42001 Prkell sta 26448 6245698 BL* 62001 Popeet al: sowie Tis patent is subject to a terminal dis- 6.663.776 B2* 122003 Hoffinan ea dio'sioa claimer, 6.739825 B2 $2004 Pckrll etal 428/565, 20020179523 AL* 122002 Quackenbush bio sto Appl. No 11/499,327 200810099611 A1* 52004 Olson ea 210767 Filed: Aug, 4,2006 * cited by examiner Prioe Publication Data Primary Examiner Melvin C Mayes US 200610266714. 41 Nov. 30,2006 Assistant Examiner James Corno (74) Attorney, gent or Frm Joseph T, Guy: Nexsen Prt, Related US. Application Data Lu ‘ontinvation-in-part of application No, 11/389,841, fledon Mar 273006. HABE sn ansreact Provisional spplication No, 60706,577, fled on Avg. . 7 2 oe 32008, proteome application No GOiG6S-70, fied ceramic precursor, and ceramic fier prepared therewith, con Mar 28, 2005, ‘with 35-70 wt % refractory aluminosliate; 10-30 wt ie colloidal silica; 0-2 wt % modified bentonite: 0.38 wt Tamed silica: 0-10 wt % pore formers and liquid Int.€ ec 70 (2006.01) 2B 902 (200601), 16 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent May 18, 2010 Sheet 1 of 6 US 7,718,114 B2 U.S. Patent May 18, 2010 Sheet 2 of 6 US 7,718,114 B2 U.S. Patent May 18, 2010 Sheet 3 of 6 US 7,718,114 B2 Si oO | AU py rh 1.20 220 3:20 420 5.20 620 720820920 | 1120 | 1320 10.20 «12201: Ags 4.20 U.S. Patent May 18, 2010 Sheet 4 of 6 US 7,718,114 B2 1.30 2.30 3.30 4.30 5.30 6.30 7.30 8.30 9.30 10. Fg 6 .30 12.30 U.S. Patent May 18, 2010 Sheet 5 of 6 US 7,718,114 B2 U.S. Patent May 18, 2010 Sheet 6 of 6 US 7,718,114 B2 US 7,718,114 B2 1 (CERAMIC FOAM FILTER FOR BETTER FILTRATION OF MOLTEN TRON (CROSS-REPERENCE TO RELATED "APPLICATIONS, ‘The present application claims priority U.S, Provisional Application No. 60/706,577 ild Aug. 9, 2008 whichis ineor- porated herein by reference. The present application is a ‘continvation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser No. 11/389,841 fled Mar. 27, 2006 which claims pririty to US. Provisional Application No. 60665,760, fled Mar. 28, 2005 both of which are incomporated herein hy reference, BACKGROUND The present invention is related to an improved ceramic ‘eam filer. More particulary, de preset invention i related to a ceramic foam filter for molten iron with sufficient mechanical properties for use in capturing and retaining high FeO liquid slags, other metal oxide slags, and other entrained particulates. A significant portion of iron foundries use pressed or ‘extrude mullite strainers. A ceramic foam filter is expected to perform better than strainer du to its tortuous fi low path, but mullite strainers perform better than would be ‘expected in dette iron applications considering the strainers straight-through flow configuration. It is hypothesized that Tiquid slag in the molten ductile iron wels the surface of nlite better than it wets SiC, Mollitefiltersmay’better ret Tiguid slop during Alration but mullite foam lters for ‘oundry applications hove been unavailable Slag retention is difficult in stainertype filters. Liquid inclusions, even though they readily wel the mullite stsinee material are very easily deformable by the flowing molten icon and simply flow down the filter wall to the exit, Oe times strainers acto coalesce numerous small slag inclsions (noncritical size) and release them back into the Mowing ion asa lamzer inclusion, The sate ofthe at for siiea-bonded SiC foam filters sed ‘or molten iron fleation is described in US. Pat. No. 6.663, 716. The filter described therein produces the highest high temperature strength commercially known for this particular ‘ype of filter, There are many companies that manufacture siliea-bonded SiC filters forthe iron industry because itis fairly easy {0 make a relatively robust filter of this type. Dring fring, the SiC gran inthe body is believe to partially ‘oxidize to silica glass. The sliea glass allows the iC grain 0 bond well with the silica binder matrix thereby ereating a relatively robust foum. Inthe pouring of iron casings, par- ticularly ductile ion, a high FeO liquid slg is formed. The high PeO slag does not wet SiC foam filters de to a catho= thermie reaction between the carbon constituent of SiC grain and the graphite impurities in the SiC. The FeO slag reacts and CO gas forms atthe slagfilter interface, preventing the slag from wetting and adhering to theft. ‘Substituting SiC with mullite as proven tobe elusive and proper design ofthe binder for formlation ofa filter with the appropriate mechanical properties at both room and high temperature has not been previously discovered. Thus, one ‘could furly easily make an aeceptable SIC fier even when, Using a substandard mate design, but not with multe. 