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By S. Sundarraj

The morphological transition between columnar and equiaxed structures is an important solidification phenomenon frequently observed in castings, especially complex parts with varying cross-section, The mechanical properties and the occurrence of defects such as hot tears are strongly dependent on the structure formed in the casting. Hence, it is important to understand the conditions leading to columnar or equiaxed structures. Although extensive work has been done in modeling solidification systems, almost all of the existing models are based on the assumption that the structure formed in the casting is either purely columnar or purely equiaxed. Prediction of the columnar-equiaxed transition (CET) requires a solidification model which accounts for the formation of both columnar and equiaxed structures, along with related microscopic and macroscopic solidification phenomena. In this paper a CET model is presented which: (i) takes account of both columnar and equiaxed structures, (ii) accounts for macroscopic heat transfer coupled with microscopic phenomena such as nucleation, growth and microsegregation, (iii) satisfies solute conservation, and (iv) is easy to implement in commercial finite element and finite difference software. The proposed model predictions of CET have been validated with available experimental results for a uni-directional solidification of an aluminum-copper alloy. A sensitivity analysis has also been carried out to determine the effects of various parameters on the CET model predictions. The model is being extended to other alloy systems and more complex geometries. This work will be published in due course.

Jan 1, 1996

By Hartmut Rossel

VAW aluminium AG has built a "Recycling-Technikum" (Recycling Research Centre) to add a new arm to the company's Corporate Research and Development Department. The Recycling Research Centre, a pilot plant for scientific research, has been in operation since September 1993. These state-of-the-art facilities allow the investigation and optimisation of recycling techniques in 'a global way and in detail. Research is concentrated on the unit operations - processing, melting and waste-gas purification - with the available installations making it possible to compare different alternative process combinations on a 100-kg scale. One of the main targets of VAW research is the development of recycling techniques for packaging. The paper presents an approach to recover the aluminium contained in flexible packaging materials using an integrated melting and waste-gas purification system.

Jan 1, 1995

By John L. Watson

The dewatering of steel industry waste sludges prior to discard or recycling often presents significant problems due to the fineness of the sludge particles, which may blind the filter medium and/or produce a cake with limited porosity, Several steel plant wastes, such as sludges from BOF and EAF gas cleaning operations exhibit not only a very fine particle size, but also some degree of magnetic character, A novel process has been developed to utilize the magnetic character of such sludges to enhance dewatering through a multi-force operation involving magnetic, chemical and vacuum forces, The process consists essentially of undertaking vacuum filtration of a flocculated sludge in a magnetic field, This is achieved by installing a permanent magnetic in a fixed position on the axis of a vacuum drum filter, thus effecting filtration of magnetic and non- magnetic particles, bound together in flocs, in a magnetic field, Previous tests using a modified laboratory vacuum drum filter treating artificial (magnetite) and industry waste (BF sludge) feeds have demonstrated that filtration capacity may be enhanced significantly with increases of up to 3000/0, An explanation of the mechanisms associated with the enhanced filtration was not obvious, and this research was undertaken to permit the cake formation in the magnetic field to be monitored to provide an insight into the manner in which particles agglomerate to form the cake. These tests revealed that the magnetic field caused magnetic particles to be aligned perpendicular to the filter surface and to form channels through which filtrate could freely pass thus increasing capacity, The effects of various magnetic fields and field strengths on the filtration process were also investigated. A simple computer model was constructed to demonstrate the proposed theory of multi-force dewatering, The model output graphically illustrated the suggested mechanism and confirmed the enhanced capacity of the novel dewatering process,

Jan 1, 1996

By Adam J. Gesing

The eddy current separator (ECS) is designed to separate nonmagnetic (nonferrous) electrically conducting (metallic) particles from nonconductive residue. Nonferrous metallic particles are repelled out of the material stream passing over the eddy current rotor (ECR). The rotor is housed in a fiberglass composite outer shell that serves as a conveyor head pulley. This results in the desired metaVnonmeta1 separation. The behavior of ferromagnetic particles, mainly iron and iron oxide (i.e. rust), is quite different. These particles are strongly attracted to the magnets and the smaller particles tend to align their long axis in the direction of the magnetic flux. Since the direction of the flux changes with the passage of each magnet pole, the small particles spin at very high rates causing wear of the belt and of the composite outer shell housing the ECR. Large particles, when trapped under the ECS belt, cannot spin, but can be heated by the eddy current effects and subsequently can burn through the composite outer shell. We discuss the practical implication of this behavior of iron and rust on the design, performance and maintenance of eddy current separators.

