Refining Flux for Russia Aluminium is mainly used to remove the hydrogen inside the aluminum liquid and the floating oxidized slag, so that the aluminum liquid is more pure and has the function of clearing slag.
Refining Flux for Russia Aluminium is a white powder or granular flux, which is prepared by drying a plurality of inorganic salts and mixing them in a certain ratio, and is mainly used for removing hydrogen and floating oxidized slag inside the aluminum liquid.
Some components in the Aluminium Casting Flux are easily decomposed at high temperature, and the generated gas is easy to react with hydrogen, and has strong adsorption force with slag and quickly escapes from the melt. The other components have a slag-removing agent effect.
RUSAL is one of the large and thriving companies in Russia and one of the leading companies in the world's aluminum industry. The company unites the most powerful companies in the aluminum industry in Russia and abroad, forming a full production process company from raw material mining and processing to primary aluminum, semi-finished products, alloy aluminum and finished aluminum.
In terms of environmental protection, RUSAL's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions includes effective treatment of production waste, development of carbon-free technology for aluminum production based on inert anodes, and a five-year large-scale afforestation project. At the same time, since 2007, the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Smelter has been working hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as being equipped with modern two-stage gas purification equipment. In addition, RUSAL has also taken over the planting and care of 1 million pine trees on 250 hectares of land in the Krasnoyarsk region and Irkutsk Oblast, and has carried out atmospheric protection work in the forestry field of Kuradinsky. More than 600,000 hectares.
In terms of product technology research and development, in 2017, RUSAL launched its new low-carbon aluminum brand "ALLOW". The individual greenhouse gas emissions of this brand are far below the average carbon footprint of the industry, with an average carbon footprint of 2.4 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of aluminum. Equivalent, in line with the ever-changing market demand for low-carbon aluminum.
At the same time, RUSAL tested a pilot industrial electrolysis cell with an inert anode, which has an improved design and record low carbon emissions; RUSAL also started the electrolysis production line at the Poguhansky Aluminum Plant, relying on its advanced With its technology and the advantages of all hydropower, it can provide high-quality and low-carbon footprint aluminum ingots for remelting.
On January 18, 2021, Rusal proposed a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 35% by 2030, and a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. These goals cover all emissions from all businesses, including aluminum production and thermal power production.

Alumina ceramic foam filter for foundry is used to filter impurities in aluminum and aluminum alloy when molten metal enters the mold. Clean liquid metal can produce higher quality castings, less scrap and fewer inclusion defects.

In recent years, Al2O3 ceramic foam filter has been developed as a new type of molten metal filter to reduce casting flow. The alumina ceramic foam filter for foundry can effectively remove the inclusions, reduce the gas in the liquid metal, and provide laminar flow, and then the filtered metal becomes cleaner.

In this research, a bentonite ceramic filter containing Al2O3 was developed instead of a honeycomb ceramic filter in order to obtain laminar flow and control the rate of molten aluminum. Use replication technology to make reticulated ceramic foam from the sponge. Bentonite is used to bind alumina particles at room temperature and sintering temperature. The number of holes per inch and the hole diameter are optimized to obtain sufficient molten aluminum flow. The surface characteristics of the ceramic filter have also been improved to control the flow rate.

Filtration is one of the most typical refined casting processes to eliminate non-metallic and intermetallic inclusions in the aluminum alloy casting process. The refining of the melt can improve the uniformity of the metal, improve the mechanical properties, remove many metallurgical defects, improve the surface of the casting and significantly improve the machinability.

The main sources of inclusions are slag metal oxidation products, refractory materials, refining agent residues, casting materials and erosion, endogenous inclusions in the metal and undissolved inoculants or alloy addition residues.

The filtration process is a complex mechanism that is affected by fluid dynamics factors such as fluid flow, turbulence, surface and physical forces, as well as chemical and metallurgical interactions between inclusions, filter media and liquid metal.

