Metaullics Pumps - Pyrotek

MOLTEN METAL PUMP SYSTEMS

METAULLICS SYSTEMS
Established for over 50 years, Metaullics Systems has become a global leader in pumps and pump based systems for processing
and handling molten aluminium, zinc, magnesium and their respective commercial alloys.
Metaullics has a strong technical and innovative focus and is dedicated to providing practical solutions, service and support to
the non-ferrous industry. Its products provide improved productivity, lower operating costs and enhanced quality to metallurgical
plants world-wide.The head office and manufacturing facilities are located in the United States of America.
Metaullics Systems Europe with headquarters in The Netherlands provides warehousing, sales and distribution in Europe and the
Middle East supported by a network of agents and distributors able to offer direct technical support and service on a local basis.
Africa, Asia, and Australia are supported by a combination of distributors and agents.
Electromagnetic pumping technology is supplied worldwide by the group company EMP Technologies Ltd., located in the U.K.
Metaullics’ pump products are used by non-ferrous foundries, secondary smelters, primary smelters, die-casters and recyclers
throughout the world. New materials and proprietary designs have allowed the introduction of new products, systems and
services to a wide spectrum of aluminium, zinc, lead and magnesium operators world-wide.

MOLTEN METAL PUMP SYSTEMS
Molten metal pumps are used for three major industrial applications.These are to CIRCULATE
and to TRANSFER liquid metal and to MIX PROCESS GASSES with molten aluminium.
Circulation Pumps use mechanical technology to stir liquid metal in a furnace. They are
also an integral part of systems designed to melt light gauge aluminium scrap.
Continuously stirring a furnace with a circulation pump can increase production by 15 to
50%, reduce energy consumption by 10 to 20%, reduce melt losses due to oxidation and
extend furnace refractory life. Product quality is also improved since the alloy composition
and temperature of the metal in the furnace will be uniform.
Transfer Pumps move liquid metal from one location to another.
Their technology of operation allows them to work against gravity and the limitations it
imposes on gravity fed systems.
Transfer pump applications include furnace to furnace transfers, furnace to ladle transfers,
furnace to casting machine transfers and for pouring large castings.
Some pumps can be fitted with custom designed filters to deliver clean, filtered metal at the
immediate point of use. For galvanizers, pumps are used to empty galvanizing pots and kettles
in Hot Dip Galvanizing operations and to manage top dross accumulations in the snout of
Continuous Galvanizing Lines.
Transfer pumps improve plant safety by eliminating the need for furnace taps, and provide an
economic alternative to tilting furnaces. Productivity is improved by delivering metal directly
to the point of use and by pumping “on demand” with an easily controllable flow rate. Metal
is pumped through refractory lined pipe which results in minimal heat loss during the transfer.

CIRCULATION PUMPS
The basic design of a mechanical circulation pump is shown.
Most pumps are electrically driven, with the motor and motor mount
being connected to the submerged pumping chamber by support legs.
The motor turns a shaft fitted with an impeller in the pumping chamber
and discharges metal from the base of the pump beneath the surface of
the metal.
Materials of construction include graphite for the drive shaft, impeller and
base, ceramic protection sleeves for the graphite drive shaft, and full
ceramic support posts reinforced with high temperature steel rods.
Graphite parts are treated by Metaullics’ proprietary treatment to retard
oxidation.
This technology, known as Tensor ® Technology is illustrated.
Circulation pumps of this type and construction are used
in reverberatory furnaces that are usually equipped with
a sidewell charging area. The primary benefit of this type
of furnace is high recovery rates when charging high surface
area scrap.
This allows scrap charging, alloy additions, dross removal, and metallurgical
sampling to be done in the open well thereby eliminating a need to open
the furnace doors except for periodic cleaning.
Such a furnace requires forced circulation of hot metal from the hearth to
the charge well, with cold metal being circulated back into the hearth for
reheating.

GAS INJECTION PUMPS
A variation of the circulation pump is to equip it with a gas
injection feature. This allows degassing or magnesium
removal from the melt to be carried out.
The pump base is modified to accept a gas injection lance
positioned to introduce process gas directly into the high
velocity liquid metal exit stream. This causes the gas to be
disseminated into a mass of small bubbles with a large
cumulative reactive surface area, offering
ideal conditions for efficient interaction
between the process gas and metal.
Gas injection pumps can inject up to 250 kg
of chlorine per hour into the molten bath
without releasing pollution into the
atmosphere.

TRANSFER PUMPS
The general layout of a transfer pump is shown. Pumps can be driven by an electric
motor or an air motor. Choice is generally determined by the sensitivity of control
required, the discharge volume needed or the metal head to be achieved. Several
sizes are available depending on the required flow rates and lift.The pumps share
many common features with the circulation pumps but have their bases modified
for discharge to a hollow vertical cylinder known as the riser. Liquid metal is
pumped above the liquid metal line of the furnace for discharge to the end use
point.The pump remains in a furnace well and is activated whenever metal delivery
is required. Transfer pumps are used in the aluminium and zinc industries for
furnace to furnace transfers, furnace to ladle transfers, furnace to casting machine
transfers, and to pour sows or large castings. Flow rates for aluminium transfer can
range from 40 kg/minute to 5000 kg/minute. Most applications simply lift metal
over the edge of the furnace. However, the high pressure capabilities of these
pumps have allowed some users to pump metal as high as 8 meters.

