Preparation of a manganese additive for the production of aluminum alloys and method of adding same

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of manganese additive, and discloses a preparation of a manganese element additive for producing an aluminum alloy and an adding method thereof; manganese element additives are pre-added at a feeding port of a smelting furnace, and aluminum liquid is added through the feeding port; the manganese element additives comprise manganese powder, a dissolving aid and a bonding agent; the dissolving aid is selected from one or more of aluminum powder or fluoroaluminate; the fluoroaluminate is potassium fluoroaluminate and / or sodium fluoroaluminate; and the bonding agent is selected from one or more of magnesium stearate or sodium stearate. The preparation of the manganese element additive for producing the aluminum alloy and the adding method thereof can solve the problems of low actual yield and instability of the manganese element additive and long smelting time in the adding process in the prior art, and provide a technical means with higher purity, more convenient production and better adding effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of manganese additive technology, and more specifically, to a method for preparing and adding manganese element additives for the production of aluminum alloys. Background Technology

[0002] Aluminum alloys are alloys based on aluminum with the addition of certain amounts of other alloying elements, and are one of the lightweight metal materials. With the development of science and technology and living standards, the performance requirements for aluminum alloys are becoming increasingly stringent. Manganese is one of the important additive elements in aluminum alloys; the addition of manganese can improve the toughness and strength of aluminum alloys. Therefore, the application and demand for manganese additives in aluminum alloys are increasing.

[0003] Manganese additives are mainly composed of manganese powder and fluxing agents, and are produced through batching, mixing, and pressing. When adding manganese additives to aluminum alloys, they are usually added to the furnace after the aluminum is fed into the furnace. Through prolonged high-temperature mixing and melting, the manganese is incorporated into the aluminum alloy. However, using the above-mentioned manganese additives and addition methods requires a long melting process to ensure that the manganese is fully mixed into the aluminum alloy material. Furthermore, the actual amount of manganese incorporated into the final aluminum alloy material is difficult to control, leading to unstable product performance.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a manganese additive and a method for adding manganese to aluminum alloys in a more convenient and stable manner. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this invention:

[0006] In the casting process of aluminum alloys, manganese is typically added to improve the overall toughness and strength of the alloy. Currently, manganese additives are usually added during the aluminum alloy raw material powder mixing stage, either by mixing manganese powder into the raw material or by adding the manganese additive after the aluminum alloy powder has been added to the furnace, followed by high-temperature mixing and melting to incorporate the manganese into the aluminum alloy material. However, these processes require a significant amount of time for melting, suffer from unstable yield rates, and are cumbersome, difficult, and dangerous.

[0007] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0008] This invention provides a method for adding manganese element additives for the production of aluminum alloys, wherein manganese element additives are first pre-added at the feed inlet of the smelting furnace, and then molten aluminum is added through the feed inlet.

[0009] The manganese additive includes manganese powder, a co-solvent, and a binder. The co-solvent is selected from one or more of aluminum powder or fluoroaluminates, and the fluoroaluminates are potassium fluoroaluminate and / or sodium fluoroaluminate. The binder is selected from one or more of magnesium stearate or sodium stearate.

[0010] Preferably, the smelting furnace is preheated before adding the manganese additive.

[0011] Preferably, the amount of manganese additive added is equal to the required amount of manganese / 0.75.

[0012] Preferably, the manganese additive comprises 76-78 parts manganese powder, 20-23 parts co-solvent, and 1-3 parts binder by weight.

[0013] Preferably, the manganese powder has a particle size of 60-100 mesh.

[0014] Preferably, when the flux is aluminum powder, the purity of the aluminum powder is ≥99.7% and the particle size of the aluminum powder is 60-80 mesh.

[0015] A method for preparing the above-mentioned manganese element additive for producing aluminum alloys includes the following steps:

[0016] S1 Ingredients:

[0017] According to the dosage relationship, take each component raw material separately, put them into a mixer, and mix for 20-30 minutes to obtain the initial mixture.

[0018] S2 suppression:

[0019] The initial mixture was pressed using a casting press to obtain the final product;

[0020] S3 Molded Packaging:

[0021] During pressing, the manganese block will generate a small amount of heat, causing it to reach 50-65°C. Before packaging, the manganese block needs to be cooled to 25-30°C and then packaged in aluminum foil or sealed bags.

[0022] Preferably, in step S2, the pressing pressure is 12-24 MPa.