Jan 1, 1999

By Ki Joo Sim, Sung Beom An, Joonho Lee, Minsoo Shin

Valorization of the electrical arc furnace oxidizing slag by coke was carried out by the reduction of iron oxide in the slag. Since the reduction of iron oxide by solid carbon is an endothermic reaction, supply of heat energy is required. In addition, slag has a low thermal conductivity; traditional fuel injection is not suitable for this reaction. Microwave can be used to supply heat energy to the system. Commercial oxidizing slag was reduced by coke under the microwave irradiation (1.7 kW, 2.45 GHz). The maximum recovery ratio of iron was 87%. In addition, slag composition modification was attempted to use the remaining slag for a mixture in cement clinker. Free-CaO in the slag was successfully suppressed, and the use of the remaining slag as a potential mixture was confirmed.

Jan 1, 2014

By H. Kamiya, H. Hasegawa, M. Nojiri, S. Matsui, Y. Fukuda, M. Tsukada

"The present paper focuses on the action mechanism of anionic polymer dispersants in dense Si3N4 and SiC suspension. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to determine the relationship between the macroscopic suspension viscosity and the microscopic adsorbed structure of a polymer dispersant at the solid / liquid interface. The surface interactions within the suspensions were analyzed in various dispersant pH and additive conditions. The addition of an anionic polymer dispersant decreased Si3N4 and SiC suspension viscosity and increased electro-steric repulsion force on the non-oxide surface in solution at pH> 6 which was the isoelectric point of the materials. It was assumed that the increase of repulsive force was promoted by a hydrophobic adsorption of polymer dispersant on the non-oxide particles.IntroductionThe surface of silicon nitride and silicon carbide powders in a water suspension system has quite a complex molecular structure. In the case of Si3N4, hydroxyl and ammonium groups form on the surface and the pH of the suspension is increased from neutral to about 10 due to surface oxidation. The particle surface is negatively charged in alkaline solutions (pH=10), because the isoelectric point of silicon nitride exists in the pH range from 5 to 6. However, in spite of charging the negative surface charge, an anionic polymeric dispersant is generally used for the reduction in slurry viscosity.In dense SiC suspensions, an anionic polymer dispersant is generally used in order to disperse aggregates and reduce the suspension viscosity, too. Since an anionic dispersant is used in alkaline solutions higher than the isoelectric point of silicon carbide, the dispersant adsorbed on the negative charged surfaces of SiC.Few researchers have discussed and estimated the adsorption mechanism and structure of anionic polymeric dispersants on silicon nitride and silicon carbide surfaces. This is because it is difficult to observe the structure and measure the interaction at the solid/liquid interfuce directly. However, new developments in surface-force measurement technology have enabled the determination of non-DLVO type interaction for analyzing aggregation behavior2. The use of the AFM for analyzing the effects of various surfactants and co-polymers on colloidal dispersions and solid surfaces has also begun to rapidly expand to characterize the interaction between solid surfaces."

Jan 1, 2000

By A. S. Rao

In the original roast-leach-electrowin (RLE) circuit at the Chambishi Cobalt Plant, commissioned in 1978, the separation of nickel and zinc from cobalt in aqueous streams was achieved by successive stages of precipitation using lime. However, this technique was not able to meet the increasingly stringent metal quality requirements of customers whilst maintaining acceptable process recoveries. Intensive process development work was carried out and, in July 1988, an ion exchange circuit for nickel removal was commissioned using DOW XFS 4195 resin and for the first time Z.C.C.M. produced high purity cobalt metal containing less than 0.10% nickel. Following further work, a solvent extraction circuit for zinc removal, using DZEHPA, was commissioned in February 1991 in order to enhance cobalt recovery by reducing co-precipitated cobalt losses. This paper outlines the process development, design, commissioning and subsequent operation of these nickel ion exchange and zinc solvent extraction circuits.

