Energy-efficient casting processes

Metal casting is one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing processes that have developed along the evolution of mankind. Although nowadays its scientific and technological aspects are well established, in the context of future resource scarcity and environmental pollution pressures, new studies appear necessary to describe the “foundry of the future” where energy and material efficiency are of great importance to guarantee competitiveness alongside environmental protection. In this chapter, both managerial and technical good practices aimed at implementing energy-efficient casting processes are presented alongside a few examples. The “Small is Beautiful” philosophy is presented as a systematic approach towards energy resilient manufacturing and, potentially, sustainability in the long term. Thus, this chapter aims at providing an overview of the different aspects comprising the state of the art in the industry and examples of research themes in academia about energy-efficient casting processes

Petrogenesis and Ni-Cu sulphide potential of mafic-ultramafic rocks in the Mesoproterozoic Fraser Zone within the Albany-Fraser Orogen, Western Australia

The Albany Fraser Orogen is located along the southern and southeastern margins of the Archean Yilgarn Craton. The orogen formed during reworking of the Yilgarn Craton, along with variable additions of juvenile mantle material, from at least 1810 Ma to 1140 Ma. The Fraser Zone is a 425 km long and 50 km wide geophysically distinct belt near the northwestern edge of the orogen, hosting abundant sills of predominantly metagabbroic non-cumulate rocks, but including larger cumulate bodies, all emplaced at c. 1300 Ma. The gabbroic rocks are interpreted to have crystallised from a basaltic magma that had ∼8.8% MgO, 185 ppm Ni, 51 ppm Cu, and extremely low contents of platinum-group elements (PGE, <1 ppb). Levels of high field-strength elements (HFSE) in the least enriched rocks indicate that the magma was derived from a mantle source more depleted than a MORB source. Isotope and trace element systematics suggest that the magma was contaminated (εNd 0 to −2 throughout, La/Nb around 3) with small (<10%) amounts of crust before and during ascent and emplacement. Larger bodies of cumulate rocks show evidence for additional contamination, at the emplacement level, with country-rock metasedimentary rocks or their anatectic melts. The area has been the focus of considerable exploration for Ni–Cu sulphides following the discovery of the Nova deposit in 2012 in an intrusion consisting of olivine gabbronoritic, noritic and peridotitic cumulates, interlayered with metasedimentary rocks belonging to the Snowys Dam Formation of the Arid Basin. Disseminated sulphides from a drillcore intersecting the structurally upper portion of the intrusion, above the main ore zone, have tenors of ∼3–6.3% Ni, 1.8–6% Cu and mostly <500 ppb PGE, suggesting derivation from magma with the same composition as the regional Fraser Zone metagabbroic sills, at R factors of ∼1500. However, the Nova rocks tend to have higher εSr (38–52) and more variable δ34S (−2 to +4) than the regional metagabbros (εSr 17–32, δ34S around 0), consistent with the geochemical evidence for enhanced crustal assimilation of the metasedimentary country-rock in a relatively large magma staging chamber from which pulses of sulphide bearing, crystal-charged magmas were emplaced at slightly different crustal levels. Preliminary investigations suggest that the critical factors determining whether or not Fraser Zone mafic magmas are mineralised probably relate to local geodynamic conditions that allow large magma chambers to endure long enough to sequester country-rock sulphur

Effects of martensite development on lattice strain evolution during the in situ deformation of austenitic stainless steels at cryogenic temperatures

The effects of martensite development on lattice strain evolution during the in situ compression of austenitic stainless steels, Type 304L, at ambient and cryogenic temperatures were investigated. Engin-X neutron diffractometer was used to study the change in the lattice strain during the uniaxial compression to 10% strain in situ. The report found no evidence of martensite during the compression test at ambient temperature. Similarly, no martensite was observed at cryogenic temperatures up to the applied load of 200 MPa in the elastic region. Martensite was only observed during the plastic deformation at cryogenic temperatures up to the applied strain of 10%. The presence of martensite in the austenitic stainless steels microstructure reinforces the austenite matrix. This was evident from the decrease in the lattice strain as the deformation temperature decreases. © IMechE 2013

Submerged arc hard-surfacing of defibering discs

11.50; translated from Zvaranie (1979) (pt.8) p. 238-242LD:9022.06(BISI--18993) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

LD steelmaking plant with ingot-casting and continuous casting plant for the production of tube steels

7.50; translated from Stahl Eisen (1976) v. 96(10) p. 492-498SIGLELD:9022.06(BISI--18818) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Metals with BASIC language

30.00; Translated from Japanese (Bull. Jpn. Inst. Met. 1986 v. 28(3) p. 77-80)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.06(BISI--25010)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Effect of uniform quality of raw materials to a plant on the indices of quality of sinter manufacture

Translated from Czech (Hutnik (Prague) 1987 v. 37(11) p. 391-393)Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.06(BISI-Trans--26710)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Energy saving efforts in pig iron metallurgy

20.00; Translated from Hungarian (Banyasz. Kohasz. Lapok, Kohasz. 1983 v. 116(4) p. 145-150)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.06(BISI--23680)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

100 year's development of Bayer alumina production

Translated from Hungarian (Banyasz. Kohasz. Lapok, Kohasz. 1988 v. 121(11) p. 511-516)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.0602(BISI-NF-Trans--435)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Centrifugal thermit process for metal/ceramic bonding by self-propagating exothermic reaction

46.50; Translated from Japanese (J. Jpn. Soc. Technol. Plast. 1987 v. 28(322) p. 1109-1114)Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.06(BISI-Trans--26481)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo