Highly efficient Fe separation induced by Fe-containing particle agglomeration in Al-7Si-0.3Mg alloy melt
Xiaozu Zhang, Dongtao Wang, Hiromi Nagaumi, Rui Wang, Zibin Wu, Xinzhong Li, Haitao Zhang
Abstract
In this paper, the melt turbulence process was introduced to result in Fe-containing particle agglomeration and achieve highly efficient Fe separation in Al-Si alloy melt. Microstructure analysis, 3D-morphology extraction, X-ray microscopy (μCT) analysis were conducted to discuss the phenomenon and mechanism of Fe-containing particle agglomeration. The experimental results indicate that the Fe-containing particle is suitable for separation due to the high precipitation temperature and particulate morphology. Then, the intervention of rotor stirring greatly promotes collision, adhesion and agglomeration of Fe-containing particles during sedimentation separation. The Fe-containing particle agglomeration showed a maximum diameter of 1650 μm and a 67.67% reduction of Fe were obtained after rotor stirring. When the sedimentation separation is intervened by rotor stirring and argon blowing, the agglomeration effect of Fe-containing particles further promotes. The Fe-containing particle agglomeration shows the maximum size of 1800 μm and a high Fe separation efficiency of 74.46% were obtained. The simultaneously exerting of rotor stirring and argon blowing promotes the formation of agglomeration attached by small Fe-containing particles, which also contributes to higher Fe separation efficiency. These results provided a new sight to achieve high Fe separation efficiency in Al-Si alloy melt by industrially viable methods.