ESTIMATION OF ENERGY REQUIREMENTS AND ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION IN CONTINUOUS CASTING PROCESS FOR COPPER WIRE

摘要

Over the past 20 years, environmental issues have gained greater public recognition and new demands call for efficient material processing which has small amounts. Much effort recently has been expended to study the near net shape manufacturing technology used to fabricate products with required final tolerance. Continuous casting being a near net shape casting process for the production of copper wire rod eliminates the need for hot extrusion and heat treatment, consumes less energy. In addition, the continuous casting process offers a feasible method for of producing various hard to shape alloys. Therefore, in the present study, the energy requirements and atmospheric CO_2 emission for the production of copper wirerods with 8mm in diameter were investigated quantitatively with respect to continuous casting and conventional material processing including casting, extrusion and heat treatment. The continuous casting with small cross section can enhance the yield of copper wirerods manufacturing process from 61.4% to 99.6% when the productivity is similar. A twice of energy requirement and CO_2 were consumed and emitted in extrusion process when the yield of extrusion process is considered. The continuous casting process can save energy requirement not only during manufacturing process of wirerods but also during following wiredrawing process because intermediate annealing may be eliminated during wiredrawing process.