2001 Technology for a Sustainable Environment: NSF/EPA Partnership for Environmental Research: Dross Formation During the Oxidation of Molten Aluminum

在二次铝加工过程中，反射炉中铝的氧化导致渣滓的形成，其中含有金属形式的铝，被困在其氧化物中。其中有害的影响是铝的损失，促进铝产品的冶金缺陷和降低炉效率，由于渣层的保温作用。该项目建议通过对熔融铝合金在熔炉环境中氧化的数值和实验研究来研究导致渣滓形成的传输过程。目标将是确定最佳的炉条件，将最大限度地减少渣滓的形成。该项目由芝加哥伊利诺伊大学和天然气技术研究所合作完成。减少垃圾形成有潜力显著提高能源效率和减少该行业的浪费，该行业生产的铝占美国铝产量的三分之一。

During secondary aluminum processing, oxidation of the aluminum in reverberatory furnaces leads to the formation of dross, which contains aluminum in metallic form that is entrapped within its oxide. Among the detrimental effects are loss of aluminum, promotion of metallurgical defects in aluminum products and reduced furnace efficiency, due to the insulation effects of the dross layer. The PI proposes to study the transport processes that lead to dross formation through a numerical and experimental study of the oxidation of molten aluminum alloys in a furnace environment. The goal will be to determine optimal furnace conditions that will minimize the formation of dross. The project is collaborative between the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Gas Technology Institute. Reduction of dross formation has potential for significant increases in energy efficiency and reduction of waste in this industry, which produces 1/3 of the aluminum produced in the United States.