The use of ceramic foam filter for metal filtration is an effective means to control the level of inclusions. The foam filter is believed to have a unique, twisted pipe passing through its body, which traps inclusions and allows a clean laminar melt flow into the mold cavity. The ceramic foam filter has an open-cell and window structure, has a very high porosity, and a very high surface area to trap inclusions.

AdTech ceramic filter for foundry adopts a three-dimensional network structure, which is superior to the honeycomb foam type.

AdTech ceramic foam filters for casting has the advantages of high opening rate, small filtration resistance, small static difference, high surface energy, strong adsorption of heterophase, excellent thermal shock resistance, high strength, and no slag.

AdTech foam ceramic filters are widely used in aluminum filtration and purification in the aluminum processing industry, so as to improve the quality of aluminum materials. AdTech foam ceramic filters apply for the environmental protection engineering and thermal energy utilization, catalytic carriers, and other fields.

Ceramic Filter for Foundry Purification Mechanism
The filtration efficiencyis proportional to the pore size of the ceramic filter for foundry. The smaller the mesh, the stronger the ability to intercept small particles.
Deposit layer or filter cake layer effect. With the deposition of particles in the melt and the intersecting and uneven grid support, the ability to capture heterogeneous particles has improved.
The rough surface formed by the gap of the scaffold body increases the interface between the aluminum liquid and the ceramic filter. It can promote the particles in the aluminum flow, and make them more disorder, which is conducive to the capture and deposition of solid particles.
Due to the micro-cracks and pinholes on the mesh support body, fluorides with a strong affinity for particles (Al2O3) are pre-deposited. It promotes a complete filter cake layer effect and strong chemical adsorption.
Furthermore, the temperature field effect of the smelting process and the transmission process will inevitably form a difference of the alloy solute. The metal melt is redistribution --- integration --- redistribution --- integration, this is also a very good alloying process. Some high-melting metal phases and compounds re-aggregate and grow, and the fine heterogeneous phases grow and conduce to filtration and capture. This can also be explained by the changes in the concentrations of H, Al2O3, Fe phase, and Ti phase. Especially two-stage filtration or pore gradient thick plate filtration is more obvious.
Therefore, under the same preconditions, the new foam ceramic filter for castinghas a high removal rate of aluminum melt heterophase. The change of static pressure difference before and after filtration is greater with time, and the change of H content in the aluminum melt is also obvious. Of course, the smaller the ceramic filter for foundry pores, the better the cleanliness of the aluminum melt.

After the aluminum casting is finished, the ceramic fiber cone is used to close the flow orifice. This control system has the advantages of simple structure, low price, and convenient operation.

The basic requirements for the ceramic fiber cone are:

It can safely control high-speed, high-pressure flowing liquid metal.
It can conveniently and effectively adjust the flow of metal.
No gas or inclusions will pollute the melt.
Do not cause damage to the spout of the standing furnace.
The structure is simple, the price is low, and the use is convenient.

At present, aluminum factories widely use ceramic cones to control the metal outflow at the spout of the stationary furnace.

AdTech ceramic fiber plug (tap out cone) is made from high purity alumina silicate fibers mixing with inorganic binders by vacuum forming process. This kind of manufacturing method is high production efficiency, the rate of final products is up to 99%. It is featured material evenly distributed, harder than the ordinary cone, tight blockage, non-slagging and non-stick aluminum. It is widely used in aluminum alloy melting furnaces to control the production flow of molten aluminum.

The tap out cone is an excellent product used to control the production flow of molten aluminum in aluminum alloy melting furnaces. The ceramic fiber tap-out cone is very smooth and its dimensions are precise. The raw materials of the ceramic fiber tap-out cone are all imported from world-leading companies which makes it has good hardness and toughness.

Ceramic tap out cones are used to cover and protect taphole plugs used in furnaces for melting aluminum alloys. The cones are disposable and are recommended for one-time use.

AdTech Ceramic Tap Out Cones Advantage

Maintain strength throughout the application.
A textured exterior surface minimizes tearing during insertion.
Resilient composition ensures a tight fit between the tap hole plug and the tap block.
Do not burn, smoke, or degrade.

The aluminum caster tip has a great influence on the quality of the cast-rolled strip, especially the uniformity of the velocity distribution and temperature distribution of the molten aluminum.

The aluminum slab in the casting process may have the following: defects such as the excessive thickness of defects, unqualified plate shape, hot zone, holes, cracks, coarse grain segregation, and other defects. Some of these defects are caused by the uneven distribution of aluminum melt velocity and temperature at the nozzle cavity.

The quality of the cast-rolled strip is not good, and it is shown as poor in the horizontal direction and unqualified. The main reason is that the aluminum melt at the exit of the casting nozzle has uneven speed along the width of the casting nozzle, which causes the uneven distribution of the melt along the axial direction of the casting roll. For example, if the flow velocity in the middle of the casting nozzle outlet is too large, the middle of the casting roll will expand locally, resulting in excessive convexity of the casting roll.

Hot strip is a defect in the aluminum melt casting-rolling zone, which is not completely solidified in some areas, it is brought out by the casting-rolling roller. The holes are generated in the upper half of the cross section of the cast billet, and extend along the longitudinal direction of the billet, forming a white channel on the billet surface where the holes are generated. Some of this white way is in a fixed position, continuous. Some move laterally on the surface of the strip, and sometimes two laterally moving white channels will merge into one, and a hole appears at the meeting point. There are many reasons for the occurrence of hot spots/holes, but the lateral distribution of the melt temperature at the exit of the nozzle is uneven, and the partial non-solidification of the cast billet is also one of the reasons for the defects.

As we all know, in the aluminum foil processing industry, the processing of ultra-thin aluminum foil is difficult. However, it is more difficult to produce ultra-thin aluminum foil with cast-rolled billets, which requires a very strict internal quality of cast-rolled billets. The structure of the aluminum caster tip nozzle directly affects the uniformity of the transverse mass distribution of the cast plate, so that local quality defects of the cast plate and strip are prone to occur during the production process, which affects the deep processing performance of the aluminum foil, and even directly causes the product to be scrapped.

The Ceramic Fiber Cones are made of high-quality ceramic fiber cotton vacuum forming process, which has the rigidity and strength of high temperature performance, low thermal shrinkage, high heat insulation, light weight, and good impact resistance. Ceramic fiber plug cone meets the high temperature insulation requirements of certain industrial sectors.

Due to the uncertainty of the shape of the vacuum-formed special-shaped product, ceramic fiber plug cone must be produced according to the customer's drawings.

Ceramic Fiber Cones Technical Features:

Low thermal conductivity, low heat capacity
Tough texture, strong resistance to wind erosion
Excellent construction and installation performance
Excellent thermal shock resistance and thermal stability

Ceramic Fiber Cones Application:

Industrial kiln observation hole, thermometer insertion hole
Industrial furnaces, furnace doors
Water collection tanks and chutes in the aluminum product industry
Thermal radiation insulation of civil and industrial heating equipment
Non-ferrous metal grooves, groove linings, casting covers
Connection gasket for electromechanical equipment
Ceramic fiber plug cones also refer to Vacuum Formed Tap Out Cone, Refractory Fiber Cone, Furnace Tapout Cone, Ceramic Fiber Tap, etc.

Most aluminum smelting furnaces or holding furnaces in the aluminum casting industry have aluminum nozzles, which are sealed with high-temperature ceramic fiber plugs to control the flow of aluminum water. The ceramic fiber plug is made of 1260°C high-purity ceramic fiber cotton by vacuum forming with special equipment, advanced equipment and production technology. Each ceramic fiber plug has a flat surface, and has appropriate hardness and flexibility, suitable for mechanical or manual plugging.

The ceramic fiber shaped parts are all shaped products that meet the specific production steps of certain industrial sectors. Each type of tap-out cone product needs to be made into special mold according to its shape and size. According to the performance requirements of the products, the unused bonding agents and additives are selected to meet requirements.

The tap out cone for aluminium casting is made of high-quality ceramic fiber cotton and made by vacuum forming. The purpose of developing this product is to support rigid products with excellent high temperature performance and self-supporting strength, ceramic fiber special-shaped parts.

