Novel low-cost

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Physico-technological institute of metal and
alloys of NAS Ukraine Donetsk National Technical
University
Novel low-cost Ti-containing aluminothermic
materials
Alexander Mekhed
HannoverMesse 2007
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We are developing

• environmentally clean
• cost affordable
• reproducible

technology for production of TiAl and FeTi alloys
for use in stainless steel alloying
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Portable ESCR Furnaceunique design by Paton
Institue
Volume of the furnace working chamber, l Volume of the furnace working chamber, l 30
Melting capacity, kg Melting capacity, kg 70
Average productivity for oxidized material, kg/h Average productivity for oxidized material, kg/h 30
Supply-line voltage, V Supply-line voltage, V 380
Total power, kVA Total power, kVA 130
Re-melting current, not more than, ? Re-melting current, not more than, ? 3000
The Installation dimensions, mm length width height 2000 2300 2200
Mass, kg Mass, kg 2450
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Aluminothermic reduction of Ti with low Fe
content from molten ilmenite
Al
Molten slag including particles of reduced metal
Metalothermic melt
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Stages of the Ti extraction process
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Comparison with Traditional Process Flow
Traditional process
Ukrainian process
Ti 20-28 no scrap added
O 0,8
N 0,001
Costs 10 decreased Costs 10 decreased
Ti 30 with scrap adding
O 2,0
N 0,15
FeTi
FeTi
Refinement from N and O
Specialty steel production
Specialty steel
Confirmed in Aachen University by prof. Friedrich
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Proposed approach of production high-purity
Ti-base alloys
melting of ilmenite concentrate
Pressing with or without Ti sponge, Al granules
Ti-base Master Alloy
ATR
graphite
refractory coating
water-cooled electrode holder
Ar
Chamber ESR
Ar
H2O
slag CaF2 Ca
H2O
Industrial Chambre ESR furnace based on ESR
U-578
Ingot of ?-TiAl alloy as homogeneous as possible
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Main advantages of Ukrainian approach

• no igniter components in aluminothermic melt
  resulting in safer process handling
• profitable conditions for reduction reaction
  running
• obtaining high Ti content in oxide melt without
  additional expensive Ti scrap
• costs 10 less due to Al savings and no Ti scrap
  required
• higher metal yield
• purity of produced Ti-base alloy regarding
  content of gases (0.8 Oxygen, 0.001 Nitrogen)
  and non metallic inclusions
• less additional refinement operation

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Thank You for Your Attention
For more details please contact
Dr. Vladyslav M. Sokolov Physico-Technological
Institute of Metals and Alloys of the National
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 34/1 Vernadsky
Ave. Kiev-142, 03680, Ukraine tel. (38 044)
4246057 fax [phone] e-mail
vlads_at_visti.com
Prof. Anatoly D. Ryabtsev Donetsk National
Technical University 58, Artyom Street, 83000
Donetsk, Ukraine tel. [phone] fax
(38 062) 3053262 e-mail rato_at_dgtu.donetsk.ua