The Influence of Optimization Parameters on the Efficiency of Aluminium Melt Refining by using Physical Modelling

Abstract

The article describes the influence of optimization parameters on the efficiency of aluminium melt refining by using physical modelling. The blowing of refining gas, through a rotating impeller into the ladle is a widely used operating technology to reduce the content of impurities in molten aluminium, e.g. hydrogen. The efficiency of this refining process depends on the creation of fine bubbles with a high interphase surface, wide-spread distribution, the residence time of its effect in the melt, and mostly on the wide-spread dispersion of bubbles in the whole volume of the refining ladle and with the long period of their effect in the melt. For physical modelling, a plexiglass model on a scale of 1:1 is used for the operating ladle. Part of the physical model is a hollow shaft used for gas supply equipped with an impeller and also two baffles. The basis of physical modelling consists in the targeted utilization of the similarities of the processes that take place within the actual device and its model. The degassing process of aluminium melt by blowing inert gas is simulated in physical modelling by a decrease of dissolved oxygen in the model liquid (water).

Keywords

• physical modelling
• refining ladle
• blowing of inert gas
• degassing of the melt
• impeller