Challenges Experienced in Scaling-Up the CSIR-Ti Process

2014 ◽  
Vol 1019 ◽  
pp. 187-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salomon Johannes Oosthuizen ◽  
Jaco Johannes Swanepoel ◽  
Dawid Steyn van Vuuren

The CSIR-Ti process produces titanium metal powder through continuous stepwise metallothermic reduction of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) in molten salt medium, and represents a cost-effective alternative to the standard Kroll process to produce titanium metal. Subsequent to proving the CSIR-Ti process at bench scale producing batches of ±2 kg titanium powder, the design, build and test of a continuous 2 kg/h Ti pilot plant was authorised. The scale-up process highlighted limited expertise in South Africa with regards to handling molten salt and molten reducing metals. Such gaps in knowledge are addressed in this study, which discusses a number of the engineering challenges faced and solutions developed around agitation of molten salt reactors, process pipe heating and insulation, molten salt flow measurement and also feeding of a highly reactive molten reducing metal. Scaling up the CSIR-Ti process, with requirements of continuous operation, compact size, effective agitation, pumping and maintaining salt in the molten state brought an unusual set of challenges requiring development of unique and prototype equipment. Further challenges were encountered in the handling and continuous feeding of molten reducing metal at the relatively small scale of the pilot plant. Solutions developed and discussed in this study include custom-modified agitators, custom-developed flow meters for measuring molten salt and molten metal flows, and a custom-designed molten metal feed system. Specialised materials such as, ultra-high temperature heating tape and ultra-low thermal conductivity insulation had to be imported as well as a special high-temperature pump that can pump a slurry consisting of molten salt containing a high weight percentage of suspended metal powder. The experience illustrates the technological difficulty of bridging the chasm between science and technology in that many unforeseen problems are encountered when developing and scaling up a new technology.

Alloy Digest ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  

Abstract Pyrodur 4923 is a high-temperature resistant stainless steel with molybdenum addition. Special properties include resistant to scaling up to around 600 C (1110 F), and maximum hardness approximately 590 Hv. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, and tensile properties as well as fracture toughness. It also includes information on high temperature performance and corrosion resistance as well as forming, heat treating, machining, and joining. Filing Code: SS-1277. Producer or source: Deutsche Edelstahlwerke.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5494
Author(s):  
Lucie Kucíková ◽  
Michal Šejnoha ◽  
Tomáš Janda ◽  
Jan Sýkora ◽  
Pavel Padevět ◽  
...  

Heating wood to high temperature changes either temporarily or permanently its physical properties. This issue is addressed in the present contribution by examining the effect of high temperature on residual mechanical properties of spruce wood, grounding on the results of full-scale fire tests performed on GLT beams. Given these tests, a computational model was developed to provide through-thickness temperature profiles allowing for the estimation of a charring depth on the one hand and on the other hand assigning a particular temperature to each specimen used subsequently in small-scale tensile tests. The measured Young’s moduli and tensile strengths were accompanied by the results from three-point bending test carried out on two groups of beams exposed to fire of a variable duration and differing in the width of the cross-section, b=100 mm (Group 1) and b=160 mm (Group 2). As expected, increasing the fire duration and reducing the initial beam cross-section reduces the residual bending strength. A negative impact of high temperature on residual strength has also been observed from simple tensile tests, although limited to a very narrow layer adjacent to the charring front not even exceeding a typically adopted value of the zero-strength layer d0=7 mm. On the contrary, the impact on stiffness is relatively mild supporting the thermal recovery property of wood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel S. Krommweh ◽  
Wolfgang Büscher

AbstractExhaust air treatment systems (EATS) are used in animal husbandry to reduce emissions. However, EATS are associated with high acquisition and operating costs. Therefore, a plant technology is being developed that integrates a recuperative heat exchanger into a biological air scrubber. The overall aim is to reduce total costs of livestock buildings with EATS by saving heating costs and to improve animal environment. In this study, a special pilot-plant on a small-scale, using clean exhaust air, was constructed to evaluate the heating performance on laboratory scale. Three assembly situations of the heat exchanger into trickle-bed reactor were part of a trial with two different defined air flow rates. In all three assembly situations, preheating of cold outside air was observed. The heating performance of the assembly situation with the sprayed heat exchanger arranged below showed an average of 4.4 kW at 1800 m3 h−1 (outside air temperature range 0.0–7.9 °C). This is up to 18% higher than the other two experimental setups. The heating performance of the pilot-plant is particularly influenced by the outside air temperature. Further research on the pilot-plant is required to test the system under field conditions.


2006 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1118-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Terasaka ◽  
Y. Suyama ◽  
K. Nakagawa ◽  
M. Kato ◽  
K. Essaki

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