0 o 2 A mullite filter with suficient strength for Higuid iow fl. tration has heretofore alluded researchers, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Is an object ofthe present invention to provide a mullite foam wherein the wetting characteristics in ion is wlized Within the tortuous path ofthe foam to produce a filter which js superior to either silica-bonded SiC foam or mullite stain- cr, creating cleaner, more machineable ion eastings. Tis another object of the present invention to provide an vproved method for filtering roa cis another object of the present invention to provide 3 Liter with improved werability to FeO, improved thermal shock resistance and a tortuous flow path. Provided herein isa ceramie precursor. The ceramic pre= cersor has 35-70wt Ye refractory aluminosilicate 10-301 % colloidal silica; 0-2 wt % modified bentonite; 035 wt % fumed silica; 0-10 st pore fommier and solvent. ‘Also provided here is a ceramic filter prepared by the smthod of preparing a ceramie shumy precumor, The ceramic ‘precursor has 35-70 wt % refractory aluminosilicate, 10-3 ‘wt % colloidal silica; 0-2 w1 Ye modified bentonite; 0-35 wi fumed slia; 0-10 wi % pore former and solvent. An organic Team is impregnated with the ceramic precursor. The imipres- ‘ated organie foam is heated to a temperature sufficient to volatilize the organi Foam and pore former and to sinter the ceramic precursor, “Also provided herein sa process for filtering molten iron, The process includes preparing a ceramic foam filter. The Liter i prepared by preparing a ceramic precursor wih 38-70 ‘wt %reftactory aluminosilicate: 10-30 wt % colloidal slic (0.2 wt Ye modified bentonite; 0-35 w % fuming silica; 0-10 ‘wt % pore former and solvent. An organic foam is imipeeg- nated With the ceramic precursor followed by heating the ‘impregnated organic foam to a temperature sufficient to vola- tilize the organie foam and pore former and to sinter the ceramic precursor 1 form after. Molten iron is passed ‘rough the filter wherein FeO slag is retained by the iter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a macroscopic view of a filter of the present FIG. 2 is an electron microscopie view of a fier ofthe present invention taken at $0x magnification, FIG. 3 isan electron mieroscopie, cross-sectional view of filter ofthe present invention after use filtering molten ion. FIG. 4 a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image. PIG. & is and clecron dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) image. IG. 6is an EDS image. PIG. Tis an SEM image, FIG. 8 is an SEM image. FIG. 9 i an SEM image, FIG. 10 isan SEM image. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention provides a siica-bonded mullite filter with sulicent strength at both ambient and high temperature, and silficient thermal shock resistance and a method for making {he iter. The invention also provides an improved method of ‘itering molen metal ‘Theflteris made vathe foam replication technique, which fsa common method sed to manslactre reticulate ceramic eam for use as molten metal ration devices. ln the process, US 7,718,114 B2 3 polyurethane foam is coated with ceramic suey, then dred tnd fired. During firing, the polyurethane foam within the ‘ceramie coating vaporizes, bul the ceramic structure remains, resulting in an exoskeleton-like ceramic foam having hollow voids where the polyurethane once resided FIG. 1 provides a ‘macroscopic image of certmic foam. The stricture is exsen- tially aconnection of struts wth porosity residing aronnd and wvithin these struts In preparing a ceramic filter, foam is impregnated with ‘ceramic slurry. The ceramic slury is then dried, the foam is ‘aporiaed and the eeamic is siatered, The process for fora- ing a ceramic fer is provided in U.S. Pat, Nos. 4.056.586; 5,456,833 and 5,673,902 each of which ate incorporated herein by reference. The slurry employed depends on the desired ceramic mate rial forthe chosen application. One most have sufficient prop- ‘erties i the final proiet to withstand the particular applica tion with respect to chemical attack and must have sulicient structural and/or mechanieal strength to stand up to the pare ticular elevated temperature conditions. Inaddition, the slurry should havea relatively high degree of fuidty and be com prised of an aqueous suspension of the ceramic intended for tse in the fille, Normally, the slury contains water. Addie tives, sch as binders and surfactants, may be employed inthe shy. The exible foam materials impregnated withthe aqueous ‘ceramie sury so that the fibersike