Fractional Crystallization Patents (Class 75/679)
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Patent number: 8313554Abstract: A method for the separation of a dispersion of molten aluminium and solid inclusions formed from a melt of aluminium containing one or more foreign chemical elements. Molten aluminium surrounding the solid inclusions is at least essentially replaced by a molten salt.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbHInventors: Paul Alexander De Vries, Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters, Marcellus Albertus Hogenboom
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Patent number: 8202347Abstract: A manufacturing process for a remelt block containing aluminum designed for making aluminum alloy for the aircraft industry in which scrap containing mainly aluminum alloys used in the aircraft industry is supplied during a supply stage, the scrap is melted in a smelting furnace in order to obtain an initial molten metal bath during a smelting stage, the initial molten metal bath is subjected to purification by fractional crystallization in order to obtain a solidified mass and a bath of residual liquid during a segregation stage, and the solidified mass is recovered in order to obtain a remelt block during a recovery stage. The invention is particularly useful for the recycling of aluminum alloys used in the aircraft industry as it makes it possible to purify scrap of series 2XXX or series 7XXX alloys for iron and silicon, without eliminating additive elements such as zinc, copper and magnesium.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2007Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Constellium FranceInventors: Jean-Francois Verdier, Jean-Remi Butruille, Michel Leroy, Didier Valax
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Patent number: 7955414Abstract: A method and device for the purification and separation of purified metal from a metal mother liquid having a specific density and comprising one or more foreign element(s). The method includes: providing in a column device a starting material including metal crystals and a metal mother liquid including at least one foreign element; applying a temperature difference between a relatively hot zone at the upper end of the column and a relatively cool zone at the lower end of the column; a separation step wherein at least a part of the metal crystals is separated from the metal mother liquid by rising of the metal crystals to the upper surface of the metal mother liquid; and a further separation step wherein purified metal floating on the upper surface of the metal mother liquid is discharged from the column device.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2007Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbHInventors: Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters, Andreas Ten Cate, Elisabeth Maria Beunder, Willem Boender, Marcellus Albertus Hogenboom, René Kieft, Joost Christiaan Storm
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Patent number: 7892318Abstract: Method for purifying molten metal having a specific density and including one or more foreign elements to be removed, by (a) cooling the molten metal to a eutectic temperature to simultaneously form purified metal crystals and crystals including at least one foreign element, and (b) separating at least some of the purified metal crystals from the crystals including at least one foreign element by adjusting the molten metal specific density within a range delimited by a lower value being specific density of the purified metal crystals and an upper limit being specific density of the crystals including the at least one foreign element. The molten metal specific density is adjusted to this range by addition of a metal to alter the molten metal specific density and maintained within this range during separation. The method is advantageously applicable for purification of aluminium melts from recycle aluminium and aluminium scraps.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbH c/o K+P TreuhandgesellschaftInventors: Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters, Andreas Ten Cate, Elisabeth Maria Beunder, Willem Boender, Marcellus Albertus Hogenboom, René Kieft, Joost Christiaan Storm
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Publication number: 20100024602Abstract: Method for purifying molten metal having a specific density and including one or more foreign elements to be removed, by (a) cooling the molten metal to a eutectic temperature to simultaneously form purified metal crystals and crystals including at least one foreign element, and (b) separating at least some of the purified metal crystals from the crystals including at least one foreign element by adjusting the molten metal specific density within a range delimited by a lower value being specific density of the purified metal crystals and an upper limit being specific density of the crystals including the at least one foreign element. The molten metal specific density is adjusted to this range by addition of a metal to alter the molten metal specific density and maintained within this range during separation. The method is advantageously applicable for purification of aluminium melts from recycle aluminium and aluminium scraps.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2007Publication date: February 4, 2010Applicant: ALERIS SWITZWERLAND GMBHInventors: Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters, Andreas Ten Cate, Elisabeth Maria Beunder, Willem Boender, Marcellus Albertus Hogenboom, Rene Kieft, Joost Christiaan Storm
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Patent number: 7648559Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fractional crystallization of an at most partially solidified molten metal, in which a layer of at most partially solidified molten metal having an upper surface and a lower surface is divided into a series of compartments communicating with each other, in which the metal is stirred in at least some of the compartments, and in which crystals formed and/or existing in the layer of metal are selectively transported in a predetermined direction and molten metal is selectively transported in the opposite direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbH c/o K+P TreuhangesellschaftInventors: Paul Alexander De Vries, Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters
