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By B. Abedian, L. M. Racz, S. R. Berry, R. W. Hyers

"The presented work represents an effort to improve understanding and prediction of turbulent flow inside electromagnetically-levitated droplets. We show that the flow field in a test case, a nickel droplet levitated under microgravity conditions, is a low Reynolds number turbulent flow, i.e. in the transitional regime between laminar and turbulent. Past research efforts have used laminar, enhanced viscosity, and k - E turbulence models to describe these flows. In our study, we compare the RNG algorithm to laminar and k - E turbulence model results. We show that accurate description of the turbulent eddy viscosity µr is critical in order to obtain realistic velocity fields, and that µr cannot be uniform in levitated droplets. In the RNG method there are no characteristic length or time scales associated with the flow, thus allowing such anisotropic features to be captured. We perform calculations and analyses for two cases (1) a small, non-deforming, spherical nickel droplet and (2) a deforming, oscillating droplet. In addition to flow field calculations, we compare numerically-obtained surface tension and viscosity values to those obtained experimentally by the oscillating drop technique.IntroductionElectromagnetic levitation (EML) is a containerless processing technique for conductive materials. Its advantages are the avoidance of contamination or chemical reaction at container walls and the ability to perform long-term experiments in a metastable state. Because of its current limitation to small sample sizes, its primary use is in the laboratory. One application of interest is the measurement of thermophysical properties of undercooled liquid metals [1, 2, 3, 4]. In EML, a sample weighing approximately 1 gram is positioned inside an electromagnetic field generated by alternating currents flowing through an axisymmetric water-cooled copper coil. The coil must be designed appropriately so that thesample levitates in a stable manner.Traditionally, mathematical modeling has been performed in tandem with both earth-and spacebound electromagnetic levitation experiments, in order to determine the effect of the magnetic field on material and flow characteristics [5, 6, 7, 8]. These calculations are important because they allow design, planning, and correct interpretation of experiments. In addition, the calculations are of fundamental scientific interest, as they can be applied to other electromagnetic materials processing applications [9]."

Jan 1, 1999

By James O'Brien, Lyman Frost, Grant Hawkes, S. Elangovan, Manohar Sohal, J. S. Herring, Joseph Hartvigsen, Carl Stoots

"Pressing environmental and energy security concerns have brought much needed attention to economic production of hydrogen as the secondary energy carrier for non-electrical markets as well as to meet increasing demand for crude upgrading and desulfurization. While steam reforming of natural gas is currently the dominant method of hydrogen production, it is depleting a valuable fossil fuel while emitting green house gases. Thus, in the long run, efficient, environmentally friendly, and economic means of hydrogen production using nuclear and renewable energy needs to be developed. High temperature electrolysis using solid oxide electrolyte cells is an exceptionally efficient means of generation of high purity hydrogen. It is also capable of directly converting steam and CO2 into synthesis gas. This co-electrolysis process enables conversion of CO2 recovered from concentrated industrial sources into a feedstock for synthetic fuels production. Use of CO2 provides a means of storing hydrogen in a concentrated and convenient form – a hydrocarbon. This is also an effective storage medium for intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.Ceramatec, Inc and the Idaho National Laboratory are applying solid oxide fuel cell technology to the production of synthesis gas by high temperature co-electrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide. This technology utilizes solid oxide fuel cell stacks to electrochemically remove oxygen from steam and CO2, leaving a clean stream of hydrogen and carbon monoxide suitable for fuel synthesis. By varying the relative concentrations of carbon dioxide and steam, the hydrogen to carbon monoxide product ratio can be controlled as required by the desired type of synthetic fuel being produced from the syngas. The resultant synthesis gas has been used as the feedstock to produce synthetic methane and Fischer Tropsch liquid fuels.Alkaline and proton exchange membrane electrolysis cells typically operate below 100°C, while solid oxide electrolysis cells operates in the 750-850°C range. This higher temperature improves the efficiency significantly. Practically, it translates into a lower cell operating voltage, 1.1-1.4V for high temperature electrolysis vs. ~1.8V for water electrolysis. Hydrogen production is stoichiometric with current in all types of electrolyzers.Carbon dioxide is a valuable resource as a feedstock for energy storage as a hydrocarbon. There is a vast amount of renewable energy that cannot be effectively utilized as grid electricity, but which could be used to convert CO2 to hydrocarbons, offering a solution to the even more difficult (than supplying grid power) challenge of production of sustainable, domestic transportation fuels. Conventional electrolysis and chemical processes could be deployed to accomplish this conversion. However, high temperature co-electrolysis of CO2 and steam to produce synthesis gas using solid oxide fuel cell technology has the potential of improving the efficiency by nearly 50%. A domestic synfuel industry will enable a much larger reliance on intermittent renewable energy than can be accommodated by conventional electric demand profiles while increasing our energy security."

