UC RUSAL installed unique equipment at Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter to broaden range of alloys produced

UC RUSAL announces the development and launch of a unique magnetic hydrodynamic mixer which will enable the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter‚s cast house to extend its alloy product range.

The magnetic hydrodynamic mixer will enable the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter (KrAZ) to produce 1000, 3000, 5000 and 8000 series alloys and to increase the production quality. In particular, the new inductor can mix metal in 100-tonne holding furnaces with the use of a magnetic field, without the metal inside ever being touched. As a result, the smelter will produce top quality rolling slabs, which can be used for cans and printing production. The equipment will allow KrAZ to increase its exposure to most in-demand alloys. The smelter‚s top priority is to develop strong ties with consumers from Asian countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea while increasing the share of orders from Europe and CIS.

The new equipment is installed on the casting assembly which includes two 100-tonne mixers. Can alloys include higher-melting-point materials: manganese, iron, titan. To obtain an alloy homogeneity in terms of chemical composition and temperature, the mass must be well-mixed. Magnetic hydrodynamic mixer performs this operation with greater efficiency, saving energy and reducing sludge formation. Magnetic hydrodynamic mixer was developed jointly by Krasnoyarsk scientists and metallurgists. The new equipment was developed, delivered and installed by the Krasnoyarsk Research and Production Centre for Magnetic Hydrodynamics.