IN-FURNACE FILTRATION FOR ALUMINUM

FOUNDRIES AND DIECASTERS

David V. Neff Salvador Tovar Fco.
Metaullics Systems Co. L.P.
Solon, Ohio USA
Metaullics Systems Mexico S. A.
Mxico, D.F., Mxico

Introduction

The market for cast aluminum products has increased greatly over the last 15 years and is
expected to continue to do so well into the next century. Fueling this growth has been
increasing application of engineered aluminum castings in automotive components and
computer hardware. In all cases, high quality is demanded. Fortunately, many foundries
and diecasters have met the challenge of producing high quality, in most instances by their
increased emphasis and utilization of various molten metal treatment processes, especially
degassing/flux injection and filtration.

To do this requires a knowledge of, and application, of "clean metal processing".
there are two main detractors from clean metal--an aluminum alloy's strong capability
of hydrogen absorption, and the formation of inclusions. Both are virtually impossible
to fully eliminate, and therefore melt processing through degassing and filtration must
be employed prior to casting the metal.

Inclusions in Molten Aluminum

This paper emphasizes the application of a unique filter medium ideally suited to
aluminum casting production, the Bonded Particle Filter. However, in contrast to the
conventional application of a filter set into the gating system in the molding process, this
filter finds its best means of utilization as a sustained-usage, in-furnace filter just prior to
the actual pouring/casting process.

Primary Melts

Prime aluminum metal is produced by the electrolytic reduction of aluminum oxide,

