De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview
The main problem of recycling aluminium scrap is the gradual accumulation of impurities, especially iron, which tend to form undesired intermetallic compounds that affect the integrity and the mechanical performance of the castings. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview on the topic of iron r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Metals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/10/1579 |
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| author | Jaime Lazaro-Nebreda Jayesh B. Patel Kawther Al-Helal Feng Gao Ian Stone Isaac T. H. Chang Geoff M. Scamans Zhongyun Fan |
| author_facet | Jaime Lazaro-Nebreda Jayesh B. Patel Kawther Al-Helal Feng Gao Ian Stone Isaac T. H. Chang Geoff M. Scamans Zhongyun Fan |
| author_sort | Jaime Lazaro-Nebreda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The main problem of recycling aluminium scrap is the gradual accumulation of impurities, especially iron, which tend to form undesired intermetallic compounds that affect the integrity and the mechanical performance of the castings. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview on the topic of iron removal from aluminium melts through primary intermetallic precipitation and the progress made during the LiME Hub project to understand the process and to develop a more efficient procedure. We cover both thermodynamic analysis and experimental validation. We found that high shear melt conditioning technology enhances the typically slow nucleation and growth of the dense primary intermetallics, speeding up their sedimentation and allowing a faster removal of Fe from the melt by simple gravity sedimentation. It also promotes the formation of smaller and more compact Fe-rich intermetallics, allowing an increased volume fraction recovery and mitigating their effect of being present in the final castings. The technology is not limited to batch processing, with a 90% efficiency, but can also be applied to continuous melt treatment of aluminium scrap, with currently 60% efficiency, and could be combined with other solid–liquid separation techniques to increase the purification efficiency even more. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:48:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc3cdac98e34424596a1dd3f5ad37775 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:48:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc3cdac98e34424596a1dd3f5ad377752023-11-24T01:17:17ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012022-09-011210157910.3390/met12101579De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An OverviewJaime Lazaro-Nebreda0Jayesh B. Patel1Kawther Al-Helal2Feng Gao3Ian Stone4Isaac T. H. Chang5Geoff M. Scamans6Zhongyun Fan7Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKBrunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UKThe main problem of recycling aluminium scrap is the gradual accumulation of impurities, especially iron, which tend to form undesired intermetallic compounds that affect the integrity and the mechanical performance of the castings. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview on the topic of iron removal from aluminium melts through primary intermetallic precipitation and the progress made during the LiME Hub project to understand the process and to develop a more efficient procedure. We cover both thermodynamic analysis and experimental validation. We found that high shear melt conditioning technology enhances the typically slow nucleation and growth of the dense primary intermetallics, speeding up their sedimentation and allowing a faster removal of Fe from the melt by simple gravity sedimentation. It also promotes the formation of smaller and more compact Fe-rich intermetallics, allowing an increased volume fraction recovery and mitigating their effect of being present in the final castings. The technology is not limited to batch processing, with a 90% efficiency, but can also be applied to continuous melt treatment of aluminium scrap, with currently 60% efficiency, and could be combined with other solid–liquid separation techniques to increase the purification efficiency even more.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/10/1579aluminum alloymelt treatmentintermetallicsnucleationsedimentationpurification |
| spellingShingle | Jaime Lazaro-Nebreda Jayesh B. Patel Kawther Al-Helal Feng Gao Ian Stone Isaac T. H. Chang Geoff M. Scamans Zhongyun Fan De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview Metals aluminum alloy melt treatment intermetallics nucleation sedimentation purification |
| title | De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview |
| title_full | De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview |
| title_fullStr | De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview |
| title_full_unstemmed | De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview |
| title_short | De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview |
| title_sort | de ironing of aluminium alloy melts by high shear melt conditioning technology an overview |
| topic | aluminum alloy melt treatment intermetallics nucleation sedimentation purification |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/10/1579 |
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