Understanding Aluminum Degassing By Dr. David V. Neff ‘Advancing Molten Metal Technology Reprinted from Modern Casting, May 2002sete. Inside This Story: + Aluminum quality can be improved by detecting and removing hydrogen gas from the melt. * Techniques to degas aluminum include rotary impeller degassing and the {lux injection process, both of which are more successful than traditional purge gas insertion methods. David V. Neff, Metaullics Systems, Solon, Ohio ‘meet the demands of tod aluminum casting market, — reduced solubility in the s foundties have Focused on im Solilifying metal must reject the by olten metal quality drogen or resultant cast by developing processes to from porosity, Here, solidification plays However, both exhibit substantially id state will suffer produce clean metal. These processes role, Fora given hydrogen concentra focus on eliminating a variety of impu- tion in the liquid state, the faster the rities (.e. inclusions) that pose serious solidification rate, the fewer problems problems in the production of quality with resultant porosity. Because not all castings. Atthe forefiont of these impu- sections of the casting, solidify at the rites is hydrogen, the only gas soluble same rate, ample opportunity exists for in molten aluminum, because it creates hydrogen buildup in the remaining li porosity in castings, uid metal during solidification. IF the This article discusses hydrogen ab- hydrogen partial pressure in this re sorption during aluminum melting and maining liquid exceeds critical level, a casting and assesses methods 10 evalu gasmolecule forms from the association ate and remove hydrogen, of hydrogen atoms, ereating porosity Role of Solidification Shrinkage Porosity vs. Gas Porosity The solubility of hydrogen in molten Not all porosity can be blamed on aluminum increases with temperature hydrogen. Figure 2 portrays a classical (ig. 1D. A degree of ‘alloy specificity’ distinction bewween shrinkage porosity also exisis—at 4 given molten metal and gas porusiy. Shrinkage porosity temperature, less hydrogen is soluble in occurs as the metal solidifies; a 6 319alloy than in 356 lloy, forexample. volume change occurs when an alu hum alloy transforms from a liquid to a soli, This change is accommodated in normal cast 10* ing practice through the use of 10 risers. Shrinkage porosity indi- cates lack of feed metal reach ing the plice where it is rneeded—the last portion of the casting to solidify. Conse nok quently, the resultant porosity follows the solidification path pended and shrinkage porosity dls ed, iregularedge, (tH) Solubility (ec/1003) 105 | , gas porosity Har contout, tien round. C ton of the two. Pore al ROME § ray be duct a eacion from oat 600 =©700 =800 900 fs mokling materials and coatings Temperature () J osinptyairemapmentdiets Fig. 1. The solubility of hydrogen in A356, A319 and pure aluminum "estate vending Indicate that increasing temperature increases solubility. However, the solubility of hyérogen is substantially reduced in aluminum’ solid state, as shown by both Identifying Hydrogen Presence Hydrogen enters moken aliminum easily. Major sources include absorption from the atmosphere, products of fossil fuel decomposition (hydrocar- bons), adherent condensation fon diy tools, chemical flux materials and alloy additives. Hydrogen absorption also in creases with higher ambient relative humidity Assessing the level of hy drogen in the melt can be done in several ways. Hydoo- gen determination methodsfall imo two categories —real time In real time demployed is closed-loop recirculation. In «probe intro duces a small amount of car this technique fer gas into contaet with the ‘molten aluminur, Hydrogen in the melt diffuses into the carrier gas and is allowed to equilibrate The resultant increased partial pres sure is related to the concentration of hydrogen in the melt. Through com puterized data analysis, results are re ported in actual hydrogen content ex 100g Al Laboratory techniques are more time pressed as ml H, consuming and use solid samples froma chill mold. The sample is machined and subjected toa vacuum sub-fusion, niteo gen cartier fusion (LECO) or vacuum fusion analysis in the laboratory Actual hydrogen concentration is, calculated from hydrogen partial pres. sure and thermal conductivity. mea sured by these methods. Such labora tory methods are useful in_ process control studies but cannot be utilized as decision points in real time ‘One other measure is ava foundry personnel on the shop floor— able to, the Reduced Pressure Test (RPT) (Fig 3). RPT can be conducted in 5 min and makes two types of determinations, The density of he sample can be deter- mined using Archimedes principle and then compared to the theoretical den sity a specific propeny ofa giver composition). The sample also can be sectioned and compared with a stan- ard char of specimens generated from a range of test conditions/results 10 give a visual comparison rating. Decisions thea can be made to Fur: ther treat the melt of to proceed with casting based on the quality level de sired. However, the RPT result does not sive a quantitative hydrogen concentra ae Fig. 2. Porosity in aluminum castings may relate to solidification shrinkage, g25 ora combination ofthe two, tion resull—it isa semiquantitative test that reveals the overall metal clean ness of the melt sample. Inclusions present will nucleate easier pore forma tion during the reduction in pressure Degassing Methodologies Several methods exist 10 reduce As seen in Fig, 1 the temperiture to drop permits for hydroge allowing natural outgassing —the first and sim: plest method to remove hydrogen. Historically, number of other tech- niques that rely on an ine, insoluble purge or collector gas have bee ployed. The inert gas collect the soluble hydrogen atoms, allowing a hydrogen molecule 1 Form in the collector gas bubble Tablet products were among the frst ile the lower pres. techniques to have been widely utilized Cespecially in smaller melt furnaces) to degas the melt. The tablets usually are Fig. 2. Reduced Pressure Test equipment, Wich includes a vacuum chamber, crucible (Sample cup), chamber base vacuum gauge, vacuum regulator, release valve and vacuum