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ZERO-SALT FUEL-FIRED ALUMINIUM ROTARY FURNACES
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Melting and Refining Rotary Furnaces
Monometer Melting and Refining Rotary Furnaces A new Monometer copper melting rotary furnace is scheduled to be installed in Africa this Autumn. Facilities at the plant will equip the installation to meet European standards for emissions abatement, and the furnace technology will enable the client to cast specification ingot from all grades of scrap while melting with low-cost reclaimed oil. The furnace will be one from the Monometer range of economical units with capacity between 1 and 2 tonnes designed for thermal and metallurgical efficiency where smaller batch production is preferred. Monometer equipment in the UK continues to provide foundries with the competitive versatility to produce a range of specification product from all grades of scrap material. For example, the popular Monometer 5 to 7 tonne capacity rotary furnace cycles in around 3 hours 30 minutes with a lining life in the region of 220 heats. Alloys commonly produced range fro m
For refining, the furnace is equipped with programmable gas diffusion refining technology, and variable chemistry main burner. The variable flame chemistry is designed also to protect the molten bath from oxidation, so to allow effective protection with minimal slag volume production and in the absence of any slag covering. Image: Specification copper ingot production from Monometer Rotary Furnace Various rotary melting processes have incorporated Monometer refining equipment, including iron, copper and lead, performing significantly above traditional methods in terms of increased yield, thermal efficiency and furnace productivity. For example, in copper refining from Birch-Cliff to high purity copper, a 6-tonne capacity Monometer tilting rotary furnace will typically cycle in 4 - 6 hours; 3 tonnes of scrap iron may be melted, alloyed and tapped in under 120 minutes, and 10 tonnes lead battery scrap may be processed through the furnace in under 5 hours. Monometer designs and supply includes the furnace charging system, gas diffusion technology for the refining process, slag systems, oxy-fuel burner system, and exhaust filter complete with settler, as well as the fluxing agents injector, and consumable spare parts. Monometer offers comprehensive onsite support, ranging from turnkey management or installation support, to short training packages targeting metallurgical training or general furnace performance. All Monometer clients benefit from being kept up to date with the latest equipment software updates and full engineering on site support. For more information on this or Monometer products please contact Dr Christopher Hall PhD, FICME, Monometer Holdings Ltd, Monometer House, Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 2HN Tel +44 (0)1702 472201 Fax +44 (0)1702 715112 Email c.hall@monometer.co.uk Website www.monometer.co.uk |
Installations for Melting, Refining and Related Processes
Over the past two years, Monometer has commissioned a number of installations, including metal melting equipment and related processes. Furnace equipment has been designed by Monometer to operate over a wide range of temperature and humidity, ranging from -40 deg C in Russian winter conditions to + 40 deg C at 100% humidity in parts of Malaysia and India. In addition to the melting furnace, equipment includes filtration, burner control systems and material feed chargers. For example, in copper refining from Birch-Cliff to high purity copper, a 6-tonne capacity Monometer tilting rotary furnace will typically cycle in 4 - 6 hours; 3 tonnes of scrap iron may be melted, alloyed and tapped in under 120 minutes, and 10 tonnes lead battery scrap may be processed through the furnace in under 5 hours. Monometer designs and supply includes the furnace charging system, gas diffusion technology for the refining process, slag systems, oxy-fuel burner system, and exhaust filter complete with settler, as well as the fluxing agents injector, and consumable spare parts. For more information on this or Monometer products please contact Dr Christopher Hall PhD, FICME, Monometer Holdings Ltd, Monometer House, Rectory Grove, Leigh-on- Sea, Essex SS9 2HN Tel +44 0)1702 472201 Fax +44 (0)1702 715112 |
MONOMETER HELP WEST COUNTRY FOUNDRY TO RESOLVE CRUCIBLE AND MELTING PROBLEMS
Monometer was approached by West Country Tiling to comment upon and try to resolve reoccurring failures in their furnace crucible, and a variable melting performance. The furnace in question was a 1-tonne lead capacity crucible supplied by another company. A very interesting and complimentary video was also included from the client showing their production and manufacture of lead-roof sheeting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxywudfRvTE Monometer assessed the furnace design including burner system, together with the process requirements. Following investigation, several problem areas were identified including:
Furnace modifications were therefore advised as follows:
All recommendations were implemented by the client, and ultimately the melt time was considerably reduced, fuel efficiency increased in proportion to the reduced melt cycle time and following a reduced normal firing rate, and issues concerning crucible longevity and reliability were entirely eliminated. Attractive economy of the work required to implement the proposed solutions was achieved by the client carrying out fabrication work locally and since the majority of the existing burner fabrication was reused and constituent parts retained. Additionally, Monometer was able to supply a competitively priced made-to-measure bottom-pouring cast iron crucible. After the furnace modifications at West Country Tiling had been completed, and the new pot had been fitted, Toby Pitt commented “Despite my unnecessary worrying the outcome is perfect. Thank you”. Monometer welcomes enquires for new furnace equipment as well as for assisting with updating or problem-solving performance issues whether process or furnace related. |
