Abstract: An aluminum alloy for making an extruded and brazed aluminum product, the aluminum alloy comprising, in weight percent, 0.10-0.20 Zn to improve corrosion resistance, 0.9-1.2 Mn, 0.03-0.10 Mg, the sum of Mg and Mn being at least 0.99 to maintain or improve strength, 0.15 to 0.30 Fe to control grain size, up to 0.15 Si, up to 0.03 Cu, up to 0.04 Ti, the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. The alloy may be in the form of extrusion ingots or extruded and brazed aluminum products. A process for making an extruded and brazed aluminum product from the alloy involves homogenizing, extruding, optionally working, and brazing the alloy to form the product.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides Al—Si—Mg aluminum alloys comprising a deliberate addition of Mn between 0.05-0.40 weight percent to increase at least one tensile property (such as the yield strength) of an aluminum product comprising such alloy. The Al—Si—Mg alloy comprises, in weight percent, 5-9% Si, 0.35-0.75% Mg, 0.05-0.4% Mn, less than 0.15% Fe, up to 0.15% Ti, 0.005-0.03% Sr and the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities, wherein the unavoidable impurities may be present in an amount of up to 0.05% each and up to 0.15% total. The present disclosure provides a foundry ingot comprising the above Al—Si—Mg aluminum alloy, a process for making the above Al—Si—Mg aluminum alloy and an aluminum alloy obtainable by said process.

Abstract: A settler for decanting mineral slurries includes a tank having a side wall, a bottom and a top, an outlet for a thickened slurry at the bottom of the tank, a first overflow outlet for withdrawing an overflow stream of a clarified liquid, a slurry inlet means for introducing fresh slurry into the tank, the slurry inlet means having a slurry opening through which fresh slurry joins a body of slurry in the tank, and a stirrer having a vertical axis around which the stirrer rotates or reciprocates, in said settler the slurry opening is displaced laterally relative to said vertical axis of the stirrer and said slurry inlet means comprises mixing means. A separation installation includes the above settler and a method for separating a clarified liquid from a thickened slurry of a mineral slurry.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy includes, in weight percent, 0.50-1.30% Si, 0.2-0.60% Fe, 0.15% max Cu, 0.5-0.90% Mn, 0.6-1.0% Mg, and 0.20% max Cr, the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. The alloy may include excess Mg over the amount that can be occupied by Mg—Si precipitates. The alloy may be utilized as a matrix material for a composite that includes a filler material dispersed in the matrix material. One such composite may include boron carbide as a filler material, and the resultant composite may be used for neutron shielding applications.

Abstract: A screw press for separating liquid from a solid-liquid mixture includes a casing having inlet and outlet sections, and a filter section there between. The filter section includes an axially extending stack of coplanar filtration plates defining a core passage for receiving a screw configured to convey the solid-liquid mixture from the inlet section to the outlet section while compressing and dewatering the solid-liquid mixture by forcing at least part of the liquid content of the mixture to be expelled out of the casing through inter-plate gaps defined between each pair of adjacent filtration plates. The filtration plates are fixed relative to one another and clamped in direct intimate face-to-face contact by a clamping assembly operable for applying a predetermined axially clamping pressure substantially uniformly about the core passage. The inter-plate gaps are controlled by the surface roughness of the plates and the clamping pressure.

Abstract: This cell (1) comprises a pot shell (2) having two longitudinal sides (18) which are symmetrical in relation to a longitudinal median plane (P) of the electrolytic cell (1), an anode assembly which can only move in vertical translation with respect to the pot shell (2), the anode assembly comprising an anode block (100) and a transverse anode support (200) extending at right angles to the longitudinal sides (18) of the pot shell (2), from which support the anode block (100) is suspended. The anode support (200) comprises two connecting portions (202) from which electrolysis current is supplied to the anode support (200), and the cell (1) comprises electrical connection conductors (20) electrically connected to the two connecting portions (202) of the anode support (200), the two connecting portions (202) being located on either side of the plane (P).