Jan 1, 2010

By W. Hoffelner

Plasma technology has become increasingly important for the treatment of several types of waste (toxic, nuclear, metal-bearing scrap). Plasma furnaces combine the advantages of a closed hearth process with a very versatile (several plasma gases can be employed) and effective heat source. It can be successfully used for recovery of metals with subsequent purification and/or vitrification of residuals from drosses or filter dusts.

Jan 1, 1994

By Wenjun Duan, Qingbo Yu, Qin Qin, Junxiang Liu

In the study, the coke-oven gas (COG)-steam reforming process using hot blast furnace slag (BFS) as the heat carrier is explored for producing hydrogen and recovering high-grade waste heat of hot BFS. The method of the Gibbs energy minimization approach through Lagrange multiplier is adopted in the thermodynamic analysis of reforming process. The simulation is carried out to study the operation pressure, temperature and steam to carbon ratio (S/C) based on the chemical equilibrium calculations. The optimal operation conditions are determined to improve the yield and fraction of hydrogen in the COG-steam reforming process. The results suggest that the preferential operation conditions for COG-steam reforming process to produce hydrogen are achieved at 600ºC, 1.5MPa and S/C (5.0). Due to the CaO and other melts in BFS, CH4, CO and CO2 in COG are converted and removed efficiently, especially CO2. The hydrogen fraction reaches to 86.7% and its production is about 1.22mol with 1mol of the COG.

Jan 1, 2016

By Baozhong Ma, Yonggang Wei, Shiwei Zhou, Bo Li, Chengyan Wang, Hua Wang

The effects of additives with Na2S, Na2SO4 and CaSO4 on phase transformation of nickel laterite ore in low-temperature reduction roasting process using carbon monoxide were investigated. The results showed that diffraction peaks of forsterite increased with increasing reduction temperature for 30min with the addition of 10wt% Na2SO4 and 50vol% CO, and diffraction peaks of forsterite increased with increasing the content of Na2SO4 at 900°C for 30min. Comparing the above three additives, phase transformation of nickel laterite ore were strongly influenced with the addition of 10 wt% Na2SO4 and 10 wt% Na2S. Calcium sulphide from the thermal decomposition of CaSO4 was carried out in the reaction product. SEM-EDS analysis result deduced that increasing the dosage of Na2SO4 from 10wt% to 15wt% could promote the polymerization of ferronickel and improve the grade of nickel in ferronickel.

Jan 1, 2015

By B. J. Jody

Each year, about 11 million tons of metals (ferrous and nonferrous) are recovered in the U.S. from about 10 million discarded automobiles. The recovered metals account for about 75% of the total weight of the discarded vehicles. The balance of the material or shredder residue, which amounts to about 3 million tons annually, is currently landfilled. The residue contains a diversity of potentially recyclable materials, including polyurethane foams, iron oxides, and certain thermoplastics. This paper discusses a process under development at Argonne National Laboratory to separate and recover the recyclable materials from this waste stream. The process consists essentially of two- stages. First, a physical separation is used to recover the foams and the metal oxides, followed by a chemical process to extract certain thermoplastics. The status of the technology is discussed, and the process economics are reviewed.

Jan 1, 1994

By Tseng. B. H.

