Abstract
The applicability of concentrated solar power for metallurgy of titanium is discussed based on preliminary experimental works performed at Plataforma Solar de Almeria Spain, using solar furnace SF40 under protective argon atmosphere. As a starting material, titanium powder was used. The possibility of melting titanium compacts on yttria stabilized zirconia mat was investigated, and the effect of density and size of different green compacts was studied. It was observed that the time to achieve melting point is very short when concentrated solar power is used. The obtained results are expected to be similar for titanium sponge from which titanium powder is processed. After optimization of processing parameters, this will probably lead to a significant decrease of carbon footprint in the titanium ingots and castings production.
Highlights
Current production of titanium ingots is exclusively done by the Kroll process [1]
The applicability of concentrated solar power for metallurgy of titanium is discussed based on preliminary experimental works performed at Plataforma Solar de Almeria Spain, using solar furnace SF40 under protective argon atmosphere
It was observed that the time to achieve melting point is very short when concentrated solar power is used
Summary
Current production of titanium ingots is exclusively done by the Kroll process [1] In this process, rutile (natural or synthetic) or titania slag is chlorinated to produce titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) which is reduced by magnesium. The result of the process is the titanium sponge that is further vacuum arc melted to the titanium ingots of desired purity. Another possibility is to use the Armstrong process [2,3]. This low temperature process enables powder production of a commercially pure titanium and Ti6Al4V alloy by the reduction of titanium tetrachloride by sodium. Certain problems in the process of the pure Ti consolidation are due to the presence of sodium in the powder inner pores
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