Abstract: An aluminum alloy composition includes, in weight percent: 0.7-1.10 manganese; 0.05-0.25 iron; 0.21-0.30 silicon; 0.005-0.020 nickel; 0.10-0.20 titanium; 0.014 max copper; and 0.05 max zinc, with the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. The alloy may tolerate higher nickel contents than existing alloys, while providing increased corrosion resistance, as well as similar extrudability, strength, and performance. Billets of the alloy may be homogenized at 590-640° C. and controlled cooled at less than 250° C. per hour. The homogenized billet may be extruded into a product, such as an aluminum alloy heat exchanger tube.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy composition includes, in weight percent: 0.5-0.7 manganese; 0.05-0.15 iron; 0.3-0.5 silicon; 0.020 max nickel; 0.05-0.15 titanium; 0.01 max copper; and 0.10 max zinc, with the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. The alloy may also have a combined amount of manganese and silicon of at least 0.8 wt. % and/or a Mn/Si ratio of 2.25 or less. The alloy may tolerate higher nickel contents than existing alloys, while providing increased corrosion resistance, as well as similar extrudability, strength, and performance. Billets or other intermediate products formed of the alloy may be homogenized at 500-595° C. and controlled cooled at 400° C. per hour or less. The homogenized billet may be extruded into an extruded product, such as an aluminum alloy heat exchanger tube.

Abstract: A cell includes a pot shell defining an opening through which an anode block is designed to be moved, said anode block being suspended from an anode support forming with said anode block an anode assembly mobile in relation to the pot shell, and a confinement chamber defining a closed volume above said opening for the containment of the gases generated during the production of aluminum, the anode support being connected to an electrical conductor to supply an electrolysis current to the anode block, the anode assembly is fully contained in the confinement chamber, and in that the electrical connection between the mobile electrical conductor and the anode support is made within the confinement chamber.

Abstract: A process for producing alumina trihydrate includes a digestion step, a separation step, and a precipitation step the separation step including: b1) pretreating a slurry from the digestion step by adding a flocculant to said slurry and mixing the flocculant and the slurry, b2) settling the resulting flocculated slurry in a gravity settler vessel, b3) determining a measured value representative of the concentration of solid particles in the resulting clarified liquor, b4) comparing the measured value with a predetermined threshold, b5) feeding said clarified liquor directly to the precipitation step, while the measured value is less than said predetermined threshold, and b6) redirecting said clarified liquor to the pre-treatment step b1), when the measured value is more than said predetermined threshold. An installation may be configured for operating said process.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for treating a Bayer process waste comprising a slurry containing bauxite residue and dissolved aluminum. The process comprises supplying the waste to a settling area to cause the bauxite residue to settle out of the slurry, thereby producing a supernatant liquor. The process further comprises neutralizing the supernatant liquor with a solution containing magnesium and calcium to produce a neutralized slurry containing precipitated hydrotalcites and thickening the neutralized slurry to produce a clarified effluent and a compacted slurry containing the precipitated hydrotalcites, part of said compacted slurry being recirculated to the supernatant liquor to be neutralized and/or directly to the neutralizing step. The clarified effluent and the compacted slurry are disposed of separately. Also disclosed is a plant for treating a Bayer process waste.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a manufacturing process for an anode assembly intended for cells for the production of aluminum by electrolysis, the anode assembly being of the type having an anode rod, a longitudinal member interdependent with one end of the anode rod and a carbon anode including a cavity in which is housed the longitudinal member, the method comprising a formation phase of at least one sealed area filled with sealing material and at least one unsealed area devoid of sealing material, said at least one unsealed area extending to one of the longitudinal ends of the longitudinal member.

Abstract: The dual-function impeller can be rotated in molten metal in a direction of rotation, as part of a rotary injector. The impeller can have a body having an axis, a plurality of blades circumferentially interspaced around an axis, and an aperture coinciding with the axis. The blades having both a radially extending portion facing the direction of rotation and collectively generating a radial flow component upon said rotation, and a slanted portion also facing the direction of rotation, inclined relative to a radial plane, and collectively generating an axial flow component directed away from the rotary injector upon said rotation.

