Equipment Description
Major is licensed by Rio Tinto Aluminium Limited to manufacture and sell Siphon Systems for transferring molten metal from transfer crucibles into holding furnaces. Siphon Pipe Design, PLC controlled vacuum system, siphon raise - lower systems are all covered by this license.
Rio Tinto Aluminium, who manage primary aluminium smelters at Boyne Island and Bell Bay in Australia and Tiwai Point in New Zealand, together with Major, have jointly developed siphon pipe handling systems, their structures and the lifting and lowering mechanisms.
Tests with the fully operational system have demonstrated a reduction of some 75% of dross make due to the enhanced, non-turbulent flow achieved through siphon metal transfer.
The siphoning system is a PLC controlled vacuum system which transfers metal via a siphoning method from one bath of liquid metal to another.
The Main Elements of the System:
PLC Controlled Vacuum System
The system incorporates a PLC system to control the vacuum which enables metal to be transferred at set flowrates through the siphon pipe.
Siphon Lifting Mechanism
- Provides concise alignment of siphon pipe into the furnace
- Permits clear vehicle clearance when siphon pipe is parked
- Safety latch mechanism retains the siphon pipe in parked position
- Enables the operator to have clear view of siphon pipe during raising and lowering
Siphon Roller Post
Guides siphon pipe into furnace port.
Siphon Pipe Heating System
Pre-heat burner on post heats siphon pipe raised in parked position
References
The Rio Tinto Aluminium siphoning system is successfully installed at the following primary aluminium plants:
- Boyne Smelters, Queensland, Australia
- Sohar Aluminium, Sohar, Oman
Complementary Technologies:
Crucible Tilting System
Can be used to enable the transfer crucible to be tilted adjacent to the holding furnace, freeing up the crucible transfer vehicle to transport other crucibles during siphoning.
Siphon Pipe Cleaning System
An essential part of the system which can be supplied by Major.
Siphon Pipe Transport/Changeover Vehicle
- Single operator siphon pipe changeover
- Delivers clean siphon pipe and changes used pipe in single setup
- Clamps used pipe and transports to cleaning station
- Moves clean siphon to roller post station
- Safe and quick siphon pipe changeover
Tilting Rotary Furnace
The Dross generated by subsequent metal handling processes can be safely and efficiently processed in our tilting rotary furnace, thus saving further metal loss.
Reverberatory Melting and Holding Furnaces
Major supplies an extensive range of reverberatory melting and holding furnaces from 1 tonne to 80 tonne capacity and can retrofit existing reverberatory furnaces to accommodate siphon systems.
