CA1191694A - Metal recovery process - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An improved method for recovery of metal, particularly aluminum, from metal bearing dross (14) utilizes a trough (13) for collection of the dross (14). A wedge member (28) compresses the dross (14) in the trough (43). In this manner, metal is decanted from the compressed dross and flows through slots in the bottom or passages (25) in the walls of the trough (43) for collection in a pan (26), or becomes concentrated at the edges or walls of the volume of dross. The trough (43) and wedge members (28) also serve to cool the dross material thereby diminishing metal loss due to thermite reaction. The compressed dross coalesces and solidifies, is broken and is mechanically separated.
The larger dross components from the separation process are substantially metallic and may be recycled through the furnace (10). The remaining components are charged in a vortex melting furnace (36) for the lowest possible melt loss. This also effects segregation of the remaining metal from the dross by melting the metal and allowing the dross to rise to the top of the bath. The improved method of the present invention provides for recovery of about 95% of aluminum metal from a dross which contains about 70% aluminum as compared with a recovery rate of about 50% aluminum metal utilizing a generally known prior art technique.

Description

L6~

METAL RECOV~RY PROCESS

Applicant: Atlantic RichEield Company Inventors: David J. Roth, Lawrence R. Culler and Ralph D. Heifner TECHNICAL FIELD
._ _ This invention relates to an improved me-thod and appratus for recovery of metal, particularly aluminum, from dross which has been skimmed from a reverberatory or electric furnace.

BACKGROUND ART

Aluminum dross is a combination of aluminum metal, various oxides, nitrates and carbides and eonstitutes a by-produet of an aluminum melting operation. Generally the dross floats on the top of the molten aluminum metal in the furnace. The dross can contain anywhere from 30~
to 90~ aluminum depending upon the particular processing technique and type of furnaee. Dross, therefore, in an aluminum melting operation includes a significant amount of aluminum metal whieh is eonsidered a valuable resource and which desirably must be recovered.
Heretofore a typieal dross recovery system for aluminum melting called for spreading and cooling the dross on a floor surface such as an aluminum floor surface. ~ecause this cooling proeess is rather slow, a great deal of the aluminum metal in the dross is lost due to a thermite reac~ion, i.e., exothermic oxidation of aluminum metal. Typically 2% of the aluminum metal is lost for eaeh minute of cooling. Thus, a dross whieh initially has about 70% aluminum metal will deerease to about 40~ to 60% aluminum metal after cooling because of losses due to a thermite reaction.
To separate the aluminum from eooled and solidified dross, one must next erush and break the dross into an ag~regate. The aggregate is then Eurther broken down in a conventional ball mill. At each oE these stages a certain amount of the aluminum is lost as dust.
Ultimately the dross concentrate is processed in a conventional rotary salt furnace which permits the aluminum metal to separate from the remaining dross material. Further metal losses are observed as a result of the furnace operation due to additional thermite reaction. Also there is loss due to formation of slag or dross in the sal-t furnace. Ultimately the recovery of aluminum by this process is on the order of 40% to 50~ of the original aluminum metal in the dross.
Consequently a method and mechanism for improving the recovery oE aluminum metal as well as other metals from 15 their dross will have a significant commercial and conservation impact.
A technique for recovery of æinc metal Erom a dross concentra-te is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,057,232.
This patent discloses a method for separating molten ~0 zinc from dross by use of a press mechanism which compresses the dross in a ladle and squeezes the free metal through openings in the ladle. this concept of using compression to separate free metal from a molten mixture is also taught in U.S. Patent No. 563,769, with 25 respect to separation of silver from lead bullion. U.S.
Patent No. 2,278,135, discloses a dross press for removing antimony from tin. U.S. Patent No. 4,003,559, teaches an agitating device which is designed to s~ueeze free metallic zinc from dross. In this device the dross 30 is violently stirred in order to effect the separation of the free metal from the dross.
As far as applicant can determine, however, there are no prior art references or practices which utilize compression techniques or apparatus for the separation 35 of aluminum from dross. The present invention therefore contemplates a method of improving aluminum metal recovery from dross and the special apparatus necessary to effect such improved recovery. The invention also may be applied to the recovery of brass and copper from appropriate dross.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To practice the present invention, a special tray comprising multiple parallel troughs is positioned adjacent an aluminum melting or holding furnace to collect dross from that furnace. Upon withdrawal of the dross from the furnace and placemen~ thereof in the 10 tray, aluminum begins to flow through openings in each trough and into a collection pan. As soon as the troughs are filled with dross, the dross is compressed.
This causes additional aluminum metal to flow from the dross through openings in the tray and into the 15 collection pan. During the co~pression operation, the dross is quickly cooled to diminish thermite or oxidation reactions. Compression also causes small droplets of aluminum dispersed throughout the dross to coalesce into large plates at the surface of the dross.
20 The cooled dross material is then preferably screened to remove aluminum oxide dust. Subsequently the aggregate left from the screening operation is shot blasted, tumbled and then mechanically separated into a large size aggregate, which is substantially pure aluminum, 25 and a remaining smaller aggregate which contains a majority of aluminum but must be subjected to special melting practices for maximum aluminum recovery. The large size concentrate may be immediately recycled through a common aluminum melting furnace. The smaller 30 size concentrate is treated in a special vortex melting furnace. The addition of flux to the vortex furnace enhances separation of the entrapped oxides from the aluminum. A nitrogen-argon gas mixture may also be injected into the vortex furnace to enhance separation 35 of aluminum oxide. Utilizing the procedures and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to effect recovery of 90% to 95% aluminum metal from a dross.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to 6~3~