Samples of unchlorinated and chlorinated carbonaceous concentrate from a carbonaceous gold ore were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for organically bonded sulfur and chlorine. The concentrate assayed 1.53 oz/t gold and 6.01% organic carbon. Much of the organic carbon occurred as sizable coarse particles up to several hundred microns in size, which showed no visible evidence of reaction with chlorine after chlorination treatment. Both the untreated and chlorinated fractions of the carbonaceous concentrate were analyzed by the TEM method, which detected organically bonded sulfur in all of the carbon particles examined in the untreated sample, ranging from about 1 to 5% organic sulfur, and averaging near 3.1%. TEM analysis of 40 carbon particles in the chlorinated sample indicated that organic sulfur was reduced significantly in the carbon and replaced in part by the chlorine, as the result of chlorination.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. D. Sloop

This paper discusses the current state of EAF dust recycling at AmeriSteel's Dust Processing Division in Jackson, Tennessee. Included are a brief history of the plant, a description of the facility, a description of the process, and operating data.

Jan 1, 2000

By Jianhong Dong, Min Chen, Cuihuan Huang, Bo Li, Nan Wang

"Scale layer can be formed on the slab surface in the areas of secondary cooling and strand discharge during continuous casting process. From 1000 °C -1200 °C, the influence of steel composition on the stable oxide phases inside scale layer, particularly the types of alloying elements including aluminum, silicon and chromium, is investigated under different partial pressures of water vapor by the calculated predominance diagrams of iron oxide as well as its intermediate compounds formed with other metal oxides, and the stable oxide phase composition within scale layer under the working condition of secondary cooling is discussed. At lower partial pressure of water vapor, only a iron spinel (or ferrosilicate) phase is the stable phase with any alloying element contents in steel composition, whereas the stable phases are FeO and iron spine! (or ferrosilicate) inside the scale layer at higher partial pressures of water vapor .IntroductionOxide scale formation on the surface of cast and rolled products because of oxidation by the surrounding oxidizing atmosphere is a significant disturbance factor in steelmaking. The yield loss of iron because of scale formation is considerable during continuous casting and hot rolling process. Surface quality more often is impaired by scale property, which increasing the difficulty of quality assurance, dimensional accuracy and performance control. Furthermore, a potential source for subsequent surface cracking (hot shortness) can be caused by the enrichment of scrap residuals (Cu, As and Sn) at the steel substrate surface as a result of steel oxidation [1-2]. In flat products manufacture via thin slab casting technologies, these phenomena are particularly pronounced and require enhanced development efforts in descaling efficiency [3].Compared with the scale formation in continuous casting, the quantity of scale formed during hot rolling and reheating in the rolling mill is larger, and control of scale formation and descaling is a long-established task in hot rolling. Therefore, extensive research and development work have been carried out, including the effects of heating and rolling temperature on the thickness and microstructure of scale layer, heating time and furnace atmosphere, cooling mode, and steel composition on the scale formation, more attention has been given to the control of scale formation during reheating and hot-rolling process. On the other hand, hardly any specific efforts and countermeasures are taken in continuous casting, and very less research has been done despite the network-type crack on the as-cast strand surface caused by the subscale enrichment of scrap residuals [ 4-7]."

Jan 1, 2014

By R. Lanza, M. Hytros, N. Saka, I. Jureidini, J. H. Chun, D. Kim

"A novel method for delineating the solidification front in metal casting has been developed using the attenuation phenomenon of electromagnetic radiation (y-rays or x-rays) and computed tomography (CT). The densities of the liquid and solid phases that exist during metal casting may differ anywhere from 4 to 12 % depending on the metal. As in the medical imaging field, CT provides an excellent means of mapping this density variation in a solidifying casting into two-or three-dimensional images.In an effort to develop an industrial-scale sensor, laboratory-scale experiments have been conducted using a cobalt-60 (Co60) radioisotope and a sodium-iodide (Nal) scintillation detector. The CT image reconstruction was performed on a crucible containing pure tin in a two-phase state. Although the spatial resolution and data acquisition speed were not optimum, the CT images clearly differentiate the liquid and solid phases of the tin in the crucible. To maximize resolution and minimize data acquisition time, a linear accelerator (linac)-based CT sensor is being developed and tested for application in the continuous casting of steel and aluminum alloys.IntroductionIn all casting processes, the quality of a finished product and its production rate depend upon the shape and movement of the solidification front. From a quality perspective, it is well documented that solidification kinetics (heat and mass transfer, fluid flow, microstructure evolution) greatly influence the final properties of castings [l,2,3]. Product shortcomings, such as surface defects, cracks, macro-and microsegregation, and inclusions are directly controlled by the solidification process. By understanding the role the solidification front plays in the casting process, product quality may be dramatically increased through the reduction of defects."