Jan 1, 1993

By Shenghui Guo, Ying Lei, Wei Li, Jinhui Peng, Libo Zhang, Yu Li

"Abstract: In this work, low temperature carbothermic reduction of Panzhihua low grade ilmenite after ball milling were investigated. The ball milling of ilmenite and graphite were processed in a ball mill. The milling process can attenuate the particle of ilmenite, and the ilmenite characteristic peak were broadened and weakened. The reduction temperature and behaviors are studied on the thermo gravimetric apparatus; lower temperature and higher reaction rate were obtained for the reduction of ilmenite with graphite after milled. The reduction temperature and times of ilmenite decreased to 1000-1025°C and 40-60min via milled for 4 or 8h; Low down the reduction temperature can eliminate the solution of Mg2+ and FeTi03 in a certain degree; the reduced ilmenite has an obvious loose structure, can favored the subsequent procedure such as leaching.1 IntroductionThere is about 9.66 billion tons of Vanadic Titan-magnetite deposited in Panzhihua, China. In this reserve, there is about 8.73x108 t ofTi02, Accounting for 90.54% of the Chinese reserves, and 35.17% of the international reserves and ranking first in the world. [JJ Titanium mineral deposits major classified into Rock type and Placer type. Rock type is the igneous mineral, which have great content of FeO (Relative to Fe20 3) and gangue. The rock textures are compact and almost are complex ore. Rock type Titanium mineral major are ilmenite and titan magnetite ore, difficult to separate the metal ore and gangue. l.21 Thus, the Ti02 grade of Rock type ilmenite much lower than the Placer type (Table land 11). Panzhihua ilmenite are the typical Rock-type, due to the higher contents of MgO, CaO and Si02 and the complex mineralogy in ilmenite in Panzhihua region, making its direct reduction progressively more difficult. Mechanical activation, usually carried out by energetic milling or ball milling, was reported to significantly decreased the reduction temperature and accelerate the reaction rate of reduction of ilmenite with carbon, silicon and Magnesium. f3·(>J It reported that the process temperature were decreased to 600-1000°C and the annealing time were reduced to 30-120min after milled for 50-400 h. Shorter milling time involved was imported for else procedure such as direct leaching. 171 Hardly any research had referred to the carbothermic reduction reactivity of ilmeite milled for a short time as 1-1 Oh. In the present work, the aim is to investigate the reactivity and reaction temperature of carbothermic reduction of Panzhihua ilmenite. The Phase composition and micro morphology of samples are characterized."

Jan 1, 2011

By R. J. McClincy

The potential techniques for the direct smelting of copper sulfide concentrates to blister copper were evaluated from the standpoint of commercial application. Many existing smelters are adaptable to direct smelting practice but only with improved control of metallurgical performance. Modified and innovative procedures for slag cleaning and metal refining, prerequisites to direct smelting, are presented and discussed. The ability to smelt directly to blister copper using existing equipment and eliminating the need to convert matte offers ,significant advantages to traditional smelting practice from the viewpoint of cost, 'S02 control, and process simplicity.

Jan 1, 1983

By Junji Shibata

Zeolite synthesized from coal fly ash has many intelligent properties such as cation exchange, adsorption, catalyst and so on. The suitable use of the zeolite, however, is not established in an actual commercial scale yet. From the viewpoints of an effective usage of coal fly ash and the zeolite obtained from coal fly ash, we propose the new concept for environmentally friendly usage of zeolite, in which coal fly ash safely returns to the soil with growing plants and purifying wastewater. This method can make great contribution to recycle of coal fly ash, to purification of high nutritious water and to tree planting.

Jan 1, 2002

By Luiz A. Teixeira

This paper reports the results of kinetic studies involving the precipitation of arsenic from aqueous solutions as FeAs041 Fe(OH)3' using FeS04 as source of Fe ions, and Air or H202 as oxidizing agents. Both systems lead to an efficient removal of arsenic. The differences in oxidants performances are in the precipitation reaction rate -much faster using hydrogen peroxide. Mechanisms of reactions were suggested based on the following main steps:

Jan 1, 1996

By Stephen C. Britten

An in-situ amperometric slag sensor for measuring the concentration of easily dissociable oxides in slags at temperatures between 1200-1600°C is being developed. The sensor provides the same information as potentiometric sensors while also providing data on the concentration of the transition metal species and the diffision kinetics within the slag. The electrochemical technique utilized in the sensor is similar to methods utilized in aqueous voltammetry.

Jan 1, 1998

By Tim B. Vander Wood

Standard methods of determining clay mineral powder aspect ratios involve manual scanning electron microscopy analyses of shadowed particles in order to measure both platelet thickness and diameter. We present a method whereby the diameters of platelets are quickly determined by automated scanning electron microscopy and their images are recorded and digitally transferred to a transmission electron microscope equipped for parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy. Thickness' of platelets whose diameters are known from the previous analyses are determined by measurement of the ratio of scattered and unscattered electrons in the beam after it has been transmitted through the platelet.

