Recovery of metal from glass cloth filters and the like

Abstract

Abstract FOR RECOVERY OF ALUMINUM METAL FROM GLASS CLOTH THAT HAS BEEN USED TO FILTER THE METAL AND HAS BECOME AT LEAST PARTIALLY COATED THEREWITH, THE COATED GLASS CLOTH IS INTRODUCED TO A HEEL OF MOLTEN ALUMINUM IN AN INDUCTION FURNACE, TOGETHER WITH AN AMOUNT OF SALT FLUX AT LEAST EQUAL IN WEIGHT TO THE NONMETALLIC CONTENT (INCLUDING THE GLASS CLOTH) OF THE COATED CLOTH WHILE THE HEEL IS CONTINUOUSLY HEATED AND CIRCULATED BY ELECTRICAL INDUCTION. THE METAL COATING THE CLOTH MELTS AND COALESCES WITH THE HEEL, WHILE THE GLASS CLOTH IS BROKEN UP BY THE CIRCULATION OF THE METAL HEEL AND BECOMES MIXED WITH THE FLUX. WHEN THE OPERATION IS COMPLETED AND CURRENT SUPPLY TO THE FURNACE IS SHUT OFF, THE FLUX AND OTHER NONMETALLICS INCLUDING THE PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED GLASS CLOTH SEPARATE FROM THE METAL OF THE HEEL AS A DISCRETE AND READILY REMOVABLE LAYER. THE METAL FROM THE CLOTH, HAVING BECOME MIXED WITH AND AUGMENTED THE HEEL, IS RECOVERED BY WITHDRAWING FROM THE FURNACE AT LEAST PART OF THE MOLTEN HEEL.

Inventors

• 👤 H Spoel

Bibliographic Details