webs are coated therewith ‘andthe void ae filled therewith, Normally itis preferred 10 repeatedly immerse the foam in the slurry and compress the foam between immersions to insure complete impregnation cof the foam The impregnated foam is preferably compressed to expel fiom 25 10 75% of the shury while leaving the berlike we portion coated therewith, Ina coatiauous operation, one nity pass the impregnated foam though preset roller to alfect the ‘desired expulsion of slurry from the Foam and leave the ‘desired amount impregnated therein. This may be done ‘manually by simply squeezing the flexible foam material 10 the desired extent-At this stage, the foam i stl Hexible and may be formed info configurations suitable forthe specific filtration task, into curved plates hollow cylinders et. I js nocessaryto hold the ommed foam in postion by conven- tional means uni the polymeric substrate i decomposed, oF preferably until the ceramic is sintered, The impresnsied ‘oamis then dried by either air drying oraccelerated drying at ‘a temperature of fom 35° to 700" C. for from 2 minutes 0 6 hours. After drying, the material is heated at an elevated temperature to bond the ceramic particles making up the {Mherlike webs. Tris prefered to heat the dried impregnated ‘material in to stages, with the fist stage being to heat to 2 temperature of from 350° to 700° C. and holding within this temperature range for Irom 2 minutes to 6 hours in ore 0 bum off or volatilize the web of Nexible foam, Clearly this step can be part ofthe drying cycle, if desired. The second stage isto heat ta temperature of fom 900° 10 1700° C. and hold within that temperature range for from 2 minutes to 10 hous in order io hond the ceramic. The resting produet i 2 fuse! ceramic foam having an open cel structure character ied by a plurality of interconnected voids surrounded by @ web ofthe ceramic. The ceramic foam may have any desired ‘configuration based on the configuration needed lor the par ticular molten metal filtration process. ‘The process for forming the inventive fiter comprises forming a sluny of ceramie precursors. Fr the purposes of the present invention ceramic precursors include specific ratios of reffactory aluminosilicate, colloidal silica, fume or Jase silica axl modified bentonite. The slurry may comprise 0 o 4 «a surfactant to decrease the surface tension of the aqueous phase to below 80 mN/m for improved wetting characters- tis, "The trm*refractory aluminosilicate” as used hersin refers torefractory raw materials that comprise predominantly mul. liteand which possessa pyrometri cone equivalent (PCE) of at least 20. This elass of raw materials is also known in the relfactory materials literature by the synonyms eacined! ie= clay, calened aggregate, cofactor calcines, mulitecalines, refractory aggregates, calcined kyanit,elecirofused mullite ‘and chamovtes, "The ceramic precurtor ofthe present invention comprises about 35-70 wt% refractory aluminosilicate, about 10:30 wt % colloidal silica, about O to 2 wt % bentonite or modified bentonite which has a polymeric rheology moxifer added, out Oto 35 wt % fumed of fised silica and about 0-10 W1% pore former with the balance being « solvent, preferably ‘Water, present ins sulicent amount fo allow the composition ‘0 How into the foam. About 58 wt % water is particularly preferred asthe solvent. More preferably, the ceramie com- positon comprises 40-60 wt Yo and most preferably 50-60 wt orelractory aluminoslieate. Relew about 40 wi % refractory aluminosilicate the PeO may not adequately wet the interior surfaces of the filter 1 allow wieking into the interstices ‘where itis retained. Filters made with less than 50 wt % refractory aluminosilicate may also be more sensitive to ther- ‘mal shock in application. Above about 0 wt % refractory aluminosilicate the iter strength is compromised. More pref- ‘erably the ceramic precursor comprises 10-23 wt % colloidal silica. More proferably the ceramic precursor comprises bout 0.6 to LS wt % bentonite of modified bentonite and most preferably about 0.8 wt % bentonite or modified bento- site. More preferably, the ceramie precursor compises abot 10-20 wi% fumed silica, Fumed and fused silica can be used interchangeably in the present invention in any ratio upto the ‘otal amount of famed or fused silica as set for herein, ‘The resulting filter provides @ hot MOR, measured at 1,428° C., of 20 10 80 psi at an average relative density of about 14%, The density ofthe resulting filter is preferably at Feast 8 wt of theoretical density to no more than 18 wt % of thoore cal density. Above 18 wt % of theoretical