Jan 1, 1995

By Stanko Nikolic

Ferrous calcium silicate slags are potentially important for future practice in copper converting operations and processes and can be described by the ?Cu2O?-FeO-Fe2O3-CaO-SiO2 system. Despite its industrial importance the phase equilibria in this system have not been fully investigated. Characterization of this slag system is necessary to improve the design and optimization parameters of new processes, including fluxing and operating temperatures. Experimental methods have been developed to investigate the phase equilibria of these slags at copper saturation and without copper. This technique involved equilibration of samples at a fixed oxygen partial pressure, rapid quenching, and analysis of the compositions of phases using electron probe x-ray microanalysis (EPMA). Liquidus and solidus data are reported for the primary phase fields of spinel, wollastonite and tridymite at 1250oC and an oxygen partial pressure of 10-6atm. The resulting data has been used to construct liquidus isotherms in the ?FeO?-CaO-SiO2 system both in equilibrium with and without molten copper. The experimental results were compared with the predictions of a thermodynamic computer package utilizing a self consistent thermodynamic database. The predictions of the model were in good agreement with the experimental isotherms when projected onto the FeO-CaO-SiO2 section, however the copper concentrations in the liquid phase at copper saturation were lower than predicted using the current database of the model.

Jan 1, 2006

By E. S. Geskin, W. L. Chen, A. Vora

"This paper is concerned with the application of an abrasive waterjet for metal shaping. The waterjet cutting technology uses water compressed to the pressure up to 55,000 psia which is accelerated in a cylindric nozzle. Abrasive particles are then supplied into the water stream and accelerated by the water. Cutting occurs via the interaction between the water-particles stream and a workpiece that causes material erosion at the impingement zone. The mechanism of this interaction enables shaping of practically any material with a minimal effect on the metallurgy of subsurface. The motion of the jet penetrating through a material body is guided by a robotic arm. A waterjet cutter is becoming one of the principal tools for shaping titanium, super-alloys and other hard-to-machine metals and composites. The shaping, resulting from the waterjet cutter, is very similar to laser beam cutting. However, unlike laser processing, there is no damage to the subsurface structure.The presented work discusses the experimental study of cutting of titanium plates. The results of these experiments demonstrate the potential of the abrasive waterjet as a shaping tool. IntroductionOne of the main avenues in the development of metal shaping is the use of high energy beams as cutting tools (1,2). There are a number of advanced beam oriented material removal technologies, such as laser, electron beam, plasma and abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting. The advantages of AWJ cutting are well understood and documented (3-14). This technology has the potential of becoming the principal tool for netshaping and netsurfacing of parts. However, the use of AWJ is currently limited to cutting of hard-to-machine materials such as titanium, superalloys, glass, composites, etc. The cost of A W J cutting is much higher and the productivity is much lower than those of the thermal cutting. At the same time abrasive waterjet can be used for shaping any existing technological material from fabrics, plastics, aluminum to glass, composites, and diamonds. The material losses during AWJ shaping are minimal. The roughness and waveness of the surfaces generated during AWJ cutting are substantially less than those of the thermal cutting. Due to the size of the jet cross-section total force exerted by the jet on a workpiece does not exceed 30-50 newtons. This terminates the need in the use of complex fixture for material holding. Low applied forces and low surface temperature prevent the damage of metal subsurface in the course of cutting. The small size of the impingement area will determine the limited width of the kerf. Due to the size of kerf and unidirectional character of the water jet the formation of practically any metal contour is possible."

Jan 1, 1988

By Jinjing Dua, Jun Zhua, Kuiren Liub, Bin Wang, Xiaolei Wua

V-Ti-Fe as hydrogen storage alloy was prepared by reducing metal oxides with a metallothermic reduction method. The deoxidation process of the V-Ti-Fe alloy was performed by electro-deoxidation and vacuum induction melting method, respectively. The results showed that the content of oxygen impurity can be controlled at about 0.2wt% after electrolyzing for 240min. Both the maximum values of hydrogen absorption capacity and the effective hydrogen desorption capacity are 2.65wt% and 1.01wt%, respectively. The deoxidization effect of vacuum induction melting process is more remarkable, with Ce as the reducing agent. It is found that Ce addition is beneficial for reducing the componential segregation, promoting the hydrogen absorption activation of V-Ti-Fe alloy. When m(Ce)/m(alloy) is up to 5%, the oxygen content has been reduced to 0.05wt% and the maximum hydrogen absorption capacity and the effective hydrogen desorption capacity are up to 3.36wt% and 1.85wt%, respectively.

