US 4,717,540 AGranted

Method and apparatus for dissolving nickel in molten zinc

AssigneeCominco Ltd.

InventorsDale L. McRae, Robert D. H. Willans, Eric L. Mawer

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Abstract

A rotatable device is suspended in a melt of zinc and the device is rotated to draw a vortex in the melt. The device comprises a hollow cylinder having an open top and a closed bottom. An array of openings in the cylinder side wall is adapted to allow zinc melt to pass through. Nickel is added in particulate form into the vortex in the device. The openings in the cylindrical wall are adapted to retain the nickel particulates in the device to be washed with molten zinc until the particulates are substantially dissolved. The temperature is kept at a minimal value, i.e., no superheat is required to dissolve the nickel homogeneously throughout the zinc melt. After the nickel is dissolved, the nickel-zinc melt is solidified in zinc slabs. The zinc slabs containing nickel have narrow standard deviations from their specification. The dissolving proceeds more efficiently with formation of less dross and less off-specification material, proceeds faster and in less time than heretofore possible, and allows production on a continuous basis.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for the dissolution of nickel in molten zinc which comprises the steps of establishing a melt of zinc in a vessel;

submerging a rotatable device in said melt;
said rotatable device consisting of a hollow cylinder having a side wall with an upper end and a lower end, said cylinder being open at the upper end and closed at the lower end, said side wall having an array of equispaced openings adapted to retain nickel added in particulate form in said device in said rotatable device and to allow said molten zinc to pass through said openings, and means attached to the bottom plate for rotation of the rotatable device;
rotating said rotatable device at a predetermined speed sufficient to draw at least a partial vortex in said melt of zinc and said rotatable device;
feeding nickel in particulate form into said vortex in an amount sufficient to provide a melt of desired composition of zinc containing dissolved nickel;
washing said nickel added in said device with said melt of zinc while rotating said device causing said molten zinc to flow into the top of said device and out through said openings;
said washing with molten zinc while rotating said device causing dissolution of said nickel in said rotatable device and formation of a melt of zinc containing said predetermined amount of nickel;
and withdrawing a melt of said desired composition from said vessel.

4 more elements

A method for dissolution of nickel in molten zinc which comprises the steps of establishing a melt of zinc in a vessel;

submerging a rotatable device in said melt;
said rotatable device comprising a hollow cylinder having a side wall with an upper end and a lower end, said cylinder being open at the upper end and closed at the lower end, said side wall having an array of equispaced openings adapted to allow said melt to pass through said openings, and said cylinder having a diameter relative to the diameter of the vessel in the range of about 1.5:1 to about 3.5:1;
rotating said cylinder at a predetermined speed in the range of about 100 to about 600 revolutions per minute sufficient to draw at least a partial vortex in said melt into said rotatable device, causing said melt to flow into the top of said device and out through said side wall openings;
adding a predetermined amount of nickel in particulate form in said rotatable device for the dissolution of said nickel in said molten zinc, said predetermined amount being sufficient to provide a melt of nickel and zinc of a desired composition;
and withdrawing said melt of desired composition from said vessel.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.