Non-ferrous Metallurgy Enterprises Research Articles

Development of the production of fuzed oxide materials

Oxide materials Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , MgO, and Cr 2 O 3 and others have a high melting temperature and are used extensively in the production of refractories, ceramics and abrasives. The highest indices of the required properties are exhibited by fuzed and fuzed cast materials and objects prepared on the basis of these oxides. Fuzed cast refractories are characterized by the absence of permeable porosity, high structural density indices, thermomechanical strength and corrosion resistance in corrosive media. They are used extensively in the most critical parts of lining heating units subject to high intensity wear [1]. In the period 1990‐2005 new production of fuzed cast refractories of various types was organized in Belgium, Australia, India, China (eight plants), and in Ukraine. Within Russia in this period, not only was not a single factory constructed for producing these materials, but there was a significant reduction in the volume of production at two specialized enterprises, i.e., Shcherbinka Plant for Electromelted Refractories and Podolskogneupor. Technology for the production of fuzed cast refractories in these enterprises is considerably antiquated and this makes it impossible to produce high quality and corrosion resistant materials, i.e., high alumina and chromium-containing materials for special branches of industry. The requirements of these branches, having an important state value, are satisfied by import suppliers, and the enterprises are becoming dependent upon overseas refractory suppliers. One of the main areas of activity for the fuzed oxide materials laboratory (FOML) of the Department of Nonferrous, Rare, and Precious Metal Metallurgy of MISiS is creation of promising fused oxide materials, primarily fuzed cast corundum and chromium-containing refractories with the aim of organizing industrial test production based on nonferrous metallurgy enterprises. A number of alumina and electrometallurgical enterprises exist, which successfully produce different forms of product based on alumina and aluminum. An example of producing liquid product based on electromelted alumina is the production in RUSAL Boksitogorsk of fuzed corundum materials, that are used as abrasives and refractories in wide demand, not only within Russia but also abroad. Large scale enterprises abroad are organized that apart from lump, granular and powder fuzed corundum materials produce fuzed cast corundum components. In an alumina combine in Hungary fuzed cast corundum refractory components are manufactured with an Al 2 O 3 content of 94‐99%. Previously in the USSR and currently within Russia all requirements for fuzed cast high-alumina materials with a content of more than 90% Al 2 O 3 are only satisfied as a result of imported supplies. A number of very important branches producing optical, electro-vacuum, light engineering and other forms of glass for

Refractory ceramic sets for nonferrous metallurgy and experience of their operation

Refractory ceramic materials have been developed in FGUP ONPP Tekhnologiya, and technology has been created for preparing ceramic objects for use in nonferrous metallurgy. Crucibles, burner hoods, and other forms of objects are manufactured from material based on aluminum oxide, required for pouring metals and alloys. A broad range of objects for aluminum casting installations are manufactured from materials based on wollastonite. Information is presented about the ceramic objects produced and experience of their operation in nonferrous metallurgy enterprises.

New complexing sorbents based on polyacrylonitrile fibres

Modified sorbents with bis-amide groups active in the pH 4–5 range were fabricated from PAN fibres. The characteristics of extraction of copper, nickel, and cobalt ions were investigated, the sorption capacity for these metals was determined, and the possibility of using the new sorbents for fine afterpurification of electroplating wastes and purification of wastewaters from dye plants was investigated. A sorbent which is highly selective for (trivalent) iron ions was fabricated from PAN fibre modified with salicylaldehyde, and the indexes and areas of application were determined, in particular, for purification of sulfate-nickel electroplating solutions in nonferrous metallurgy enterprises.