Phelps Dodge Industries, Inc.

George M Meseha

Fausto Tavares

Emory C Brown

Fausto V Travares

Ramana V Appadwedula

A copper surface pickling process is improved by providing most of the oxidizing agent (such as hydrogen peroxide) used in the process in a separate bath following a primarily acid bath. The temperature of the separate hydrogen peroxide bath can be kept lower, which reduces hydrogen peroxide loss and therefore consumption. After the hydrogen peroxide bath, the copper surface is subjected to high pressure rinsing, including a final stage in which purified (e.g., distilled) water is used.

Copper surface pickling system

Molten metal (e.g., on its way to a continuous casting machine for forming a bar that will be rolled into a rod to be drawn down to wire) is filtered to remove particulate impurities by passing it through at least one and preferably several ceramic filters. In addition, the molten metal is degassed by injecting a flushing gas into the metal through one or more porous plugs in the bottom of the chamber through which the molten metal flows. A partial vacuum column above each porous plug is used to help pull gas up through and out of the metal.

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Salem, CT, United States of America

George M Meseha