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Patent number: 7537639Abstract: Method of cooling an at most partially solidified molten metal during fractional crystallization wherein metal crystals formed have a purer composition than that of the molten metal. Salt in solid form is used to cool the at most partially solidified molten metal.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2004Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbHInventors: Paul Alexander De Vries, Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters, Martinus Leonardus Rutten, Volker Gerhard Aurich, Johannes Hendrikus Ten Have
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Patent number: 7531023Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the purification of a molten metal containing one or more foreign elements. The molten metal is cooled to a eutectic temperature to simultaneously form purified metal crystals and crystals containing at least one foreign element, and at least some of the crystals containing at least one foreign element are separated from the purified metal crystals by using a solid-solid separation technique.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2005Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbHInventor: Paul Alexander De Vries
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Patent number: 7419530Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fractional crystallization of an at most partially solidified molten metal. According to the invention a layer of at most partially solidified molten metal to be crystallized is cooled by a layer of cooling liquid, which is present above and/or below the layer of at most partially solidified molten metal so as to crystallize the molten metal.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbH c/o K+P TreuhangesellschaftInventors: Paul Alexander De Vries, Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters
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Patent number: 6406515Abstract: An aluminum bloom more than 99.95% pure is obtained by segregation of aluminum from an impure parent liquor. Heat supplied to the parent liquor during growth of the bloom is adjusted as a function of the height of the bloom.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2001Date of Patent: June 18, 2002Assignee: Aluminium PechineyInventor: Michel Leroy
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Patent number: 6398845Abstract: A method for purifying aluminum to provided which comprises the steps of maintaining aluminum as a starting material in a molten condition in N+1 vessels; wherein N+1 vessels for molten aluminum and N cooling bodies are provided which are immersed in molten aluminum in the vessels and upon which highly purified aluminum is crystallized on the surfaces thereof. The N+1 vessels are arranged sequentially from 1-st to (N+1)-th and the N cooling bodies are sequentially arranged from 1-st to N-th, respectively, and the vessels and cooling bodies are moved relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, LimitedInventors: Hiroshi Tabuchi, Ichiro Tanaka, Akihiko Takahashi, Hidemitsu Shimizu
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Patent number: 6156092Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing high purity aluminum by immersing a cooling body in molten aluminum, and forming and growing crystals of the high purity aluminum on the cooling body by rotating the molten aluminum around the cooling body and introducing bubbles of a gas into the rotating molten aluminum.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1998Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, LimitedInventors: Ichiro Tanaka, Hiroshi Tabuchi, Akihiko Takahashi
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Patent number: 6156095Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing high purity aluminum by immersing a cooling body in molten aluminum, and forming and growing crystals of the high purity aluminum on the cooling body by rotating the cooling body and introducing bubbles of a gas into the rotating molten aluminum by the rotation of the cooling body.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1998Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, LimitedInventors: Ichiro Tanaka, Hiroshi Tabuchi, Akihiko Takahashi
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Patent number: 5573574Abstract: A process for obtaining aluminum of purity above 99.998%. A liquid aluminum raw material is subjected to a fractional crystallization to obtain prepurified aluminum crystals in a yield of between 50 and 80% and a liquid aluminum portion of lesser purity. The prepurified aluminum crystals are subjected to a three-layer electrolysis process in which the uppermost layer comprises a cathodic purified aluminum layer. The aluminum of purity above 99.998% is removed from the uppermost layer at a yield of above 90%, the aluminum having a total rare earth content of less than 100 ppb and a total content of U+Th of less than 20 ppb.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 1995Date of Patent: November 12, 1996Assignee: Aluminium PechineyInventor: Michel Leroy
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Patent number: 5110352Abstract: An aluminum material for use as an electronic material is produced by a method comprising the steps of melting aluminum inevitably containing U and Th to obtain molten aluminum, holding the molten aluminum heated at a temperature above the solidification temperature thereof, and immersing a hollow rotary cooling member in the molten aluminum and rotating the cooling member in the molten aluminum while maintaining the surface of the cooling member at a temperature lower than the solidification temperature by supplying a cooling fluid to the interior of the cooling member to cause aluminum to crystallize out on the surface of the cooling member with reduced U and Th contents.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1991Date of Patent: May 5, 1992Assignee: Showa Aluminum CorporationInventors: Kazuo Toyoda, Masao Maeda