Plasma Nitriding
An excellent artical attached about Monometer Nitriding . For further information, visit our Plasma Nitriding page, or contact us. |
Copper Melting and Refining
MONOMETER’s latest
installation in the Ural Mountains of the Russian federation has been
successfully completed with commissioning to be carried out over the
next few months. Monometer has undertaken the complete design and layout of the installation. The Russian company has been producing Copper granules from high grade copper scrap, which were then processed to form copper sulphate. However, the new Monometer refining rotary furnace installation now allows granule production from lower grade and lower cost Birch/ Cliff scrap, by refining the copper to in the region of 99.8 to 99.9% purity. The purity of copper product from the low grade scrap charged into the furnace and refined now exceeds the purity of product previously obtained from higher purity scraps that were melted and poured without refining. This greatly widens the client’s options for charge materials, assisting margins and scope for final product diversity. For example, where copper carbonate can be formed using the second or third mother liquor from the copper sulphate process, the equipment used to produce copper carbonate can usually be used to produce tribasic copper sulphate or copper hydrate. Tri basic copper sulphate (CuSO4·3(Cu(OH)2·H2O) is a fungicide typically applied as a spray or dust formulation on agricultural crops. Depending on the climate it can also serve as an insecticide and miticide for citrus crops and has been used on tomatoes and peppers, among other crops. Copper carbonate, tribasic copper sulphate and copper hydrate are all value added products compared to copper sulphate where there is access to an adequately sized market. In addition, with copper purities now obtainable meeting standards for electrical applications, copper from the furnace may be cast to ingots and marketed accordingly. In this area of Russia the outside temperature may reach -40 deg C in the winter so the whole plant including the filter system has been designed to operate inside. This innovative project deploys the use of efficient Monometer Rotary technology incorporating the refinement of Oxyfuel burners and porous plug diffusion. This is an opportunity to combine Monometer expertise in close partnership with the experts in the field of copper granule production. Monometer supplied the turnkey installation including the furnace system, charger and bag house filter system – specifically targeting the elimination of copper dust from the hygiene air surrounding the furnace. The work is part of the modernisation programme of a local company. The copper converter plant is made up of a 5.5-tonne liquid copper Monometer rotary tilting furnace and refractory lining, which cycles in 4 – 6 hours. The design includes the furnace charging system, porous gas diffusion technology for the refining process, Oxyfuel burner system, exhaust filter for all particulates and fines including hooding, settler, bag filter, exhaust and all ducts, also the fluxing agents injector, and consumable spare parts. The challenges of meeting the Russian import documentation including GOST certification were handled in the offices at Monometer House. The photograph shows overall layout of the installation just before commissioning. Please contact Christopher Hall PhD, Monometer Holdings Ltd, Monometer House, Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 2HN Tel +44 (0)1702 472201 Fax +44 (0)1702 715112 Email c.hall@monometer.co.uk |
MONOMETER FURNACES for TIN INGOT PRODUCTION from TIN DROSSES, GENERAL SCRAP, slag and filter dust
Monometer has continued to develop rotary furnace equipment for the recovery of tin from tin drosses and scrap materials. The most recent installation was installed and commissioned in China in Autumn 2008. The tin content in the charge materials is within the region of 75% - 80%, with the remainder being made up of caustic cake and other materials including estimated minimum 4% moisture content. A typical overall recovery in excess of 95% metal from the metal bearing content of the materials initially charged into the furnace is achieved in the Monometer rotary furnace The new installation in China smelts up to 400-kg of charge materials. Reductant and other additive quantities were established and the fuel consumption was approximately 80 litres diesel oil per hour (equivalent to about 85 cub metres Natural Gas per hour). The Rotary Furnace can also be run continuously to process between 2 and 3 tonnes of Ash in a single cycle. This procedure involves back-charging and part-tapping for short periods of about 20-seconds to discharge up to 100-kg of tin metal from time to time. The advantages of continuous operation with part-tapping and back charging are 1) Losses due to fuming are reduced because the liquid tin is removed from the furnace soon after it has been formed, and 2) the furnace is kept near full capacity which reduces losses and reduces the effective tin loss to the slag. The process with best results utilises the slag recycling and baghouse dust recycling similar to that used in lead smelting and other similar smelting processes. The return of slag and baghouse dust to the furnace typically achieves an overall recovery in excess of 95% metal from the metal bearing content of the materials initially charged into the furnace. After-burner equipment is not required with this process; since there are no dioxins, furans, and other combustible products escaping from the furnace exhaust system. Monometer manufacture a full range of Rotary, Reverberatory, and Crucible melting furnaces as well as electrically heated box and continuous process Mesh Belt furnaces for Heat Treatment applications. Please contact Dr Christopher Hall or use our contact us form |