Jan 1, 1997

By Chao Li, Qian Li, Yong-bin Yang, Kai Li, Qiang Xie, Yuan-yuan Zhu, Dong-ye Li, Qi-bing Tan

"The permeability of sintering mix is a vital technological property in sintering process. However, it can only be measured by off-line method on samples picked from the production. In order to acquire the properties of sintering mix accurately, on-line measuring of permeability is urgently required. Based on the reflection characteristics of bed permeability on pipe flowing parameters, a new method is presented in this paper for on-line measuring of sintering mix permeability. The measurement can be performed by blowing gas flow in the bed with the measuring pipe. Measuring results are obtained by picking the data on flowing rate and pressure in the pipe. The function of flowing rate to pressure may be certain for samples with the same permeability. Thus, the permeability was determined by contrasting this function to the result of off-line measuring, and the relative coefficient or R2 value was more than 99%.IntroductionThe permeability of sintering mix is a vital technological property in sintering process, which directly determines production and quality of sinter, or even determines whether the sinter production is carried out smoothly [1,3].The permeability have more obvious influence on vertical sintering speed, which is mainly related to air quantity passing through material bed. Under certain inducing capacity and negative pressure, the vertical sintering speed mainly depends on the permeability of sintering mix. Low permeability may make burning through point of sintering move back, and the sinter mix cannot be burnt through. High permeability may make burning through point of sintering move forward, improving production efficiency by increasing the speed of sintering machine [4] Good permeability means a small resistance of fan ,reduction of negative pressure of sintering machine, and full contact between air and sulfide, which can strengthen physical-chemical reaction during sintering process and increase desulphurization rate. In gas well through material layer process, gas-solid desulfurization reaction and gas-solid-liquid heat exchange are completed and hot gas through the combustion zone supplies the sintering process with heat. Finally uniform sintering of the material layer in height and width direction is achieved [5] While high permeability index leads to weak sinter strength, fast sintering speed, short residence time of high temperature region and little liquid phase. Moreover, liquid phase in the fast cooling process is too late to fully crystallize but forming glass phase which is harmful to sinter strength as well. Bad permeability means a big fan resistance and increase of negative pressure of sintering machine, which make the air pass through material layer difficultly. When air and mix contact difficultly, removal of sulfide reduces so that desulfurization is incomplete. Meanwhile, low caking efficiency, slow sintering speed and easily burnt sinter , reduce sinter output. Therefore appropriate permeability of sintering mix is the premise of stable burning through point and satisfactory sinter output and quality."