density the filtering rite isto sow to be elfectve, Below 8 wt % of theoretical density the strength of the filter i insulieent for use in ‘tering mola ia, Refractory aluminosilicate is a naturally occurring mate ial with a nominal eomposition of 41,0, 28i0., In practice refractory aluminnsiliate comprises from about 45 w % t0 “Tost % ALO, and about 25 Wi to about 0 Wt % SIO, ‘Naturally occurring impurities ae present and one of sil in theart would realize that completely removing the impurities is cost prohibitive. In practice, refractory aluminosilicate has fhout 15-3 wt % TiO,, up to about 1.5 Wi % FeO, up to bout 0.06 ws % CaO, ip to about 0:8 wt % MgO, upto about 0.09 wt % Na,0, upto about 0.9 wr % K,O and up to about (0.121% P0., Forthe purposes of the present invention the preferred refractory aluminosilicates are Muleoa 471, Mul- 8 0 and Mulcoa TOW all available from C-E Minerals of Americus, GA but any commercially available refractory al ‘minesilicate powder is suitable to the application. tis preferable to add volatile organic materials into the ceramic slurry to father inerease the porosity. Tnanaltemativeembodtimeat ceramic prcursorcompt ‘ng spherically shaped voids therein ean be formed into the desired shape of the porous eeamic and fired as described in US. Pat. No. 6.773.825 which is incorporated herein by reference thereto, US 7,718,114 B2 5 A mixture ofceramie or meal particles and pliable organic sper asthe pore Former is prepared into liquid, or sus- pension, and the mixture is formes into a shaped article. The shaped article is dried and fired so that the particles are bonded by sintering. The onzanie spheres and other organic additives are volatilized. The spheres are preferably low den- sity and more preferably hollow. The sizeof the voids may be preselected by selecting the appropriatepolymer spheres. The porosity i also easly controlled by the numberof polymet spheres aed. I is most preferred tht the polymer spheres ‘are each in contact with atleast two other spheres such that 3 netwark of Wois s created inthe eventual diffuser. To a suspension of ceramic precursor is added plisble ‘organic hollow spheres which ae simultaneously suspended Inthe solvent asa pore omer. The ceramic precursors then ‘ncomporated into the foam as described further herein and dried to remove the solvent, When the ceramic procursar is firedto forma ceramic the spheres are volailized resulting ia uniformly distributed voids throughout the filter lattice. Using this method a range of porosities can be achieved, however, for use in molten iron filtration itis preferable that the porosity he no more than 602% due to insufficient thermal stress resistance at higher levels of porosity. The porosity and pore size is easily controlled by the number and sizes of polymer spheres used. fe fring the voidssubstantilly the ame shape and size s the included sphere, ILis most prefer ably to utilize spheres with an average diameter of 20 0 150, microns and more preferably 20-80 microns. An 80 miro sptere is most preferred. Other organic pore formers may be ‘included including Nour, cellulose, starch and the like. Hol- Tow organic spheres are most preferred due othe low volume ‘of onzani to pore volume which can be achieved and the ‘minimal level of organic residue remaining after firing. It is most prefered thatthe slurry comprise up to about 10 1 % pore formers based on an 80 micron holla sphere. ‘The material is either formed to size or cut to size. The material can be eut to size as a green ceramic orasa sintered EXAMPLES Example 1 A ceeamie precursor composition was prepared utilizing the materials listed in Table I. In Table 1, the refractory aluminosilicate used was Mulcoa GOR, ground to 2 ~325 mesh, a8 available from C-E Minerals. Colloidal siliea was used as obtained from Nyacol. Modified bentonite was used as obtained from Wyo-Ben, Ine. Fumed silica was used as ‘obiained from CE Minerals. The composition was fired al 120°C. for 30 min. Fused sli cold substitute for famed silica to improve the ability to eut the ceramic foam in the fired state. The modulus of rupture was measured at ambient temperature a reported in Table 2. The modulus of rupture ‘as measured at a high temperature as reported in Table 3. TABLE] Compose we ‘toi soe Os 0 o 6 The averape room temperature modulus of rupture (MOR) of the filter is approximately 90-psi over the given density range. This value is aeceptable for most molten metal ft tion applications TABLE 2 ‘Ro pene MOR Deny 09) MOR ins wets aves ‘To measure the hot MOR of silica bonded mullite ceric am filters room temperature samples