Alcan International Limited

Serge Eugene Lavoie

Ghyslain Dube

Jean-Paul R Huni

Wesley D Stevens

Gilles R Turcotte

Claude Dupuis

Joseph Langlais

Stephane Rompre

Sylvain Trottier

Peter D Waite

Francois Tremblay

Robert Dumont

Jean-Yves Fortin

A process of producing granules of a reactive metal. The process comprises providing a source of molten reactive metal (,), forming discrete droplets (,) of the molten metal, contacting the droplets while still substantially molten with a fluidized bed of particles (,) maintained at a temperature substantially below the solidus temperature of the metal and freezing the droplets as discrete granules of the reactive metal in the fluidized bed. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out the method and product produces by the method, including a magnesium-containing additive for aluminum alloying. The use of a fluidized bed for cooling and freezing the droplets avoids problems encountered in prior methods and also makes it possible to provide coatings of various kinds on the surfaces of the granules, if desired.

Production of granules of reactive metals, for example magnesium and magnesium alloy

Production of granules of reactive metals, for example magnesium and

A method of and apparatus for treating molten metal to achieve effective removal of such unwanted inclusions as gases, alkali metals, entrained solids, and the like. The method comprises continuously introducing molten metal into a container forming a trough or trough section, such as the trough provided between a melting furnace and a casting machine, providing at least one mechanically movable gas dispenser submerged within the metal in the container and introducing a gas into the metal adjacent to the gas disperser in a part of the trough forming a treatment zone such that the gas is broken into smaller bubbles by the gas dispenser and dispersed through the treatment zone. The trough or trough section is such that it exhibits a static to dynamic metal holdup of less than 50%.

Gas treatment of molten metals

A process of producing granules of a reactive metal. The process comprises providing a source of molten reactive metal, forming discrete droplets of the molten metal, contacting the droplets while still substantially molten with a fluidized bed of particles maintained at a temperature substantially below the solidus temperature of the metal and freezing the droplets as discrete granules of the reactive metal in the fluidized bed. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out the method and product produced by the method, including a magnesium-containing additive for aluminum alloying. The use of a fluidized bed for cooling and freezing the droplets avoids problems encountered in prior methods and also makes it possible to provide coatings of various kinds on the surfaces of the granules, if desired.

A method and apparatus for treating non-ferrous metal drosses in order to recover the free metal contained therein. The dross is heated by a plasma torch in a rotary furnace, preferably to a temperature above 800.degree. C. The plasma heating and rotary motion make it possible to recover metal from the dross without employing the conventional salt bath. This means that the gases exiting the furnace can be treated more easily to remove pollutants and the solid residues can be discarded without risk of causing environmental pollution. By controlling the speed of rotation of the furnace, large dross lumps can be accommodated and so the conventional grinding and screening procedure of the dross can advantageously be eliminated.

Method and apparatus for recovery of non-ferrous metals from dross

A method of recovering an aluminum-containing metal from a scrap material containing the metal and an organic contaminant, such as paper, plastics, lacquer, paint or oil. The method involves creating a fluidized bed of solid particles, maintaining a zone of the bed at a temperature in the range of the melting point of the metal to 1000.degree. C., introducing the scrap material into the fluidized zone to cause decoating of the metal within a time in the range of 1 to 40 seconds, at least partially melting the metal, and removing the metal material from the fluidized bed. In this way, decoating and at least partial melting is achieved essentially at the same time for improved efficiency. Metals of different melting point may also be separated from each other by providing a series of temperature zones in the fluidized bed (or in a series of fluidized beds) of progressively increasing temperature. If a limited amount of oxygen is introduced into the bed, a combustible gas is produced that can be burned to extract its energy or can be stored for later use.

Process for combined decoating and melting of aluminum scrap

A method and apparatus for treating non-ferrous metal drosses in order to recover the free metal contained therein. The dross is heated by a plasma torch in a rotary furnace, preferably to a temperature above 800.degree. C. The plasma heating and rotary motion make it possible to recover metal from the dross without employing the conventional salt bath. This means that the gases exiting the furnace can be treated more easily to remove pollutants and the soild residues can be discarded without risk of causing environmental pollution. By controlling the speed of rotation of the furnace, large dross lumps can be accommodated and so the conventional grinding and screening procedure of the dross can advantageously be eliminated.

Recovery of non-ferrous metals from dross using plasma torch

Recovery of non-ferrous metals from dross

A method and apparatus for treating non-ferrous metal drosses in order to recover the free metal contained therein. The dross is heated by a plasma torch in a rotary furnace, preferably to a temperature above 800.degree. C. The plasma heating and rotary motion make it possible to recover metal from the dross without employing the conventional salt bath. This means that the gases exiting the furnance can be treated more easily to remove pollutants and the solid residues can be discarded without risk of causing environmental pollution. By controlling the speed of rotation of the furnace, large dross lumps can be accommodated and so the conventional grinding and screening procedure of the dross can advantageously be eliminated.

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Jonquiere, Canada

Serge Eugene Lavoie