Jan 1, 2013

By Srinath Viswanathan, Adrian Sabau

"In general, the occurrence of microporosity during metal casting is due to the combined effects of solidification shrinkage and gas precipitation. The governing equations for fluid flow and hydrogen evolution indicate that porosity formation and fluid flow are strongly coupled. However, in most studies on microporosity, it is considered that the porosity formation does not influence the fluid flow in the mushy zone. In this study, a computational methodology is presented for the numerical simulation of interdendritic fluid flow and microporosity evolution. The solution algorithm presented includes a fully coupled, implicit treatment of microporosity and local pressure in the mushy zone. The effects of microporosity evolution due to the local pressure drop in the mushy zone, and pore expansion in casting regions where liquid feeding alone cannot compensate for the solidification shrinkage are also considered. It is shown that neglecting the effect of porosity formation on the pressure in the mushy zone yields higher pressure drops. By its growth, microporosity partially compensates for the solidification shrinkage, reducing the feeding demand. A reduced feeding demand requires less fluid flow to compensate for solidification shrinkage, and results in smaller pressure drops in the mushy zone. Therefore, in order to accurately describe casting defects, comprehensive models of fluid flow, heat transfer, and solidification must include the effect of microporosity as well.IntroductionIn the terminology commonly used by foundrymen, porosity is usually considered to be either ""hydrogen"" or ""shrinkage"" porosity. Hydrogen porosity is the term given to porosity that is generally rounded, isolated, and well distributed. Porosity that is interconnected or clustered, and of an irregular shape corresponding to the shape of the interdendritic region, is usually termed shrinkage. In general, the occurrence of microporosity in aluminum alloys is due to the combined effects of solidification shrinkage and gas precipitation [1]. Continuum models [1, 2- 7] have been used to predict the level of porosity in castings. A number of other studies have also attempted to understand the phenomena of porosity formation and pore growth [8-10] and pore morphology [11].The governing equations for fluid flow and hydrogen evolution indicate that porosity formation and fluid flow are strongly coupled. However, in most studies [4, 9, 10], it is considered that the porosity formation does not influence the fluid flow in the mushy zone. Kubo and Pehlke [3] presented a methodology for the prediction of microporosity distribution in shaped castings by considering the effects of both the hydrogen precipitation during solidification and the pressure drop in the mushy zone. In their approach, the local pressure and porosity were computed in an uncoupled manner based on a ""flux of interdendritic liquid"" criterion, i.e., either pressure or porosity was first computed using the other variable at the previous time step. Their approach has been used with little change in numerous studies [6, 12, 13]. Recently, Kuznetsov and Vafai [14] presented a fully coupled, one-dimensional model for the computation of pressure and porosity. They showed that neglecting the effect of porosity formation on the pressure in the mushy zone yields higher pressure drops and an over-prediction of final porosity. They also showed that the influence of porosity formation on the pressure is larger at lower pressures in the mushy zone."

Jan 1, 2001

By Z. W. Zhang, Songsong Xu, Jinhui Li, Yun Zou, Yu Zhao

High strength low alloy (HSLA) steels with high strength, high toughness, good corrosion resistance and weldability, can be widely used in shipbuilding, automobile, construction, bridging industry, etc. The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties can be influenced by thermomechanical processing. In this study, themomechanical processing is optimized to control the matrix microstructure and nano-scale precipitates in the matrix simultaneously. It is found that the low-temperature toughness and ductility of the steels are significantly the matrix microstructure during enhancing the strength by introducing the nano-scale precipitates. The effects of alloying elements on the microstructure evolution and nano-scale precipitation are also discussed.

Jan 1, 2016

By Raymond F. Dalton

Despite the ready availability of numerous zinc sources, the process of solvent extraction- electrowinning (SX-EW) has as yet found little favour in the zinc industry. It is suggested that this is largely due to the previous lack of availability of suitable selective reagents having the particular features required to enable them to fit in to a solvent extraction-electrowinning based process for zinc, particularly with regard to strength and selectivity for zinc over iron. This paper describes work on the development of new selective extractants for the recovery of zinc from both sulfate and chloride aqueous solutions and suggests how they might be integrated into new zinc processes.

Jan 1, 1994

By Jorge A. S. Tenorio, Chuanwei Zhuo, Joner O. Alves, Yiannis A. Levendis

"The ever increasing number of automobiles and the consequential increase in consumption of tires have generated a pressing environmental issue, concerning the disposal of unserviceable tires. The worldwide disposed of waste tires is approximately 1 billion units per year and this amount is expected to increase by 2% each year. This work presents a microstructural characterization of nanomaterials synthesized in a catalyst system from the effluent of burning waste tire chips in a horizontal two-stage laminar-flow furnace. Controlled combustion of waste tire chips took place at temperatures of 900 or 1000 °C, and stainless steel meshes were used to synthesize the nanomaterials at 1000°C. Produced materials were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The catalyst meshes were covered by materials with diameters of 20 to 200 nm and lengths of about 40 µm. They possessed structures similar to those of carbon nanotubes.IntroductionThe motor vehicles on the road have been increasing annually. World motor vehicle production in 2009 approached 62 million units. Consequently, the consumption of tires has also been on the rise; about 1.4 billion units were produced around the world in 2007 [l]. The disposal of scrap tires is a serious environmental problem. The worldwide disposed of waste tires is almost 1 billion units per year with an expected increase of around 2% each year. However, less than 7% of produced waste tires are recycled (excluding reuse, retreading or incineration). The waste rubber tires are a thermoset polymer, which cannot be reprocessed like thermoplastics polymers, therefore the recycling of this material requires special techniques that demand big investments [2, 3].A solution to the disposal of waste tires is the sequential pyrolysis/combustion process. Past research showed that waste tires are an attractive potential fuel due the high heating value (29-3 7 MJ/kg), which is comparable, or even higher to those of typical bituminous coals [ 4, 5]. Pyrolysis is a process wherein the material is thermally decomposed at elevated temperatures at the absence of an oxidizing gas. Combustion is characterized by the addition of the oxidizing gases during the process. Several studies indicate that the pyrolysis and combustion processes for the tires treatment have a great energy conversion potential [4, 5, 6]."

