THE EVOLUTION OF FURNACE OPERATIONS IN ALCAN SMELTER CASTSHOPS

摘要

The majority of the Alcan smelter casting centers consist of two furnaces that feed one casting machine. The annual capacity of many of these machines has been constantly growing over the years due to the increased casting frequency of larger drops. Furnaces have been enlarged while at the same time, furnace cycle times have been reduced. The ability to produce larger and larger batches in shorter and shorter times while maintaining or improving metal cleanliness and reducing emissions and dross formation has been accomplished through improvements to all phases of the furnace preparation cycle from molten metal charging, scrap melting, alloying additions, stirring and fluxing. These improvements, as well as a view towards the future, are the subject of this paper.