100 years of Monometer furnaces
Monometer celebrates 100 years of designing and manufacturing furnaces world wide. |
DEVELOPMENT IN MONOMETER MELTING AND HOLDING TECHNOLOGY
A new generation of Monometer rotary furnaces is being developed by Monometer for Aluminium melting, Aluminium scrap recycling, Copper Bronze and Brass melting. The capacities of the furnaces range from 2 to 20 tonnes. Over the last 20 years or so, there has been an expansion of rotary furnace use and understanding – particularly in Russia, Eastern Europe, Asia, Indian, SE Asia including Thailand and Malaysia. In addition to growing competition UK foundries resources are further focused on meeting targets for emissions and energy efficiency through legislation, government initiatives and the ever-increasing cost of fuel. The latest Monometer rotary melting and holding furnaces incorporate a larger charge hole (up to 1.2 metres) than previously possible with standard rotary furnace design. The furnaces have a shorter deeper bath, which provides optimum bath ratio of molten state surface area to bath depth. A Monometer flu-bypass damper system is now built in to assist with the optimisation of hot gas dwell time in the furnace, which increases heat transfer efficiency to the molten metal. The Monometer multi speed programmable drive system enables RPM adjustment to achieve good thermal transfer to the charge, minimal losses, and finely adjustable mechanical agitation according to process requirements. Combustion furnace users concerned with emissions limits for NOx and CO, could benefit from introducing oxygen enrichment to their burner system. Gaseous emissions and fuel consumption can be reduced by about 26%. Full oxy/fuel firing reduces the flue volume by 72% with a fuel saving of approximately 50%. Typical oxy/fuel burner systems incorporate PC controlled variable flame fuel balance, and firing rate to suit the charge state and temperatures. The system automatically detects excessive emissions caused by dirty charge and calls for increased oxygen flow from the burner to help combust particulates prior to escape into the flue. This greatly reduces emissions. When the emissions have subsided, the burner returns to an optimum firing rate and oxygen/oil flow balance. An automatic signal requires the furnace to be purged with clean air prior to ignition, which provides safety, conformity to European Standards, and guards against the possibility of any build up of fuel in the furnace prior to lighting the burner. These recent developments enable a Monometer 18 – 20 Tonnes Aluminium Rotary furnace to achieve a tap-to-tap cycle of under 4 hours with a total energy consumption of 30 therms per tonne. A 6-tonne Copper Rotary furnace is able to achieve a tap-to-tap time of 2 hr 30 minutes with a firing rate of 100 litres/hr. Monometer continues to design, develop and manufacture Rotary, Reverberatory and Crucible metal melting furnaces for ferrous and non-ferrous foundry industries and welcomes your enquiries for furnace equipment. Please contact Christopher Hall PhD Monometer Holdings Ltd, Monometer House, Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 2HN Tel +44 (0)1702 472201 Fax +44 (0)1702 715112 Email c.hall@monometer.co.uk Website www.monometer.co.uk |
Cast Metal Times: Tin, Lead, and Copper Smelting and Recycling with Monometer Rotary Furnaces
The Article below will appear in the GIFA show issue of The Cast Metal Times and will be distributed at the exhibition. Written by Dr. Christopher Hall, Director of Monometer. TIN, LEAD AND COPPER SMELTING AND RECYCLING WITH MONOMETER ROTARY FURNACES Monometer rotary furnaces for the reclamation of tin and lead
have been in particularly high demand recently, following a significant rise in
commodity prices over the past few years, in particular for tin dross
processing, for which up to 99.5% of the metal-bearing material in a charge can
be recovered as recycled tin. The smelting process is attractively simple and
does not involve salt, so the environmental impact of final waste products is
low and will typically pass for low cost disposal routes. ![]() Monometer rotary furnaces are made in the UK to the highest standards of machining and fabrication to ensure reliable alignment of all drive train and furnace rotating components; and all welding, including the integration of spun dished ends, is checked to ASME and/or ISO certification. Following these standards furnace quality is guaranteed, and indeed proven by the many installations worldwide now having achieved in excess of 25 years continuous operation. The Monometer smelting system extends to accommodate ores of lead, copper and tin, and has been applied in the reclamation of silver from charges of various mixed material. In each of these applications the unique bath depth and rotational programme retain metal fume within the reactive bed of the furnace chamber and effect a rapid cycle and high yield; recoveries of up to 99.5% are quoted in all offers where exhaust dusts are returned to the furnace and this performance is guaranteed subject only to a certified charge assay. Monometer offers a fully comprehensive service from design for special applications through to commissioning and continuous assistance after installation. A typical installation will be commissioned and proven by one of our metallurgical engineers to operate to the standards and performance quoted, and our after sales service will attend at short notice regarding any process-related requirements or other furnace needs. For these reasons Monometer is particularly well placed with the necessary combination of experience backed up by continual development and the highest qualify of manufacture and service, to provide a reliable high performance solution for the client every time. |
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