Abstract Aluminum-silicon alloys having an aluminum content greater than 50 weight percent aluminum are prepared by the thermal reduction of a furnace feed comprising alumina- and silica-bearing ores and elemental silicon to form aluminum alloys. The furnace feed is characterized by containing specified amounts of water of hydration in relation to the total amount of silica and alumina present, a specified amount of elemental silicon in relation to the total amount of silica and alumina and the feed has a silica to alumina ratio falling within specified limits. The thermal reduction is carried out by applying a rate of throughput of materials fast enough to effect dehydration while at the same time minimizing subsequent densification and induration in such a way that the furnace feed does not become fully calcined prior to introduction into the reaction zone of the furnace.
Inventors
👤 Walther Schmidt
👤 Hubert Martin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-07 12:22
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B21/00; C22B21/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of the charge is in briquetted form and the elemental silicon is evenly distributed throughout the briquetted matter with silicon particles substantially passing No. 10 U. S. Standard mesh.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the carbonaceous reductant is present in amounts of at least 80 percent of the theoretical amount necessary for complete reduction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the ratio of alumina to silica is between 2.8 and 4.8.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the silicon is 10-20 percent of the total weight of silica and alumina.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a portion of the silicon is replaced by intermetallic complexes of silicon chemically combined with iron, titanium, and aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein 65-85 percent of the silicon is provided as free elemental silicon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a process for the thermal reduction of alumina- and silica-bearing ores in the presence of elemental silicon and a carbonaceous reductant wherein the charge is heated in a reduction furnace having a furnace shaft and An electrode until the ores are reduced to the metallic state, the improvement which comprises introducing the alumina- and silica-bearing ores into said furnace in a substantially hydrated condition, such that the water of hydration is between 6-40 weight percent of the total amount of alumina and silica charged; controlling the ratio of alumina and silica such that it ranges from 2.5-6 parts of alumina per part of silica; maintaining the elemental silicon in amounts ranging from 6-23 weight percent of the total amount of alumina and silica in the feed; and applying a throughput of the charge fast enough: (a) for said charge to travel approximately two-thirds of the shaft depth from the top of the furnace in approximately 1 1/2 hours, and (b) to effect its substantially complete reduction within approximately three hours time between its entering at said top and its being ready for tapping in the metallic state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The process of claim 8, wherein said throughput is controlled by controlling the dimensional characteristics of the ring-shaped cross-sectional area between said shaft and said electrode, said area being calculated by dividing the hourly charge weight by the rate of descent of said charge and by the bulk density of said charge.