were inserted directly intoa furnace held at [428° C, then tested in three-point bend configuration about 45 seconds after the filter was inserted. ‘This test is analogous o the conditions the iter i subjected to during ion filtration, The results are reported in Table 3 TABI anion Desty 96 MOR sd Example 2 “To improve liquid slag retention and capacity # compos ‘ion was prepared asin Table | with the further inelusion of 4 swt % hollow onganic spheres with a diameter of $0 yum. The resulting filter was examined under an electron microscope ‘and the resulting microstructure is showa in FIG. 2. When the liquid slag wets the mullite body, it ean be dra into the micropores via capillary action, Example 3 A filler was prepared under the same conditions as Example | with the composition provided in Table 4. Mul ‘Tow was used 2s the refractory aluminosilicate as available from C-E Miners TABI US 7,718, 7 ‘TABLE 4-continved Conpoven oa iia Sane Te s ‘The resulting average hot MOR was measured to be 34 psi ‘tan average foam relative density of 14%, Pxample 4 A filter wos prepared under the same conditions as Example | with the composition provide in Tale 5, Muleoa 49 was used asthe relructory aluminosilicate as available from C-E Minerals and the eeranie was fired at 1225° C. for S minutes TABLES ‘todd noite Oe ‘Sis fane na » ‘The resulting average hot MOR wast measured to be 63 psi at an average foam relative density of 14%. Example S Filters ofthe type deseribed in Example 1 were made and tested in a iron Foundry. These filters Were tested in eo parison with standard silicon carbide ceramic foam filters. la the test, molten grey ron was poured througha standard metal ‘gating and filtration housing, though the tet iter and into 3 ‘mold to make a standard commercial east ron component. Afier metal solidification and system cool-down, the test filters were removed, cut and polished through standard met- allurgical specimen preparation techniques, and examined in ‘ross-section for evidence of liquid slag capture, retention fd absorption into the micro-porosity ofthe filter material. FIG. 3 shows the micrograph of the sample cross-section produced, In the figure there is evidence of liquid slag pen- ‘tration into the body ofthe filter In this ease, the metal oxide Slag captured was a mixture of metal oxide impurities ( ‘on, titanium, caleium, manganese and aluminum) as deter- ‘mined through energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Evald- ation of the samples from this testing indicated deeper Penetration of the metal oxide slag into the microporous structure ofthe filler compared to that indicated with standard ‘silicon carbide filler rin under the same operating condi Ina similar test inventive ters prepared as described in Example [and standard silicon earbide filters were tested in 4 standard grey iron casting application casting grey iron cylinder blocks. The foundry patter contained two filter prints. Fah individual filter pent ltrs the iron required © ‘illasingleeylinderblock. For each testaniaventve filter was placed inone filter print and a standard silicon carbide ‘vas placed in the other filler print ass conto, Pour castings were produced with each being free from inclusion defects, “There was no measurable difference in pour ime. The gating was cleaned and the iter pri segments Were removed Irom the gating tre for metallurgical evaluation, The filter print segment of the gating twe Was sectioned to expose the Filter 0 o 114 B2 8 filaments, The inventive filter print was examined for signs of ‘mechanical ulure. There was ao evidence of deflection oF ‘deterioration in the filament stucture. There Were ne signs of ‘racking or bowing of inventive filter thereby confiming that the fie is able to withstand mechanical and thermal stress silficent for ion filtration applications. ‘The filters were examined to determine the amount and type of inclusion material captured by the filter filaments FIGS, 4 and 10 illusirae the inclusion material captured [Examination of both the inventive and the contol filer revealed large quantity of sand grains captured on the lead- ing edge of both filters. In some areas the filter vas com pletely blocked by the sand grains. Ex are clearly shown in FIG. 4 fr the eon and 9 forthe inventive fer, FIG. 5 shows the results of an ‘energy dispersive spectroscopy X-ray microanalysis (EDAX) ‘sonirming that the inclusion isa SiO, or silica sand poetic ‘Te major component of the inclusion was a metal oxide slag phase showa in FIGS, 4,7, 8, 9 and 10, This slag was ‘examined and found to contain silicon oxide, calcium oxide, ‘manganese