[0023] Preferably, in step S2, the pressing mold is a circular mold with a diameter of 75mm and a thickness of ≤20mm, and the weight of the pressed manganese block is controlled to be 400±5g.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0025] (1) The method for adding manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys proposed in this invention can significantly shorten the dissolution time required for manganese element additives to dissolve in aluminum alloy melt and improve its yield (i.e., the degree to which manganese in manganese element additives actually melts in aluminum alloy). Moreover, the process is convenient and can achieve a higher degree of continuous operation.

[0026] (2) The manganese element additive in this invention includes manganese powder, as well as a solvent and a binder. Without using surfactants or other additives, it is possible to avoid introducing enough impurity elements to improve the purity and performance of the alloy product, and the final alloy product can achieve the original performance level.

[0027] (3) In this invention, the preparation process of manganese element additive is optimized and improved. Based on the desired composition of manganese element additive material, there is no need for drying or other arrangements, and one-time pressing molding is achieved. That is, the preparation process of manganese element additive is simple, short, and has strong pressing continuity, which can effectively simplify the production process and improve production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the preparation process of the manganese additive in Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Where specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer shall apply. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0030] First, the present invention provides a manganese element additive for the production of aluminum alloys, comprising, by mass parts, 76-78 parts of manganese powder, 20-23 parts of flux and 1-3 parts of binder;

[0031] The co-solvent is selected from one or more of aluminum powder or fluoroaluminate, and the fluoroaluminate can be selected from potassium fluoroaluminate, sodium fluoroaluminate, etc.; the adhesive is stearic acid, specifically selected from one or more of magnesium stearate, sodium stearate, etc.

[0032] Among them, the manganese content in the manganese powder is ≥97%, and the particle size of the manganese powder is 60-100 mesh; the purity of the aluminum powder is ≥99.7%, and the particle size of the aluminum powder is 60-80 mesh.

[0033] In this invention, the preferred combination of manganese additives includes manganese powder, aluminum powder, potassium fluoroaluminate, and magnesium stearate.

[0034] Fluoroaluminates can reduce the surface tension of manganese additives used in aluminum alloy production in molten aluminum alloys; while using magnesium stearate or sodium stearate as a binder can achieve a high-efficiency bonding effect and also help the pressed manganese blocks to be removed from the mold, ensuring that the manganese additives are not easily loosened or affected by moisture during transportation and storage.

[0035] Second, the present invention provides a method for preparing manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys, comprising the following steps:

[0036] (1) Ingredients:

[0037] Take manganese powder, flux, and binder separately, place them in the silo, calculate and weigh the ingredients, and send them to the mixer. Mix and stir for more than 20 minutes to obtain the initial mixture.

[0038] The bottom of the silo has a discharge port equipped with a control valve. Below the discharge port is a feeding trolley. The control system calculates and controls the amount of each material to be added, accurately weighs the material and loads it into the feeding trolley. The feeding trolley then sends the material to the weighing platform along a pre-arranged path for weighing to ensure the accuracy of the dosage. Finally, the material is sent to the mixing agitator for mixing.

[0039] The mixing agitator can employ a dual-motion agitator with a cross-shaft mixing structure. During the rotation of the material drum, materials are mixed, while the built-in full-size blade assembly rotates independently in different directions and at different speeds, thus superimposing the mixing effect. These two sets of components with different speeds are driven separately by a single power system, and the rotating shaft of the ribbon blades is sealed to the rotating drum by a specially designed sealing assembly. During discharge, a small-range rotation of the material drum is achieved through inching control, causing the ribbon blades to agitate and accelerating the discharge process. All parts of the cross-shaft dual-motion mixer that come into contact with the materials are made of high-quality stainless steel.

[0040] (2) Suppression:

[0041] The initial mixed materials were pressed using a casting press at a pressure of 12-24 MPa to obtain manganese blocks. The pressed cakes were round cakes with a diameter of 75 mm and a thickness of ≤20 mm, and each cake weighed 400±5 g.

[0042] The initial mixed material is conveyed to the casting press via a feeding trolley for pressing. A 500T, 4-mold casting press can be used, capable of pressing four manganese blocks at a time. This improves the production efficiency of manganese additives for aluminum alloys and reduces labor intensity. When the initial mixed material is fed into the forming mold wall of the casting press, the mold is automatically filled using the material's own weight and pressure. This further improves the production efficiency of manganese additives for aluminum alloys and reduces labor intensity. Furthermore, the weight of each finished manganese block can be controlled by adjusting the mold cavity height, thus controlling the weight of each manganese additive produced for aluminum alloys.