In order to meet the special production needs of certain industrial sectors, each tap out cone product needs to use a special mold according to its shape and size. According to different usage requirements, different ingredients are mixed and used to meet customer needs. The refractory cone has a low shrinkage rate in the applicable temperature range, and maintains its high thermal insulation, light weight, and impact resistance.

The tap out cones are sometimes referred to as Aluminum Silicate Fiber Plugs, Insulation Plugs, Ceramic Fiber Plug, Vacuum Formed Shaped Cone.

The tap out cone for aluminium casting is made of high-quality ceramic fiber cotton through a vacuum forming process to meet certain high-temperature production links or special-shaped products and aluminum plants required for throttling in the production process of steel plants.

Each Tap Out Cone For Molten Aluminium product needs to be made into a special mold according to its shape and size, and can be made into different sizes and specifications. Good flexibility allows for better compactness, regardless of order size and quantity control.

Tap Out Cone For Molten Aluminium Performance

Low shrinkage and low thermal conductivity over the entire temperature range
High heat insulation and light weight
Resistant to wind erosion, spalling and not corroded by most molten metals
The classification temperature, physical properties and thermal properties of various products are better than or similar to the corresponding grade of fiberboard.
Ceramic Fiber Cone

Low-temperature bending≤: 0.6
Elongation at break: 1.2
Bending strength: 80
Working temperature: 600
Form: Fiber
Shape: cone
Specification: can be customized (mm)

Firing of metal foundry ceramic foam filters generally occurs above the temperature at which the glass phase of the material can be formed and combined, resulting in the required strength and corrosion resistance characteristics in the final product. Firing is usually carried out in a continuous kiln at temperatures above 1100 ° C for 1-3 hours, and the peak temperature is maintained for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Lower temperatures and shorter durations improve production efficiency. However, sufficient time and temperature must be provided to achieve the required strength and corrosion resistance of the material.

The pore size of metal foundry ceramic filters is primarily determined by the initial pore size of the polymer foam used in the process. For efficient filtration of aluminum alloy, typical primary pore sizes are 10 to 70 pores per linear inch. However, each application requires a unique pore size, which depends on the required filtration efficiency and the required filtration permeability in the foundry. The pore size is often referred to as the number of holes in a linear dimension, such as the number of holes per inch. The higher the PPI value, the smaller the cell diameter.

The open cell ceramic foam filter used in aluminum smelters was developed in the early 1970s, and in 1974 this technology was first applied on an industrial scale for the production of rolled ingots for the production of wafers and wafers. Ceramic foam filters are integral, disposable or disposable filters used for single casting.

The CFF filter pore size is 4 to 28 holes per centimeter (10 to 70 holes per linear inch), and the corresponding pore size is approximately 0.036 to 0.26 cm. Ceramic foam filters usually have a square size of 22.86 cm × 22. 86 cm x 5.08 cm (9 "x 9" x 2 ") to 66.04 cm x 66.04 cm x 5.08 cm (26" x 26 "x 2") for filter box.

A fibrous paper pad is attached to the edge of the filter plate to create a lateral compressive load to hold the filter in place in the filter bowl and prevent metal from bypassing the edge of the filter. The fibrous backing material typically has a thickness of about 0.317 cm to 0.476 cm (1/8 to 3/16 inch) and is usually composed of silicate fibers. Vermiculite is usually added to the gasket material, which expands when heated, increasing the gasket pressure.

Granular aluminum flux is a new, efficient, and environmentally friendly additive. It is used in the secondary refining process of aluminum alloy smelting and aluminum alloy casting. Its main function is to remove slag (miscellaneous) in the aluminum melt， and reduce the hydrogen content and aluminum loss.

Different from the traditional powdery flux, the granular flux has obvious technical advantages and economic benefits. At the same time, in the process of reacting with the aluminum melt, the gas released by the granular flux is non-toxic and has a small amount of exhaust gas, which greatly improves the production environment.