provide an improved method for recovery of aluminum metal from dross.
A further object of the present invention is -to provide a special apparatus to collect and process dross from an aluminum furnace and to effect improved aluminum metal recovery from the dross.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of aluminum metal recovery from aluminum furnace dross which utilizes compression forces to effect decanting of the aluminum metal from the drossO
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a method for treatment of dross from an aluminum furnace in which a significant portion of aluminum may be decanted by compression forces from the dross and an equally significant amount of aluminum may be mechanically separated from dross which has been compressed, cooled and mechanically separated into at least two size categories.
A further object of the present invention is to 20 provide an aluminum metal recovery process which includes a special vortex melting furnace that processes dross having a large concentration of aluminum therein by melting the aluminum and permitting flotation of the dross on top of the aluminum bath.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an economical way of recovering a maximum amount of aluminum metal from an aluminum dross material.
Another object of the invention is to promote quick cooling of aluminum dross upon removal from a furnace by separating the dross in plurality of troughs.
A further object of the invention is to promote quick cooling of aluminum dross upon removal from a furnace by compressing the dross with a ram that serves as a heat sink and as a means to restrict access of 35 oxygen to the aluminum in the dross.
A further object of the invention is to apply compressive forces on the dross and thereby effect coalescing of droplets of aluminum into plates at the surface of the dross.

Another object oE the invention is to provide a process for recovery of metal Erom dross which has the aforesaid objects and advantages and which is useful for recovery of aluminum, copper, brass and other metals from their respective dross.
These and other objects, advantages and Eeatures of the invention will be set forth in greater detail in the description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawings comprised of the ol]owing figures:
FIGURE 1 is a diagramatic flow chart representing ~he process steps practiced in the prior art to efect aluminum recovery from an aluminum dross ~naterial;
FIGURE 2 is a diagramatic flow chart of the sequential steps of the improved method of the present invention for aluminum recovery from dross;
FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of the special troughs, decanting pan and compression mechanism for removing aluminum metal from dross;
FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the troughs shown in FIGURE~3;
FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the troughs of FIGURE
4;
FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of the decanting pan associated with the troughs of FIGURES 4 and 5;
FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the pan of FIGURE 6;
FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the compression head associated with the assembly shown in FIGUR~ ~;
FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of the head o~ FIGURE 8;
FIGURE 10 is a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the improved vortex melting furnace for effecting dross separation and aluminum recovery; and FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of the furnace shown in FIGURE 10.