[0043] (3) Molding and Packaging:

[0044] During pressing, the manganese blocks generate a small amount of heat, raising them to 50-65°C. Before packaging, the blocks need to cool to 25-30°C and then be packaged in aluminum foil or sealed bags. Packaging at this temperature allows the manganese blocks to expel any remaining moisture, preventing oxidation and extending the shelf life of the manganese additive.

[0045] Third, the present invention also provides a method for adding manganese element additives for the production of aluminum alloys, comprising the following steps:

[0046] The smelting furnace is preheated and then charged: first, manganese additive is pre-added at the inlet of the smelting furnace, and then high-temperature aluminum liquid is added through the inlet;

[0047] The amount of manganese additive added is equal to the required amount of manganese / 0.75. The required amount of manganese is determined by those skilled in the art based on the specific requirements of the product to be prepared. Typically, the required amount of manganese is 0.2-1.3% of the total mass of the aluminum alloy. Correspondingly, the amount of manganese additive added is 0.27-1.73% of the mass of the high-temperature aluminum liquid.

[0048] In other words, by using the same feed port (i.e. aluminum inlet) and adding manganese additive and high-temperature aluminum liquid sequentially, the high-temperature aluminum liquid preheats the manganese additive during the feeding process. This allows the manganese additive to be fully melted into the melting furnace when it is fed into the aluminum, thus ensuring the uniformity of melting. This enables the high-temperature melting and full flow diffusion to be completed in one go, which means efficiently and thoroughly melting manganese into the melt.

[0049] <Example>

[0050] Example 1

[0051] (1) Manganese powder, aluminum powder, potassium fluoroaluminate, and magnesium stearate were placed in their respective funnel-shaped silos at a mass ratio of 76:10:13:1. The amount of each component was calculated and weighed, and then fed through the bottom of the silos to the feeding trolley. The feeding trolley passed over the weighing platform to weigh the amount of each component. After confirming that the amount was accurate, the feeding trolley continued to feed the materials of each component into the mixing agitator. The mixture was stirred for 25 minutes to obtain the initial mixed material. It should be noted that the material bucket and the blade assembly of the mixing agitator rotated in different directions and at different speeds to achieve superimposed mixing of materials.

[0052] (2) Continue to use the feeding trolley to send the mixed initial material to the casting press and press it with a pressure of 20MPa to obtain a manganese block with a diameter of about 75mm, a thickness of about 15mm and a weight of 399g.

[0053] (3) When the temperature of the manganese block is controlled to about 27°C, the manganese block is packaged with aluminum foil and then opened for use after being sent to the aluminum alloy production section.

[0054] Example 2

[0055] (1) Manganese powder, potassium fluoroaluminate, and magnesium stearate were placed in their respective funnel-shaped silos at a mass ratio of 77:22:1. The amount of each component was calculated and weighed, and the mixture was fed to a feeding trolley through the bottom of the silo. The feeding trolley passed over the weighing platform and the amount of each component was weighed. After confirming that the amount of each component was accurate, the feeding trolley continued to feed the materials of each component into the mixing agitator. The mixture was stirred for 25 minutes to obtain the initial mixed material. It should be noted that the material bucket and the blade assembly of the mixing agitator rotated in different directions and at different speeds to achieve superimposed mixing of materials.

[0056] (2) Continue to use the feeding trolley to send the mixed initial material to the casting press and press it with a pressure of 20MPa to obtain a manganese block with a diameter of about 75mm, a thickness of about 15mm and a weight of 399g.

[0057] (3) When the temperature of the manganese block is controlled to about 27°C, the manganese block is packaged with aluminum foil and then opened for use after being sent to the aluminum alloy production section.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] (1) Manganese powder, sodium fluoroaluminate, and sodium stearate were placed in their respective funnel-shaped silos at a mass ratio of 77:22:1. The amount of each component was calculated and weighed, and the mixture was fed to a feeding trolley through the bottom of the silo. The feeding trolley passed over the weighing platform and the amount of each component was weighed. After confirming that the amount of each component was accurate, the feeding trolley continued to feed the materials of each component into the mixing agitator. The mixture was stirred for 25 minutes to obtain the initial mixed material. It should be noted that the material bucket and the blade assembly of the mixing agitator rotated in different directions and at different speeds to achieve superimposed mixing of materials.