Abstract: A screw press includes a filter casing having inlet and outlet sections and a filter section therebetween. A screw is mounted in the casing for conveying a solid-liquid mixture from the inlet section to the outlet section while compressing the solid-liquid mixture and forcing at least part of a liquid content thereof to be expelled out of the filter casing. The casing and the screw are of modular construction. The filter section has at least first and second serially interconnectable filter sections, and the screw has at least first and second serially interconnectable screw sections respectively disposed in the first and second filter sections for joint rotation as a unitary component. The first and second screw sections have a continuous screw flight having a flight outside diameter. The first and second screw sections are detachably coupled to one another by a coupling provided at the outside diameter of the flight.

Abstract: Anode assembly (100) comprising an anode (3) and an anode support (4) for the production of aluminum, characterized in that the anode assembly (100) comprises an electrical connecting element (1) to electrically connect the anode support (4) with the anode (3), and at least one thermally insulating element (6) arranged to reduce heat transfer between the anode (3) and the anode support (4) during the production of aluminum.

Abstract: This aluminum smelter comprises a line of electrolytic cells arranged transversely to the line, one of the cells comprising anode assemblies and electrical conductors mounted and connecting the anode assemblies. Rising and connecting conductors extend upwardly along two opposite longitudinal edges of the cell. In addition, the aluminum smelter comprises a first electrical compensating circuit extending under the cell and which can be traversed by a first compensating current in the opposite direction to that of the electrolysis current, a second electrical compensating circuit extending on one side of the line that can be traversed by a second compensating current in the same direction as the electrolysis current.

Abstract: This aluminum smelter comprises a row of cells (50) arranged transversely in relation to the length of the row, the cells (50) individually comprising an anode (52), rising and connecting electrical conductors (54) running upwards along the two opposite longitudinal edges of the cell (50) to route the electrolysis current towards the anode (52), and a cathode (56) through which pass cathode conductors (55) connected to cathode outputs connected to linking conductors to route the electrolysis current to the rising and connecting electrical conductors of the next cell (50). Furthermore the aluminum smelter comprises a compensating electrical circuit separate from the electrical circuit through which the electrolysis current flows, running beneath the cells (50), through which a compensating current may flow beneath the cells (50) in a direction opposite to the overall direction of flow of the electrolysis current.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides Al—Si—Mg aluminum alloys comprising a deliberate addition of Mn between 0.05-0.40 weight percent to increase at least one tensile property (such as the yield strength) of an aluminum product comprising such alloy. The Al—Si—Mg alloy comprises, in weight percent, 5-9% Si, 0.35-0.75% Mg, 0.05-0.4% Mn, less than 0.15% Fe, up to 0.15% Ti, 0.005-0.03% Sr and the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities, wherein the unavoidable impurities may be present in an amount of up to 0.05% each and up to 0.15% total. The present disclosure provides a foundry ingot comprising the above Al—Si—Mg aluminum alloy, a process for making the above Al—Si—Mg aluminum alloy and an aluminum alloy obtainable by said process.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy for making an extruded and brazed aluminum product, the aluminum alloy comprising, in weight percent, 0.10-0.20 Zn to improve corrosion resistance, 0.9-1.2 Mn, 0.03-0.10 Mg, the sum of Mg and Mn being at least 0.99 to maintain or improve strength, 0.15 to 0.30 Fe to control grain size, up to 0.15 Si, up to 0.03 Cu, up to 0.04 Ti, the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. The alloy may be in the form of extrusion ingots or extruded and brazed aluminum products. A process for making an extruded and brazed aluminum product from the alloy involves homogenizing, extruding, optionally working, and brazing the alloy to form the product.

Abstract: An electrolysis device comprising a pot shell (3) and an inner lining (5) defining an opening (16) through which an anode block (15) suspended from an anode support (13, 17) forming an anode assembly (12) moves vertically by means of an anode receiver (25), said anode receiver being placed outside a space defined by the top of said anode block (15), said anode receiver comprising an anode contact surface (27) working in conjunction with the anode support (13, 17) to establish therewith electrical contact and mechanical contact to moving the anode assembly (12) vertically. An anode assembly (12). An electrolytic cell and an electrolysis installation comprising such an anode assembly.