9~

M DES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGURE 1 is a diagramatic view illustrating the steps of a prior art method for aluminum metal recovery from the clross taken from an aluminum melting or holding furnace. Typically, dross 14 is withdrawn Erom an aluminum Eurnace 10 and spread and cooled on a floor 12. The floor 12 is generally made from a heat sink material such as aluminum. During the cooling of the dross, a thermite or oxidizing reaction occurs between the aluminum metal in the dross 14 and the impurities in the dross as well as the oxygen in the air. Thus, a dross 14 which includes approximatel~ 70~ free aluminum metal when removed from the furnace 10 may drop in aluminum metal content to between 40% and 60~ aluminum.
As the cooling of the dross 14 is delayed, the percent of aluminum metal decreases further and the amount of aluminum metal which can be recovered from the dross 14 also decreases.
After the dross 14 is cooled, it is fed into a crusher 16. The crusher 16 breaks the dross 14 into a granulate material. A certain amount of the aluminum metal in the dross 14 is lost as a dust which separates from the granulate due to the crusing operation. The granulate is then fed into a ball mill 18 for further pulverization. Again there is some loss due to dust Eormation in the ball mill 18. The material from the ball mill will generally include aluminum metal in an amount of 60% to 65% of the content of the granulate or dross concentrate.
This material is fed into a rotary salt furnace 20 of the type known in the art, and a pound of salt is generally added to the furnace 20 along with every pound of dross concentrate charged due to the relati~ely low amount of aluminum in the concentrate. A certain amount of aluminum metal is lost due to a thermite reaction in the salt furnace 20. Some aluminum metal is also lost in the slag which is a by-product from the salt furnace 20 melting step. Also, disposal of the slag is a waste disposal problem due to environmental co~cerns.
Ultimately, however, aluminum metal is withdrawn from the salt furnace 20 and poured into a mold 21 for further use.
The amount of recovery of aluminum metal using this process genera]ly will amount to about 50~ or less of the aluminum metal available in the original dross 14 where the original dross was comprised of approximately 70% by weight aluminum metal. This recovery is deemed insufficient and for this reason improved methods and appratus for extracting aluminum metal from dross have been sought~
FIGURE 2 and the remaining figures illustrate the improved method and appratus of the present invention as applied to recovery of aluminum and which has been found to increase recovery of free aluminum metal from dross to more than 90%. Referring therefore to FIGURE 2, dross 14 is withdrawn from the melting or holding furnace 10 and is immediately directed into a tray and pan collector 22 which is maintained adjacent the furnace 10. In this manner there is a quick transfer oE
dross 14 from the furnace 10 to the collector 22. This immediate transfer tends to diminish thermite reaction.
The collector 22 is comprised of a compression tray 24 mounted on a decanting pan 26, and a separate compression wedge mechanism 28 complementary with the tray 24. The collector 22 is appropriately sized for cooperation with each particular furnace. Initially, without dross compression, some aluminum metal will drain or decant through passages or openings 25 in the walls of the troughs 43 forming the tray 24 and a bottom slot 45 and flow into the pan 26. Openings 25 are preferably vertical passages through walls 44, 46.
35 After the tray 24 is filled with dross 14, the ram or wedge mechanism 28 is impinged against the dross 14 to compact the dross 14 and effect further transfer of aluminum metal from the dross 14 through the openings 25 into the pan 26.

99~

Compression by this mechanism is preferably effected above a threshold pressure which is determined empirically and is dependent upon the amount of free aluminum metal in the dross, the trough size and material, trough shape, dross temperature and other physical parameters of the system. The compression causes pooling oE the aluminum metal in the dross 14 and migration of the metal pools to the edge surfaces o~ the dross 14. This is followed by quick cooling of the 10 dross 14 and prompt solidi~ication of the dross 14 thereby further diminishing thermite reactions and loss of aluminum due to such reactions. With the completion of this compression step, there is approximately a 50%
aluminum metal recovery. Thusr the initial compression step provides for aluminum metal recovery which generally exceeds the total recovery associated with the described prior art process. Moreover, the compression step enhances the subsequent steps and aluminum recovery by causing quick solidification and pooling of large regions of aluminum metal near the edges or surfaces of the dross material.
Experiments have shown, for example, that dross removed from an aluminum reverberatory furnace in the range of 704C to 871C must be compressed within twenty minutes of removal from the furnace. Otherwise, the dross will cool and solidify. A minimum or threshold pressure of about 4.5 kg/cm has been found necessary to cause coalescing of aluminum in the desired manner.
This may vary depending upon the factors previously mentioned.
As a next step, the solidified dross 14 is transEerred to a screening device 32 as shown in FIGURE