[0060] (2) Continue to use the feeding trolley to send the mixed initial material to the casting press and press it with a pressure of 20MPa to obtain a manganese block with a diameter of about 75mm, a thickness of about 15mm and a weight of 399g.

[0061] (3) When the temperature of the manganese block is controlled to about 27°C, the manganese block is packaged with aluminum foil and then opened for use after being sent to the aluminum alloy production section.

[0062] <Experimental Example> (one)

[0064] Several portions of the manganese additive prepared in Example 1 were taken and fed through both the aluminum inlet and the furnace. Multiple sets of experiments were repeated to measure the melting temperature, manganese addition melting time, and manganese yield during the feeding process. The results are summarized in Table 1 below:

[0065] Table 1. Manganese addition using different addition methods

[0066]

[0067] As shown in Table 1 above, compared with Comparative Examples 1-2, Experimental Examples 1-3 adopted the aluminum inlet feeding method and used the temperature of the high-temperature aluminum industry for pre-melting. The melting temperature was above 860℃, and the manganese additive could be completely melted in only 14-16 minutes, with a final yield of over 98.23%. In contrast, Comparative Examples 1-2 used the existing addition method, which required at least 20 minutes of melting time, and the final manganese yield was only 97.01% at most. (two)

[0069] The manganese additives prepared in Examples 1-3 were used respectively, and Comparative Example 3 was set up. The manganese additives were melted into the aluminum alloy liquid by feeding through the aluminum inlet to make aluminum alloy products.

[0070] The manganese additive in Comparative Example 3 includes 93% manganese powder, 3% aluminum powder, 1% iron powder, 1% solubilizer (sodium hexafluoroaluminate), 1% surfactant (sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate), and 1% binder.

[0071] The aluminum alloy products prepared above were subjected to performance tests, and the results are summarized in Table 2 below:

[0072] Table 2 Properties of aluminum alloy materials prepared with different manganese additives

[0073]

[0074] As shown in Table 2 above, using the same aluminum alloy mixing process, the manganese additives prepared in Examples 1-3 have a significantly higher manganese recovery rate compared to the common manganese additives in Comparative Example 3. This demonstrates that the composition of the manganese additive itself greatly affects the final manganese recovery rate in the molten aluminum alloy, thus impacting the preparation and performance of the aluminum alloy material. This also shows that the manganese additives, their preparation methods, and addition methods provided by this invention can significantly improve the problems of low manganese recovery rate, excessively long melting process time, and limited alloy product performance in manganese-containing aluminum alloys.

[0075] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for adding manganese element additives in the production of aluminum alloys, characterized in that, First, manganese additive is pre-added at the feed inlet of the smelting furnace, and then molten aluminum is added through the feed inlet; The manganese additive includes manganese powder, a co-solvent, and a binder. The co-solvent is selected from one or more of aluminum powder or fluoroaluminates, and the fluoroaluminate is potassium fluoroaluminate and / or sodium fluoroaluminate. The binder is selected from one or more of magnesium stearate or sodium stearate. By weight, the manganese additive comprises 76-78 parts manganese powder, 20-23 parts co-solvent, and 1-3 parts binder.

2. The method for adding manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before adding manganese additives, the smelting furnace should be preheated.

3. The method for adding manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys according to claim 1, characterized in that, The amount of manganese additive added = the required amount of manganese / 0.

75.

4. The method for adding manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys according to claim 1, characterized in that, The manganese powder has a particle size of 60-100 mesh.

5. The method for adding manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the flux is aluminum powder, the purity of the aluminum powder is ≥99.7%, and the particle size of the aluminum powder is 60-80 mesh.

6. A method for preparing a manganese element additive for producing aluminum alloys as described in claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1 Ingredients: According to the dosage relationship, take each component raw material separately, put them into a mixer, and mix for 20-30 minutes to obtain the initial mixture. S2 suppression: The initial mixture was pressed using a casting press to obtain the final product; S3 Molded Packaging: Once the manganese blocks have cooled to 25-30°C, package them in aluminum foil or sealed bags.

7. The method for preparing manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S2, the pressing pressure is 12-24 MPa.

8. The method for preparing manganese element additives for producing aluminum alloys according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S2, the pressing mold is a circular mold with a diameter of 75mm and a thickness of ≤20mm, and the weight of the pressed manganese block is controlled to be 400±5g.

9. A manganese element additive for producing aluminum alloys prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

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