Jan 1, 2011

By Upali Siriwardane, Tushar V. Kudale, Naidu V. Seetala

"Cellulose acetate (CA) membranes with 25% triethyl citrate (TEC) as plasticizer were prepared with varying thickness for CO2 gas separation from water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction products. The AFM analysis of the CA membrane showed that the uniform coating had fewer and smaller pores as the film thickness increased, and corroborated by gas permeability studies. The CO2 permeability has decreased faster than CO permeability with the CA/TEC membrane thickness, and findings support that the CA membrane could be used to entrap CO2. Several CA/TEC membranes were also staked to increase the separation efficiency. Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) was used to estimate the nano-porosity (pore size and concentration) changes of CA/TEC films. PALS results show a decrease in pore size with increasing CA-TEC concentration in acetone, while the pore concentration increases. The PALS results are correlated with the CO2/CO permeability variations as the CA-TEC concentration change.IntroductionHydrogen is one of the main energy sources available for the future advancement of clean fuel technologies especially for fuel cells. Generation of hydrogen and CO2 from Water Gas Shift (WGS) reaction mixtures of CO and H2O is of interest to many researchers since it allows a large scale production of hydrogen [1, 2]. Once hydrogen is produced using the WGS reaction, the output products contain mixture of CO, CO2, H2, and water vapor. Metallic membranes have been used as hydrogen separation membranes [3-6]. As H2 is separated from the mixture using the metal membranes, we need to separate CO2, and find ways of sequestration of CO2 to avoid environmental problems by greenhouse gasses. Polymeric Membranes have been used for CO2 separation [7]. Plasticizer can control the micro-structural properties such as pore size and concentration of polymer membranes [8], which influence the size/molecular weight dependent diffusion rates of the gas molecules. We have used cellulose acetate with triethyl citrate as plasticizer to separate CO2 from the WGS reaction products. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is very sensitive and able to identify different kinds of defects and their agglomerates such as vacancies, vacancy loops, and voids [9, 10]. PALS has been successful in determining the free volume in polymers that influence the properties of the polymers [11, 12]. Microscopic properties of the free volume obtained from PALS have been correlated to macroscopic properties [13, 14]. We used PALS to study the nanoporosity (pore size and concentration) and fractional free volume changes of CA/TEC films, and used to understand the variations observed in the CO2/CO permeability as the CA-TEC concentration in the membranes change."

Jan 1, 2014

By Xiangwen Wang

Electrodeposition of lead metal from high purity brine electrolytes containing lead chloride (PbCI,) was conducted so as to assess the feasibility of electrowinning lead-metal directly from aqueous chloride electrolytes. Tests were performed at 65 and 80°C (338 and 353°K). Characteristic features of the deposits, on both lead and graphite substrates, were correlated to operating parameters associated with: electrolyte temperature, current density and total lead- concentration. Photomicrographs of these morphological features were obtained by use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Jan 1, 1993