2 where the large components of the dross 14 are separated from the loose o~ide dust of the dross 14 and the dross 14 i5 agitated and broken into manageable parts. About 20% of the dross is removed by this screening process as dust. The material removed is generally an aluminum oxide dust. Very little or no aluminum metal is, however, lost by the screening process.
The remaining dross material which includes free aluminum metal mixed in with various oxides, nitrides and the like is then transferred to a blaster and separator system 3~. The blaster and separator system 34 performs a number of functions including further breaking of the dross, cleaning the larger portions of dross material, and separating the larger sizes of the dross material from the remainder of ~he dross material. These larger components or portions are generally aluminum metal or globules of material which are at least 95% aluminum metal. Thus, the separator system 34 is designed to separate items having a general si2e of greater than 7 cm mean diameter from the remaining dross material. This larger size material is generally 95% to 98% pure aluminum metal and may be recharged back into the furnace 10.
The remaining smaller size constituent or concentrate from dross 14 contains from 85% to 90%
aluminum metal. Of course, again there is some dust which is formed during this procedure and approximately 20% of the dross material is removed as dust. Very li-ttle or no free aluminum metal is removed as dust.
Only oxides and other impurities are removed.
The smaller sized concentrate or granulate is added to a vortex melting furnace 36 where a small addition of flux is also fed into the furnace 36 and melted to enhance aluminum metal separation. Importantly, because of the method of the present invention, a lesser amount of flux is required to enhance separation. This is a significant improvement over technology presently known. Use of a vortex furnace, as described, reduces the melt loss of small particles due to melting that takes place in a non-oxidizing atmosphere and tG cold changing of the furnaceO
A layer of skim or dross ~0 will then form on top of the aluminum bath 38 due to a gas injection and flux addition. The skim 40 may then be cooled and recycled through the screen 32 for further concentration~ The aluminum metal layer 38 may be withdrawn into a mold 42 and processed or recirculated through the furnace 10.
A small amount of aluminum is lost due to the melting procedure in the furnace 36. However, a recovery of about 95~ aluminum metal is effected by processing the original dross 14 in the manner described. This ls about double the recovery rate associated with the known prior art procedure illustrated by FIGURE 1.
The collector 22 of the present invention is depicted in greater detail in FIGURES 3-9, and the electric vortex furnace is depicted by FIGURES 10 and 11.
The compression operation is effected by use of the collector 22 as depicted in FIGURES 3-9~ Specifically, 15 the collector 22 includes the tray 24 which cooperatively fits in pan 26 and is adapted to receive compression wedge or ram mechanism 28. The tray 24 is comprised of a plurality of separate, parallel troughs 43 each de~ined by downwardly and inwardly inclined side 20 walls 44 and 46 which cooperate with end walls 48 and 50. Each side wall 44 and 46 inclines inwardly and downwardly at an angle in the range of approximately 30 to 80 from the horizontal and defines a space or slot 45 between the walls 44 and 46 at the juncture or apex 25 of the walls 44 and 46. This slot 45 can vary between 1.2 cm to 6.~ cm in width. Each inclined side wall 44 and 46 includes a plurality of preferably vertical openings 25 which are sized to permit the free flow of aluminum metal yet which prohibit or prevent the passage 30 of dross 14. The diameter of these openings can vary between 1.2 cm and 6.4 cmu The tray 24 is fabricated to sit in a collector or decanting pan 26. Decanting pan 26 is generally rectangular and includes two bottom passages or 35 horizontal channels 52 and 54 which are sized and spaced ~o receive the forks of a fork lift truck so that the entire assembly including the tray 24 as situated on the pan 26 may be moved.
As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, a complementary ram or

