Method of segregating metallic components and impurities

• Main Author: BOWMAN; KENNETH A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.03.1990
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLIDMATERIALS OR FLUIDS; METALLURGY; OTHER SEPARATING BY DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL,e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS; PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS; SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; SEPERATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, ORSIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SORTING; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS

In a process of fragmenting and segregating metallic components fabricated from different aluminum alloys, a method of removing tramp impurities therefrom is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a feedstock comprised of the metallic components having mixed therewith tramp impurities, the alloys having different incipient melting temperatures. The feedstock is heated to effect incipient melting of the component having the lowest incipient melting temperature and is then agitated sufficiently to cause the component having the lowest incipient melting temperature to fragment. The agitation also causes the fragmented component to scour tramp impurities from the unfragmented feedstock. The fragmented components and tramp impurities are segregated from the unfragmented feedstock and fragmented components are separated from the tramp impurities.