pump, tests the overall metal Cleanliness of a melt sample but does not provide a quantitative hydrogen ‘concentration result. based on the decomposition of hexachloroethane (CCl), Inthe mel, the tablet Forms aluminum chloride, an_ in. soluble metastable gaseous phase. The aluminum chloride ‘gas bubble serves asa collector and allows the hydrogen to be absorbed onto the bubble sur- face and into the bubble itself ‘The bubble then rises to the surface, delivering the hydro ‘gen to the a Static lances, wands oF flux ttibes also have been used to ddegas the melt The difficulty with these methods is that the resuiing ss bubble is large with a low surface area-to-volume Consequently, the gas bubbles rive rapidly to the mek surface reaction time to collect the en. Further, unless the Lance is with minina hyde moved! vigorously around the melt fur nnace—which is often dlificult—litle cov erage or mixing of the entire furnace volume results, reducing the efficiency Of this degassing process. Porous re fractories also have been used to insert inert gas into aluminum melts, while the bubble size is small, very litle mixing of the gis bubbles and metal takes place Rotary Impeller Degassing Rotary impeller degassing, a tech: nique borrowed from the chemical process industry that improves mix: ing capability, was introduced into aluminum foundries in the mid-8 In this technique, purge gas is intro duced to the melt through a rotating shaft and impeller, or rotor (Fig, 4) This provides increased kinetic mix Fig. 4. Rotary degassing hardware includes 8 drive unit, shaft, rotor, control panel and Stanchion mountFig. 5. The degassing efficiencies of tree different techniques, lance, porous plug refactory and rotating shatrotor, are compared ing of the melt with the purge gas. In he action of the rotor ere: broader swarm of smaller bubbles over a wider afea, which increases surface-area-to-volume ratio, ‘These finer bubbles have a longer resi dence time in the metal, allowing for 1 higher capability of collecting the hydrogen atoms present Figure 5 compares the rekative de gassing efficiency of the three tech: niques discussed—lance, porous plug refractory and rotating shafv¢¢ For the operating foundry person several important variables must be con: sidered in developing a suitable de sing. process with a rotor. The pa ters that must be integrated include + inital hydrogen level versus desired final hydrogen level (as determined by evaluation) + available time for melt treatment «# vessel size/volume; the relationship benween rotor configuration and rpm, gas volume surface effects (vortexing, splash, ete andl the time necessary and available to achieve desired degassing results The interplay among these variables, ‘must be determined on a case-by-case basis by the achieve the optimum combination of process and equipment parameter general the necessary specifications in as short individual foundry to the optimum result achieves a time as possible, at the lowest cost and without excessive turbulence Adding Flux Injection Another option for the rotary impel ler concept is the introduction of flux injection Fig. 6). Combining both flux injection and rotor dispersion creates a fone plus one equals two-plus benefit, Successful flux injection requires a properly constituted flux with a mor phology that is granular and flows, and that melts only when it finally enters the 1s delivers the flux, and itis largely the carrier gas itself (usually melt. A carrier nitrogen) that does the degassing, The rotary degasser provides the kinetic mix ing between the flux, carier ga metal to create full-vessel reaction The flux itself serves two key func tions. Properly constituted, the flux ean and the assist not only with hydrogen reduc tion, but also with partial removal of inclusions from th the flotation action of the collector gas that is the flux cartier chemistry affects de-wetting for € separation of solid inclusions from the energy’ effects Flux application by submerged injec tion also has the following advantages: * amore controlled flux consumption utilization, * less spillage and waste * beter environmental compliance With or without fu. injection, any degassing process creates dross, This dross is metal-tich, containing up (0 85! aluminum that cin be recovered. An appropriate flux compesition can treat this dross in its original place, not only reducing the dross volume but also sub: stantially decreasing the metallic content Of the dross from 85% to 30% or less ‘With any degassing process chosen, the specific purge gas tsed a Iso affects the resulting dross Choosing a Purge Gas There are discemible differences in the kind of purge of collector gas uti lized in a degassing process. Nitrogen—Nitrogen gas is the most commonly employed and is the least expensive, Nitrogen also creates a ‘wet’ dross, one that is Fig. 6. Coupling ux injection wi creates greater degassing efficiency and improves melt cleanliness. rotor degassing nto one process rich in metall Argon—Arg0n, duces less metal-rich dross. Argon is more inert, and being heavier, it provides a protective cover over the melt during degassing, precluding further oxidation nd hydrogen absorption Ialso iseasiee to keep the argon supply drier and ‘leaner as fitings and hoses deteric Active halogens—Active halogens also have been used to assist the inert en, argon) gas in achieving sing efficiency past, these have included freon (CLE), chlorine and sulfur hexafluoride (SF). However, with bubble operated rotary deg 1 small purge gas ‘as produced by an efficiently asser—the effect of an active halogen on hydrogen reduction may be minimal, While selecting a gas to use is im portant, it is not the primary factor i degassing success. In addition to obvi ous environmental concerns. with halogen gases, the specific degas sing process (lance, rotor, etc.) af jects the degassing performance mor is used. ‘Dave olds 2 Fh. Wester Rese Un a Manager, Moen Mea! Tresiments ‘Measremant and Reval of Myron in image MM Motto Es Wang 2nd IAS Special Rept (198). Te Tratmen of gud Atuminu Seon Atos,” LE Gren and BM. Closet (1290) vale ira he APS Library at 8008537 4237, "RPT Gauge Aluminum Paros,” and CE chart, MODERN CASTING, Moh 1992