3~

wedge mechanism 28 comprised of separate wedge members 29 is formed to cooperate with the respective troughs 43 and compress dross material 14 tha-t is retained in each trough 43. Compression forces aluminum metal through the openings 25 and effects aluminum metal pooling as previousl~ described. The separate wedge members 29 are interconnected by a cross member 56 which serves to align the wedge members 29 in a proper fashion so that the members 29 may be simultaneously positioned into 10 compressive cooperation with the troughs 43. The nose oE the wedge members 29 can also be designed to have different depths of penetration into trough ~ depending on the type of dross compressed, e.g., saw tooth for reverberatory dross or smooth for electric furnace dross.
'rhe cross member 56 is mounted on a pneumatic or h~draulic plunger 57 which is positioned over the tray 2~. In this manner ~he wedge members 29 can be driven downwardly into the troughs 43 and provide significant pressure against the dross 14. This removes aluminum 20 metal from the dross to collect in the pan 26 and also causes aluminum metal to pool in the dross 14 particularly at the edges or surfaces oE the dross.
To supplement the cooling effect of wedge members 29, a coolant, generally water, may be circulated through passages or tubes in the wedge members 29.
The blaster and separator system 34 may be any one of a number of blasters and separators known to those skilled in the art for impinging particulate material on an item and separating constituent solid materials into siæe categories. The size category separation found to be most advantageous is separation of particles having greater than 7 cm mean diameter from that having less than 7 cm mean diameter.
The smaller siæed dross concentrate from the blaster/separator system 3~ is fed into the furnace 36.
FIGURES 10 and 11 illustrate one embodiment of furnace 36 which is useful in the practice of the present invention. There it will be seen that a furnace 36 includes a central heating bay 62. The heating bay 62 3~

ls connected by a passage 64 to a pumping bay 66 in which a vortex metal pump 68 is positioned. The pumping bay 66 is separated from the heating bay 62 by a wall 70 under which the molten metal must be guided. The pump 6~ is a molten metal pump designed to impel molten metal through a passage 71 in wall 72 and into a charging bay 74. Smaller sized concentrate from the blaster/separator system 3~ is fed through a charging noæzle 76 into the charging bay 74. There the material becomes molten and an influx of molten material directed by the pump 68 will cause a vorte~ flow within the charging bay 74.
The vortex flow will direct a flow of melted aluminum and dross through a passage 78 at the lower end of the vortex flow into a s1cimming bay 80 and connected heating bay 62. Aluminum metal will form a lower layer in the bay 80 and dross material 82 will float on the lower aluminum meta] layer 81. Metal from the skimming bay 80 may be withdrawn under a wall 60 through passage 61 into the heating bay 62 for ultimate removal to a casting mold or the like. Dross material 82 may be skimmed for further recycling and retreatment to remove a]uminum. Gas may be injected into the charging bay 7~
through injector 75 to enhance separation of aluminum from dross.
It isl of course, possible to vary the apparatus of the present invention by utilizin~ different designs for furnaces, separators, screening devices and the like.
It is also possible to vary somewhat the order of the steps when performing the method of the invention.
Finally, the apparatus and method of the invention is applicable to recovery of other metals such as brass or copper from their respective dross materials. The invention, thereEore, is to be limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICAF~ILITY

The invention herein i5 intended for industrial use 69~c in the light metals industry, and particularly in the recovery of aluminum, copper, brass and like metals from dross formed when such metals are recovered from sources such as metal scrap by melting in industrial furnaces.

Claims (30)

What is claimed is:

1. An improved method for recovery of metal from a metal bearing dross comprising the steps of:
(a) collecting the dross in a receptacle of the type having at least one trough with at least one downwardly and inwardly inclined side wall having metal flow passages through the wall;
(b) collecting the metal which decants through the passages; and (c) cooling and mechanically compressing the dross in the receptacle by applying compressive force on the dross and against the inclined wall to further decant the metal from the dross and to simultaneously cause migration of the metal to the outside surface of the compressed dross and to cut off oxygen supply to thermite reaction.

