Major - Aluminum Siphon System

Equipment Description

Major is licensed by Rio Tinto Alcan 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 Alcan, 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.

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 Alcan siphoning system is 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 Transfer of Liquid Aluminium from transfer crucibles to aluminium holding furnaces
• Other Applications on request

• Safer molten metal transfer practices
• Reduction of metal loss of around 75% of dross make due to the hot metal transferring operation
• Automated vacuum control system utilising PLC
• Low residual of aluminium remaining in transfer crucibles