Plasma Energy Corporation

Richard D Lindsay

Jack L Dochterman

Salvador L Camacho

David P Camacho

David L Cheek

Robert L Kirkland

Terry L Moore

An assembly for the recovery of aluminum metal from aluminum dross comprising a rotary furnace, a plasma arc torch, and a supervisory control system for tying together and automatically controlling the operation of the rotary furnace and plasma arc torch is described. The invention provides recovery of aluminum metal from dross in an efficient and economical process.

Furnace-plasma arc torch-supervisory control system for recovery of free

A process for recovering free aluminum and aluminum compounds such as aluminum oxide from aluminum dross in a rotary furnace heated with a plasma arc torch wherein air is preferably utilized as the arc gas is described. The use of the rotary furnace heated with plasma energy eliminates the need for a salt flux, providing a process which is ecologically safe and cost effective. A process of converting non-metallic aluminum compounds to substantially pure aluminum oxides by heating the compounds with a plasma torch operating with an oxidizing gas as the plasma torch arc gas is also described.

Recovery of free aluminum from aluminum dross using plasma energy

A process for recovering free aluminum and aluminum compounds such as aluminum oxide from aluminum dross and aluminum scrap in a furnace heated with a plasma arc torch wherein air is utilized as the arc gas is described. The use of air as the arc gas provides greater heat output per kilowatt hour of electricity and provides for greater dross throughput. Moreover, the process is ecologically safe.

Process for recovery of free aluminum from aluminum dross or aluminum

As apparatus and method is disclosed which is adapted to melt metallic fines, and which is useful for processing metallic fines into a useful form. The apparatus may also be used in the smelting of metallic oxides, and in combining metals in an alloying process. The disclosed embodiment of the apparatus includes a furnace having a hearth, a pair of tubular residence chambers each extending upwardly from the hearth, a first plasma torch mounted at the upper end of each residence chamber, and a second plasma torch mounted for heating the material on the hearth. The powdered or granular material is fed into the upper end of each residence chamber, such that the material is at least partially melted from the heat of the first torch while falling through the residence chamber, and the material is further heated and completely melted on the hearth by the second torch. Where smelting is performed, a granular metallic oxide and a granular reductant such as carbon is introduced into the residence chambers, so that the heat of the first torches causes the reduction of the metallic oxide. Where alloying of the metal being treated is desired, there is provided a portal in the wall of the furnace for permitting scrap or other metallic material to be fed directly to the hearth.

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Richard D Lindsay