Separation of metal droplets of aluminum and its alloys from molten salts by application of electrical potential
AssigneeThe Ohio State University
InventorsYogeshwar Sahai, Jian Ye
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Abstract
The invention relates to the application of an electric potential to a mixture of molten metal droplets, molten salts, and optionally certain fluoride salt additives, whereby the molten metal migrates toward one of the electrodes. The migration encourages increased coalescence of the droplets into larger particles, whereby increased recovery of the metal from the mixture is achieved.
Claims21
A method for increasing the yield of recovered metal from a solution of molten metal droplets and molten salt without dissociation or reduction of alumina, said method comprising the steps:
- (a) immersing a first and second electrodes into a solution comprising molten salt, at least one fluoride salt additive, and droplets of molten metal comprising aluminum;
- (b) applying an electrical potential between the electrodes, whereby the first electrode becomes the anode and the second electrode becomes the cathode, whereby the electrical potential induces the molten metal droplets to migrate toward the anode, and whereby the electrical potential is insufficient to dissociate or reduce alumina;
- and
- (c) collecting the molten metal at the anode.
A method of reducing the amount of waste dross generated per unit volume of recycled aluminum or aluminum alloys without dissociation or reduction of alumina, said method comprising:
- (a) immersing a first and second electrodes into a solution comprising molten salt, at least one fluoride salt additive, and molten droplets of aluminum or aluminum alloys, wherein the solution has a layer of dross on its surface;
- (b) applying an electrical potential between the electrodes, whereby the first electrode becomes the anode and the second electrode becomes the cathode, whereby the electrical potential induces the molten droplets to migrate toward the anode, and whereby the electrical potential is insufficient to dissociate or reduce alumina;
- and
- (c) collecting the molten aluminum or aluminum alloys at the anode, whereby the application of the electrical potential increases the yield of recovered molten aluminum or aluminum alloy, and whereby the amount of waste dross generated per unit volume of recovered aluminum or aluminum alloy is reduced relative to the amount of waste dross generated in the absence of the applied electrical potential.
A method for extending the useful life of a salt flux used in the recycling of aluminum or aluminum alloy without dissociation or reduction of alumina, said method comprising:
- (a) immersing a first and second electrodes into a salt flux solution comprising molten salt, at least one fluoride salt additive, and molten droplets of aluminum or aluminum alloy;
- (b) applying an electrical potential between the electrodes, whereby the first electrode becomes the anode and the second electrode becomes the cathode, whereby the electrical potential induces the molten droplets to migrate toward the anode, and whereby the electrical potential is insufficient to dissociate or reduce alumina;
- and
- (c) collecting the molten aluminum or aluminum alloy at the anode, whereby the application of the electrical potential increases the yield of recovered molten aluminum, and whereby the useful life of the salt flux solution is extended relative to the life of the salt flux in the absence of the applied electrical potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.