Based on the above advantages, granular aluminum alloy flux has attracted more and more attention in the industry, and there is a tendency to gradually replace traditional powdered fluxes.

Granulated Flux is an environmentally friendly range of fluxes used for the molten metal treatment of aluminum and aluminum alloys. Powder fluxes possess certain disadvantages such as dusting during the application, toxic fume emissions. This causes health hazards to the workers and environmental problems. The powder fluxes also pose a problem of inconsistent efficiency due to the morphology of the powder. To overcome these disadvantages, dust-free granulated fluxes have been developed.

Compared with powder flux, granular flux products are dust-free and more efficient, has a small amount of addition. AdTech granular aluminum flux has two specifications: PM02 and PM06. It is white (slightly gray) granular. Using unique technology, it effectively improves the effect of metal aluminum liquid degassing, slagging and alkali metal removal, smokeless refining, and low dosage.

Granular Aluminum Flux Advantage
Increases the extrusion speed and die life when extruding profiles
2. Reduces the number of breaks in continuous casting
3. Eliminates edge cracks when rolling aluminium alloys
4. Non-hazardous compound
5. Low melting point for rapid dispersion
6. Helps in removal of Alkali metals like Na, Ca and Mg.

Granular refining fluxes have been used in research at home and abroad with good results. Due to the boiling effect of the N2 and CO2 generated by the reaction, the hydrogen and non-metallic inclusions will be taken out of the aluminum liquid when the bubbles float up, so the degassing effect of this mixture is good.

When refining, use a bell jar to press the Granular Refining Fluxes into the molten aluminum, and the operation is the same as when refining with chloride salt. The refining temperature is 740~750℃, and the amount is about 0.6%~0.8% of the mass of molten aluminum.

The actual amount of Granular Fluxes depends on the quality of the molten aluminum, the type of alloy, and the coverage of the molten aluminum.

The principle of the floatation method is to pass an inert gas (usually nitrogen, argon, or the gas produced by adding salts) into the aluminum liquid to produce a large number of bubbles. Since the partial pressure of hydrogen in the bubbles is zero, the difference in the partial pressure of hydrogen will continue to diffuse into the bubbles and float up out of the liquid surface. At the same time, due to the difference in wettability, the inclusions in the molten aluminum can be adsorbed on the bubbles in contact with it, and then float up and eliminated, so as to achieve the purpose of removing hydrogen and removing inclusions. According to different refining agents, the floating method is divided into nitrogen method, argon method, chlorine method and chloride salt refining method.

Nitrogen refining: Nitrogen is cheap and often used for refining aluminum alloys. But its disadvantage is: in order to prevent the formation of a large number of nitride inclusions (such as AN, Mg3N2, etc.), the treatment temperature is low (700~730℃), which limits the hydrogen diffusion ability. The experimental results show that nitrogen has high purity requirements, and the presence of trace oxygen and moisture will greatly reduce the refining effect. Some data show that 0.5% oxygen content can reduce the degassing effect by 40%.

Refining with argon: The refining temperature can be increased to 760℃, which is beneficial to enhance the hydrogen diffusion ability. In addition, the oxygen content in industrial argon cylinders is low (0.005%~0.05%), and the density of argon is 1.78kg/m3, which is higher than the density of oxygen at 1.25kg/m3. During argon refining, argon is enriched on the surface of the aluminum molten pool, which can prevent the reaction between the molten aluminum and the furnace gas, so the refining effect is better.

Chlorine refining: Although chlorine is insoluble in molten aluminum, chlorine, as an active gas, can react violently with molten aluminum and hydrogen dissolved in molten aluminum to produce gaseous HCl and AlCl3, which are insoluble in molten aluminum, and not participate. The reacted chlorine samples have a refining effect, so the refining effect is much better than nitrogen. However, chlorine is a highly toxic gas, harmful to human health, corrosive to plant and equipment, and the chlorine venting device is more complicated. Therefore, it is generally not used alone, but used in combination with Ar or N2. The refining effect is good, and it is suitable for castings with extremely strict pinhole requirements.