By Nagy El-Kaddah

"One of the emerging technologies for the production of ultra-clean metals is electromagnetic filtration. The theory and the mechanism of electromagnetic separation of inclusions from molten metal are briefly reviewed along with basic electromagnetic separation systems. This paper focuses on inclusion removal in the induced current separators, with specific reference to a new separator developed at the University of Alabama. A simple analytical model is presented for the analysis of particle separation in such a system. The role of the applied magnetic field on inclusion removal will be discussed. It is shown that particle velocity increases exponentially with increasing magnetic field strength. At moderate field strengths, the velocity of 50 to 100 u. inclusions· are an order of magnitude larger than those achieved by buoyancy. The separator developed at the University of Alabama is described together with experimental results of laboratory and large scale experiments on purification of molten aluminum. These results demonstrate the capability of the system for producing super-clean metals.IntroductionThe nature of extraction, refining and processing of metals is such that oxides and other non-metallic particles will always be present. This is due to the highly reactive nature of metals with oxygen and other non-metallic elements. The presence of these type inclusions in metals, even in minute amounts, can seriously flaw the reliability and performance of the final product. They not only reduce the strength and the stiffness of the metal/1/, they are the reason behind many of manufacturing defects such as porosity in castings, surface and internal cracks in continuously cast ingots and rolled products, etc., which act to cause premature failure of manufactured parts. In fact, for critical applications such as turbine blades, there is virtually no tolerance for inclusions above ten microns in size /2/. Therefore, removal of inclusions from the liquid metal is an essential processing step.The demand for cleaner metals has brought major changes in the technology and practice of metal refining and casting. Inclusion removal from the melt is currently achieved by passing the melt through a series of melt treatment systems, including induction stirring furnaces, argon-stirred ladle, and ceramic foam and deep-bed filters /3,4/. These systems are generally capable of removing all inclusion particles above 50 microns in diameter, which meets current cleanliness requirements for most applications. However, they may not be able to meet the projected cleanliness levels for critical applications due to kinetic and operational limitations of these systems in removing smaller particles /5/."

Jan 1, 1996

By Hideo Nakae, Hideki Yamaura, Toshiaki Kimura

"In 1968 J. N. Reding et al. suggested processes for fabricating composites. According to their patent, decompression atmosphere, which occurs during the reaction between magnesium and oxygen and/or nitrogen in the closed system, causes the spontaneous infiltration of melt into narrow spaces such as ceramic preforms. However, they did not report the proof of this phenomenon or the industrial manufacturing method. Therefore, this research measured the pressure change among SiC particles surrounding molten aluminum. As a result, the pressure reduction during the Mg reaction was identified. Moreover, the existence of Mg3N2, which improves the wettability between Al alloy melt and SiC particles on the interface, was observed on the surface of particles. Applying these two phenomena, a new process for the manufacturing of cast discontinuously reinforced aluminum composites (DRA) was developed. This new method is expected to produce DRA without additional pressure.IntroductionWith the increasing demands for light-weight materials in the automotive and aerospace industry in recent years, ceramic particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites called DRA (Discontinuously Reinforced Aluminum Composite) have been receiving significant attention because of its lightness, superior abrasion resistance, high heat conductivity and low thermal expansion [1-3]. Consequently, DRA was considered for electronic parts such as heat-sinks or a base for power semiconductors, and began to be applied for automotive parts including brake drums, discs, cylinder liners, pistons and so on [4- 6]. However, high machining cost is one of the significant barriers to widespread use ofDRA. One solution to this problem is the adoption of cast DRA that can be produce to near-net shape, reducing machining cost."

Jan 1, 2000

By Nagy El-Kaddah

One of the emerging technologies for the production of ultra-clean metals is electromagnetic filtration. The theory and the mechanism of electromagnetic separation of inclusions from molten metal are briefly reviewed along with basic electromagnetic separation systems. This paper focuses on inclusion removal in the induced current separators, with specific reference to a new separator developed at the University of Alabama. A simple analytical model is presented for the analysis of particle separation in such a system. The role of the applied magnetic field on inclusion removal will be discussed. It is shown that particle velocity increases exponentially with increasing magnetic field strength. At moderate field strengths, the velocity of 50 to 100µ inclusions are an order of magnitude larger than those achieved by buoyancy. The separator developed at the University of Alabama is described together with experimental results of laboratory and large scale experiments on purification of molten aluminum. These results demonstrate ?the capability of the system for producing super-clean metals.

Jan 1, 1996