Two-stage aluminum refining vessel

An improved two-stage aluminum refining vessel having an insulated shell with bottom and side walls impervious to molten aluminum, comprising:

• (a) a central baffle member positioned so as to separate the space within said refining vessel into two aluminum refining compartment sections;
• (b) a first stage aluminum refining compartment within said refining vessel and having a front end, back end and an outer side wall, said central baffle member comprising the inner side wall of said first stage aluminum refining compartment, which is capable of receiving a first spinning nozzle assembly for the injection of sparging gas into molten aluminum during aluminum refining operations in said refining vessel;
• (c) inlet means located at the front end of said first stage aluminum refining compartment for introducing molten aluminum thereto;
• (d) a second stage aluminum refining compartment within said defining vessel and having a front end, back end and outer side wall, said central baffle member comprising the inner side wall of said second stage aluminum refining compartment, which is capable of receiving a second spinning nozzle assembly for the injection of sparging gas into molten aluminum during aluminum refining operations in said refining vessel, said first and second stage aluminum refining compartments thus being positioned in a side-to-side relationship within the refining vessel, the front end of said second stage aluminum refining compartment being located at the same side of the vessel as said front end of the first stage aluminum refining compartment;
• (e) outlet means located at the front end of said second stage aluminum refining compartment for withdrawing molten aluminum therefrom;
• (f) a cross-over opening in said central baffle member to enable passage of molten aluminum therethrough from said first stage aluminum refining compartment to said second stage aluminum refining compartment during continuous aluminum refining operations within said refining vessel, said first and second stage aluminum refining compartments being essentially free of obstructions apart from the spinning nozzle assemblies positioned therein during the refinery operations;
• and
• (g) means for separating floating dross from the molten aluminum stream that is treated in said refining vessel,
• whereby said two-stage refining vessel is desirably compact, convenient to install and operate, and free of obstructions apart from the gas distribution means employed therein upon use of said vessel in aluminum refining operations, said vessel being such that the flow direction through the system can readily be reversed.