2. The method of Claim 1 including the step of solidifying the dross with pools of solidified metal adjacent the edges and surfaces of the solidified dross.

3. The method of Claim 2 including the step of mechanically breaking the solidified dross and separating the metal containing portions from oxide portions by screening.

4. The method of Claim 1 including maintaining vertical passages in the side wall.

5. The method of Claim 1 including maintaining passages in the side wall having a diameter in the range of 1.2 cm to 6.4 cm.

6. The method of Claim 1 wherein said dross is an aluminum bearing dross.

7. The method of Claim 1 including maintaining a horizontal slot at the bottom of the trough.

8. The method of Claim 7 wherein said slot has a width in the range of 1.2 cm to 6.4 cm.

9. The method of Claim 1 including maintaining opposed inclined side walls to form the trough.

10. The method of Claim 1 wherein the compression is maintained above a threshold pressure for metal migration and to seal off oxygen.

11. An improved method for recovery of metal from metal bearing dross comprising the steps of:
(a) collecting the dross in a receptacle of the type having at least one trough with at least one downwardly and inwardly inclined side wall having metal flow passages through the wall;
(b) collecting metal which decants through the passages;
(c) cooling and mechanically compressing the dross in the receptacle by applying compressive force on the dross and against the inclined wall to further decant metal from the dross and to simultaneously cause migration of metal to the outside surface of the compressed dross;
(d) solidifying dross in the receptacle with pools of metal at the surfaces of the dross;
(e) removing compressed, solidified dross from the receptacle;
(f) mechanically breaking the solidified dross to separate oxides from the metal;
(g) separating the components of the dross having a larger mean diameter from the remainder of the dross; and (h) melting substantially the remainder of the dross to thereby segregate a molten metal portion from the remainder of the dross.

12. The method of Claim 11 including the additional step of separating oxide dust from the cooled, solidified dross.

13. The method of Claim 11 wherein melting the remainder dross includes the steps of:
(a) introducing a charge of solid dross to a melting pot adjacent a main furnace crucible;
(b) melting the dross in the pot; and (c) pumping the melted dross into the lower portion of the crucible for segregation into a molten metal lower layer and a dross upper layer.

14. The method of Claim 11 including the step of introducing an inert gas mixture to the molten material to enhance separation of oxide from the molten metal.

15. The method of Claim 14 wherein the inert gas is taken from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen and a mixture of nitrogen and argon.

16. The method of Claim 13 including the step of adding a flux material to the melting pot.

17. The method of Claim 13 including the step of pumping the molten material by vortex action to enhance metal separation.

18. The method of Claim 13 including the step of skimming dross from the crucible and recycling the skimmed dross through at least some of the previous aluminum recovery steps.

19. An improved dross collection receptacle comprising, in combination at least one trough having at least one inwardly and downwardly inclined side wall and opposite end walls, the side walls including a plurality of passages for metal flow, and a decanting pan positioned beneath the trough for collecting metal flowing through the passages.

20. The receptacle of Claim 19 including a compression wedge member having a configuration complementary with the trough and means for driving the wedge member in compression against dross in the trough.

21. The receptacle of Claim 19 including a plurality of troughs.

22. The receptacle of Claim 19 including lower support members configured to cooperate with a fork lift.

23. The receptacle of Claim 19 wherein the trough side walls are inclined in the range of approximately 30° to 80° from horizontal.

24. The receptacle of Claim 19 wherein the side walls define a longitudinal slot along a line of intersection of the side walls.

25. The receptacle of Claim 19 wherein the walls define a heat sink.

26. The receptacle of Claim 20 wherein the compression member includes cooling means to supplement the rate of cooling of dross material.

27. The receptacle of Claim 19 wherein the passages through the trough side walls are substantially vertical,

28. The receptacle of Claim 19 wherein the passages through the side walls have a diameter in the range of 1.2 cm to 6.4 cm.

29. The receptacle of Claim 19 including a longitudinal slot at the bottom of the trough.

30. The receptacle of Claim 19 including a longitudinal slot having a width of 1.2 cm to 6.4 cm at the bottom of the trough.