oxide, aluminum oxide and Gianium oxide, This slag was found inallfourfilters. The quantity of theoxideslag varied by location within exch individual filter but this nel sion material vas abundant in each filter and was easily found {during the examination of each filter. In adlition, this metal oxide slag contained small heads or droplets of pure iron These droplets of iron are usually formed by the reduction of ion oxide fo elemental iron by the carbon prespitate as the iron solidifies, These ion droplets were observed in both the control filters and the inventive filers. These droplets are ‘susly ereated by turbulence within the gating system, ‘Tere was no significant difference in the composition of| the slag captured by the control filter material versus the inventive filter material. The only difference observed in the ‘wo different ceramic materials Was the dep of penetration ‘of the metal oxide slag in the inventive filer versus the or ‘mol, FIGS, 9 and 10 clearly show thatthe inventive fer appears to wick the slaginto the filter much more effectively than the contol, Penetration of the slag in the inventive filter was much more prominent than in the comparative filter Since both the inventive and comparative ter were placed ‘within the same mold it i not suprising that they captured Similar inclusion materials. Basel on visual inspection it Appeared thatthe inventive filter had eaptured more incht- sions than the comparative filter. ‘he inventive filter stood the thermal and mechanical stress of a produetion grey iron casting epplication, There Was no evidence of any mechanical or chemical deterioration ofthe ier. ‘The iaventon has been deseribed with particular refer to the preferred embodiments without imitation thereto. One ‘of skill in the art would beled to embodiments which do not ‘depart fom the seope ofthe present inveation as more spe- cifeally st fort in the claims appended hereto. “The invention claimed is 1A process for filtering molten iron comprising: preparing a ceramie foam iter by the steps of Preparing a ceramic precursor comprising: 35-70 w0 % refractory aluminosilicate; 10-30 wt % colloidal silica: (0-2 wi % bentonite; (0-35 0 % fuming sii: (0-10 % pore formers: and the balance being a solvent; US 7,718,114 B2 9 jpreunatingan organic Foam withsieleeramie precursor; Fedling said impregnated organic foam to a temperature sufficient to volatilize said organ foam and sinter aid ‘rami precursor to form a filters and passing molten ion through said filter wherein FeO slg is ‘inined hy sid filer. 2. The process for filtering molten iron of claim wherein si pore formers are hollow spheres. 3. The proces for filtering molten iron of claim 2 wherein said hollow spheres bave a diameter of 20 t 150 pa, 4, The process fr filtering molten iron of cla 1 wherein said corumic procursor comprises 40.60 Wt% relactoryali- rinosiicae 5. The process fr filtering molten iron of claim 4 wherein said ceramic precursor comprises 50-60 wt % refractory a rinosiicate 6, The process for filtering molten iron of elain A wherein said ceramie precursor comprises 10-23 w1% colloidal silica 7. The proces for filtering molten iron of claim 1 wherein said oeramie precursor comprises 0-1.5 wt Ye bentonite. '8, The process fr filtering molten iron of claim 7 wherein said ceramic precursor comprises 08 wi % bentonite 9, The process fr filtering molten ir of clans I wherein sad ceramic precursor comprises 0-20 wt % fumed silica 10, The process for filering molten ironof aim 9 wherein said eeramie precursor comprises 10-20 w % fumed silica, 11 The process for filering molten iron elaim 1 wherein said Solvent is water 10 12. The process for fering molten iron ofelaim 1 where sid filter as fot MOR of 25 to 120 psi 13, The process for filtering molten iron of claim 12 ‘wherein sid filter has a relative density which is about 12% ‘of theoretical density 14. The process for fiering molten iron ofelaim A wherein sid iter bas relative density of 818%, 15, The process for lering molten ion ofelaim A wherein said bentonite is modified bentonite, 16, process fo filtering molten iron comprising: preparing a cecanie foam filter by the steps of preparing a ceramic precursor comprising: 40.60 wt % refractory aluminosilicate, 10-30 wo % colloidal silica: 0-2 1% bentonite: 10-20 wt Yo fuming silica (0-10 we % pore formers: and the balance being a solvent; ‘impregnating an organic foam with said ceramic precursor; Dating said imprepnated organic foam to a temperature sulicient wo volatilize said organic foam and sinter said

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