Jan 1, 2015

By Tracy Lucas, Ian Hamill

"Issues of importance in the area of continuous casting centre around product quality. This can be affected by particle inclusions transported into the mould from upstream processes and by draw-down of particles from the meniscus. Turbulence of the meniscus can increase the latter and is also detrimental to product surface quality.Suitably validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling can provide the operator with an efficient tool with which to investigate the effects of changes to the design and operation of the caster and associated plant.In this paper, examples are presented of the use of the CFD software, CFX, to simulate:•,free-surface shape and turbulence in the mould using deforming meshes•,solidification in the mould using a fixed-grid, source-based method•,argon gas injection through a submerged entry nozzle using a full multiphase model•,inclusion motion and removal in tundishes using an algebraic slip model.The CFD simulations of the free surface shape are complemented by detailed Particle Image Velocimetry measurements performed on a full-size water model of a thin-slab mould and upper strand. Close agreement is demonstrated between the predictions and experiments."

Jan 1, 1999

By S. V. Cherty

The utilization of natural gas in non-ferrous industries during smelting and refining stages of copper , aluminum, zinc and lead was studied. The total amount of nonelectrical energy consumed in the production of zinc, copper, lead and aluminium, are 96.5% ,93%,92%, and 6 % respectively. It is calculated that 9.45 wt %of air of stoichiometric amount can be substituted by natural gas to the total air input in the nonelectrical energy utilization processes. The results showed that the non electrical energy may be substituted to an amount of 71 % ,52 % ,35 % ,32 % ,and 26% ,in the production of lead, aluminium (plates, foils) copper, aluminium, zinc, respectivelly. Similar calculations are carried out in terms of energy in Btu for the total production of non-ferrous metals in the U.S. It shows that 51.866~106 millions of Btu of nonelectrical energy can be substituted by 54.58~106 cu. ft of natural gas. Finally, the substitution of non electrical energy in terms of equivalent coal energy is discussed. 1t is shown that total non electrical energy is equal to 1.852 million tones of coal .If this 1.852 million tones of coal is replaced by natural gas, a total savings of 22.14 million dollars are achieved. The total or partial substitution of coal by the natural gas in the existing industrial processes and modification of redesigning the processes is discussed.

Jan 1, 1993

By Joel Anderson

Allvac 718Plus is a newly developed superalloy with a good potential for use in fabricated aircraft engine structures when service temperatures exceed 650°C; the limit for standard alloy 718. Fabrication involves welding, where cracking usually is a prohibitive factor. Comparison of the solidification cracking behavior between these two alloys was made by Transvarestraint testing. It was shown that the total amount of cracking was significantly lower for 718Plus alloy, which was associated with a lower amount of ?/Laves or ?/NbC eutectic-type constituents. This in turn is believed to be due to the lower iron content of the Allvac 718Plus material. The analysis of alloying element segregation both within primary dendrite and interdendritic constituents clearly indicates that the segregation of Nb is the controlling factor in determining the final solidification microstructure in these alloys. The Nb concentrations of these constituents are significantly higher compared to the bulk alloy concentration. This was confirmed by the SEM-EDS analysis and calculations assessed with JMatPro, the latter also indicated that alloy 718 is more prone to form Laves and NbC eutectic-type constituents compared to Allvac 718Plus material.

Jan 1, 2008

By David C. Lynch

FeCl3 particulate of 10 to 100 um in diameter was reacted with radicals produced in an oxygen plasma at pressures between 1 to 20 Torr. The particulate, in a fluidized bed, was positioned above the plasma to avoid over heating the oxide product which is known to lead to crust and clinker formation[ 1 ]. Reaction between the iron chloride and the gas phase occurred at temperatures between 66 and 226 °C. Oxygen radicals react with the surface material to a depth of approximately 2.5 4m. Surface material, analyzed with a x-ray technique, indicates that the maximum amount of FeCl3 reacted on a weight basis was found to be approximately 67%. More typically, 40 to 50 wt% of the chloride was reacted within 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Jan 1, 1996