FILTER PUMPS
Several transfer pump models are designed to be
fitted with molten metal filters over the pump
intake. This results in clean, filtered metal being
delivered. This is especially useful to the die casting
industry where quality requirements demand the cleanest
possible metal.
INSULATED PIPING
An essential element for success in transferring liquid metal is to have a
system which ensures the metal is delivered to the point of use without
freezing. Refractory lined piping with low thermal mass linings has been
developed which has an optimum of good insulation properties and long life
for various applications. Piping is available in straight and elbow sections so
that metal flow can be routed around or over obstacles if required. Although
most transfers are relatively short, distances of up to 25 meters are possible.

OTHER APPLICATIONS
TRANSFER PUMPS FOR DROSS MANAGEMENT
IN CONTINUOUS GALVANIZING
New super alloys specifically designed for long service life
in liquid zinc alloys used in the Continuous Galvanizing
process are making it possible to use all metal pumps to
help the industry improve surface finish quality.
Transfer pumps with specially modified inlets and outlets
are able to remove the surface drosses which build up in
the inaccessible snout area where the hot steel strip enters
the liquid zinc alloy.
It is essential for the zinc alloy surface to be kept clean so
that dross is not picked up by the steel strip as it enters the
zinc.This is done as shown in the diagram.
METAULLICS PUSH - PULL SYSTEM:
IMPROVED COATING QUALITY BY REMOVING SURFACE DROSS

TRANSFER PUMPS FOR MAGNESIUM
The family of super alloys developed for Continuous
Galvanizing applications has a member with properties
ideal for use in liquid magnesium.
Essential requirements of any system used in magnesium
are thermal stability and high strength at operating
temperatures, especially when long pumps are used.
Metaullics Systems’ super alloy for magnesium applications
is dimensionally stable at 700°C. Furthermore, its tensile
strength is higher at 700°C than it is at room temperature.
Finally, Metaullics’ 50 years of experience designing and
building pumps for molten metal applications insures that
the pumps will be user friendly, work well, and be reliable
in magnesium.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
The strong innovative focus of Metaullics Systems ensures
a steady and continuous stream of new developments,
applications and improved systems for a wide range of
non-ferrous metals.
New pump and pump component designs, new materials
and new concepts for simply doing things better are
evaluated continuously. Innovations such as gas injection
pumps, LOTUSS melting systems, Tensor Technology and
new super alloys for molten metal applications are just a
few of the many products that Metaullics has introduced
to the industry.

SYSTEMS FOR MELTING
LIGHTWEIGHT SCRAP
A popular application for the circulation pump is to aid in melting light gauge, flowable scrap.
Metaullics has developed a system, known as LOTUSS (LOw TUrbulence Scrap
Submegence), which operates in a reverberatory furnace fitted with a sidewell.The system
is comprised of a circulation pump and a specially profiled refractory melting chamber
placed downstream of the pump discharge.
The system creates a vortex having sufficient downward force to quickly submerge the
lightest metal scrap into the hot liquid metal which is supplied by the pump.
Systems have been installed on furnaces ranging from 10 to 150 tonnes capacity and offer
scrap melting rates of 1 to 18 tonnes/hour.

A SUMMARY OF THE USES,BENEFITS AND CAPABILITIES
USES BENEFITS CAPABILITIES
Transfer pumps • Fill transfer ladles • Improved safety • Pumping rates up to 4,5 t/min (aluminium)
• Furnace to furnace transfer • Increased productivity • Lift metal 7 meter
• Pouring sows, ingot or large castings • Improved quality • Transfer metal up to 24 m through insulated pipe
• Emergency pump-outs • Faster transfer
• Less heat loss
Filter pumps • Fill transfer ladles • All the benefits of transfer pumps • Pumping rates up to 1.5 ton/min (aluminium)
• Pouring sows, ingot, or large castings • Delivers clean, filtered metal
• Protects pump from contaminates in the metal
• Lift metal up to 2 meters
Circulation pumps To circulate: • Increase metal yield • Pumping rates up to 20 t/min (aluminium)
• Sidewell furnaces • Increase furnace production by 15 to 50% • Continuous operation
• Direct charge melters • Energy saving of 10 to 20% • Operating temperatures to 870°C
• Tilting furnaces • Improved quality
• Holding furnaces • Longer refractory life
• Homogeneous metal
Gas Injection Pumps • Furnace circulation • All the benefits of circulation pumps • Pumping rates up to 20 t/min (aluminium)
• Degassing • Pollution free demagging • Can be used with N2, Ar or Cl2
• Demagging • Excellent mixing of process gas and metal • Cl2 Injection rates up to 250 kg/h
• Alkali metal reduction • Continuous process • Continuous operation

Metaullics Systems Europe B.V.
Ebweg 14
2991 LT Barendrecht
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)180 590 890
Fax: +31 (0)180 551 040
www.metaullics.com
e-mail: info@metaullics.nl
Metaullics Systems Co. LP.
31935 Aurora Road
Solon, Ohio 44139
United States
Tel: +1 440 349 88 00
Fax: +1 440 248 34 32
www.metaullics.com
e-mail: info@metaullics.com
© Metaullics 2004
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