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- Pyrometallurgy (2)
- Tantalum (2)
- Aggregetes (1)
- Alite (1)
- Carbide formation (1)
- Carbon feeding (1)
- Coatings (1)
- Corrosion (1)
- Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (1)
- Natural resources (1)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
Tricalcium-silicate (C3S) or Alite is the most important mineral in Portland cement. Since pure tricalcium-silicate is only stable above temperatures of 1250 °C, its decomposition has to be prevented technically by fast cooling after the sintering process. At room temperature, the decomposition velocity is very slow so that metastable tricalcium-silicate is obtained.
Although the mechanisms of clinker phase formation during burning process of Portland cement in a rotary kiln were solved and improved over the years, in view of possible economic and ecological benefits current projects aim to produce clinker phases from metallurgical slags. Recent studies discovered that the mineral phase which remained after a reducing treatment and separation of formed metallic iron from molten Linz-Donawitz (LD-) slags contained about 60 wt.% Alite despite it was cooled slowly. Because the results could be verified using slags from different origins and varying cooling velocities a chemical stabilisation of the Alite can be assumed. First tests in mortars indicate that workability, hardening and solid state properties are comparable with an ordinary Portland cement. An application of the observed phenomenon in cement production requires enhanced knowledge about formation and stabilisation conditions of Alite during crystallisation from melts in contrast to the sintering reactions in conventional Portland cement production. Therefore, this study focuses on the stabilisation mechanisms of Alite in consolidating melts. Samples from different melting experiments are analysed to determine stabilising factors.
The environmental concerns about availability of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas effect increase and alternative renewable fuels for power plants are gaining significantly of importance. One of the alternative renewable fuels is biomass but it is a difficult fuel because of its diversity and complexity. It can contain high percentages of K and Cl responsible for corrosion together with sand that have additionally an abrasive effect during combustion. Because of permanently extending the surface reaction due to abrasion the corrosion of the materials increases. In particular in power plants, the superheater tubes are exposed to a corrosive abrasive attack that is one of the main sources of concern. The development of new alloys for multilayer surface, which combines corrosive and abrasive resistance is therefore of high importance. Those new technical approaches must be at the same time cost-effective to be an alternative to conventional materials. This paper presents the principle of experimental methods developed for the investigations of high temperature corrosion combined with abrasion in thermochemical processes with high hydrochloric acid concentrations like during biomass combustion. The aim of the presented investigation methods it to test and develop suitable alloys for coatings for the super heater tubes of biomass power plants. First results of abrasion investigations show improved abrasion resistance compared to the multi-component reference material Alloy 625.
An existing pyrometallurgical process for tantalum and niobium recovery, mainly from low grade pyrometallurgical residues, was investigated. Series of melting experiments were carried out in a pilot-scale electric arc furnace to study how the amount, the grain size and the way of feeding affect the activity of carbon as a reducing agent. During the pyrometallurgical treatment refractory metals such as tantalum and niobium are reduced to their carbide form and enriched in the molten iron-based metal phase. The cooled down slag and metal phase were analysed to investigate thermodynamic and kinetic conditions of the carbide formation. FACT Sage simulations were also used to investigate the material system in state of thermodynamic equilibrium. Results show that mass transfer and kinetics may play an important role if compared to equilibrium analyses using FACT Sage.
Tantalum and niobium are essential for the development of electronics towards a more and more compact design, but without reducing their performance today. Especially in smart phones and tablets, tantalum and niobium capacitors with high charge densities have already become almost indispensable. However, tantalum as a critical raw material is still a problem for the sustainable production of electronics. Due to this fact, the existence of efficient recycling processes especially in Europe is becoming even more important nowadays.
The Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) is currently working on the optimisation of an existing pyrometallurgical tantalum recycling process. Optimisation of this industrial process is carried out in a small-scale electric arc furnace (480 kVA, capacity approx. 150 kg/h) at BAM using a new and innovative equipment for on-line analysis of high temperature processes.
The aim of this project is to identify the best timing for an optimum slag tapping, when the slag is lower than minimum targeted tantalum concentration. Hence, LIBS (Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy) is used to identify the chemical composition of the slag layer and during slag tapping. The on-line-LIBS prototype of BAM enables an in-situ measurement of the element distribution in the melt after calibration on the slag system.
First results of this joint research project will be presented including LIBS-measurements and thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the process.