and is, in principle, relatively "clean" metal. However, these melts may contain
aluminum carbides owing to reaction with carbon materials in the cell, especially at
higher temperatures. Such melts may also contain residual "bath", or electrolyte,
which is a double fluoride of sodium and aluminum. In addition, alkali metals such as
lithium, sodium, calcium may be present from process additives, or impurities natural to
the alumina and its bauxite ore origins. Usually, but not always, primary smelters treat
prime metal with chlorine in either a crucible process, or in-line degassing process prior
to casting ingot or tee-bar in order to remove these alkali constituents. Non-metallic
oxide contents of prime metal is relatively low. Nevertheless, foundries which purchase
prime unalloyed ingot, or primary foundry alloys, may find themselves confronting the
nature of inclusions associated with primary aluminum production.
Secondary and Recycle Melts
When secondary, used aluminum scrap is melted, or even producer scrap--trimmings,
blanking skeletons, drain remelts, etc, plus machining turnings, borings, chips-- are
processed, there are a substantially greater number of oxides present owing to the higher
surface area of the scrap components. These melts, then, are "dirtier" than primary melts,
and often both degassing and filtration are vital to provide the molten metal cleanliness
and quality needed for further processing into high value products. Secondary smelter-
supplied foundry ingot is not always filtered. Foundries and diecasters which purchase
secondary ingot should address the issue of requesting pre-filtered metal--hot metal
deliveries or ingot--even though the latter will be remelted. Pre-filtered secondary
smelter metal can ease the filtering burden on the foundry/diecaster--but will not
eliminate it.
Foundry and Diecast Melts
Foundries and diecasters purchase either foundry ingot or liquid metal from a smelter,
or both. Commonly, they also remelt a certain percentage of gates and risers, trim
scrap, and other in-house casting scrap and returns. Consequently, these melts also tend
to have a high level of impurities which must be removed. In addition, in diecast alloy
"sludge" is of concern. Sludge is an Fe-Cr-Mn intermetallic compound which forms at
low temperatures. The composition of diecast alloy, and the need for some iron to be
present to prevent die soldering in the diecasting process, means that sludge formation
can be a common occurrence if not controlled. Filtration can successfully alleviate
sludge from entering into the casting and causing machining difficulties (e.g."hardspots").
Inclusion Removal Techniques
Inclusions may be separated from aluminum melts by gravity means, i.e., flotation or
sedimentation, or by positive filtration through a filtering medium. Flotation and
sedimentation make use of particle size and density difference from the liquid metal,
according to Stokes' Law, shown graphically in Figure 1 (1). Larger particles, and those
which are much less dense or more dense than liquid aluminum, will separate faster.
13
However, in a practical sense most impurities in molten aluminum are found as
agglomerates, and many have apparent bulk densities very similar to the molten
aluminum itself. Surface tension between these agglomerates and the liquid metal also
causes them to remain in suspension. Clearly, in most production environments there is
insufficient time to allow eventual sedimentation or flotation, and consequently positive
filtration must be employed.
Degassing processes provide some degree of inclusion removal by flotation. An efficient
degassing process, as with a porous media disperser or a rotor degassing technique,
produces a wide array of very fme bubble sizes. These "live" in the melt longer
(extended rise times), and the greater surface area allows higher probability of collisions
with, and resultant adherence of nonmetallic inclusions. However, there is a finite limit
to the inclusion removal efficiency with degassing methods, although such processes help
a subsequently used filter system. Consequently, further filtration is usually needed in
most instances in order to reach sufficiently low inclusion levels to meet most product
requirements.
Filtration Principles
An elaborate description offiltrationprinciples is not the subject ofthis paper; but there
have been numerous publications in the technical literature concerning this subject over
the past 20 years. However, a brief review of basics is in order to appreciate the role
of the bonded particle filter in application in molten aluminum processes.
Positive filtration occurs by either or both of two means: cake formation, at the
inlet surface of the filter, and depth filtration, within the filter body itself (see Figure 2).
All filtration devices currently employed in the aluminum industry, except one, generally
involve a combination of the two, but to differing degrees, and the contributions of either
or both mode can highly influence the resultant filtration efficiency.
The simplest filter is a fiberglas sock, which is "planar'' and creates only cake filtration.
This is used widely to capture tap hole debris and initial surface dross, and also to serve
as a flow-control device, especially in the liquid sump feeding ingot heads in the direct
chill casting process of rolling ingot. Prior to the onset of ceramic foam filters, various
bed filter systems were--and still are--used. In bed filters, the high surface area of the
filter media, and the volume involved, produce an excellent combination of both cake
formation and depth filtration. However, bed filters can be quite large, and therefore
relatively inflexible when used with frequent alloy changes, and bed rebuilds are usually
expensive. Consequently bed/ball filter crucibles are not widely employed in foundry
applications today.
Nearly twenty years ago, the ceramic foam filter was introduced, in which a ceramic
structure replicates a blown polyurethane polymer structure. The ceramic foam filter,
unlike a bed filter, is very inexpensive, and is ideally suited for single-use, in-the-mold
filtration. The ability of a ceramic foam filter to provide flow control, in an otherwise
14
properly designed gating and runner system, is as equally important as the filtering of
inclusions from the flowing metal. However, many casting processes--high pressure and
low pressure diecasting, and gravity permanent mold diecasting, do not lend themselves
to in-mold filtration. Consequently, it is fortunate that there is an alternative.
The Bonded Particle Filter
The Bonded Particle Filter represents a useful alternative in many instances to the
aforementioned other types of filters. Several previous papers have presented much
information on this unique filter and its applications (2-5). The bonded particle filter is
comprised of an aggregate of either alumina or silicon carbide particles bonded with a
ceramic binder. The binder is molten-aluminum resistant in all commercial alloys
(except lithium-aluminum). The bonded particle filter possesses excellent strength and
durability, is chemically resistant to degradation in molten aluminum (resulting in great
stability and longevity of use), is thermally conductive, and possesses a high degree of
filtration efficiency owing to its internal structure--the "tortuosity" of flow path, as
depicted in the stereographic photograph in Figure 3. Furthermore, the bonded particle
filter (BPF) possesses only 50% the porosity of a ceramic foam filter. Nomenclature and
average pore size comparisions are shown in Figure 4. The lower porosity, and somewhat
finer average pore size, plus tortuosity of flow path, combine to create a better balance
between cake-mode and depth filtration for the bonded particle filter versus a ceramic
foam.
The Bonded Particle Filter makes best use of this balance by being used in configurations
and systems which permit extended or sustained usage. The lower porosity creates the
onset of cake mode filtration earlier on in the casting process. With extended filter use,
the cake mode predominates, while allowing the body of the filter to exhibit high depth
filtration capability, capturing much of the release from the cake, and avoiding early
clogging of the filter's internal structure.
Foundrv Filter Applications
There are four typical configurations of the bonded particle filter which have found
application in various foundry processes such as low pressure, high pressure diecasting,
gravity die or permanent mold casting, and some sand casting operations. Figure 5
portrays the basic filter product types which are fabricated from bonded particle filter
media; these include the Vertical Gate Filter (VGF), the Metaullics Box Filter (MBF),
the Filter Pump (FP), and the Stalk Tube Filter (STF).
In the foundry industry, as well as the casthouse industry, filtration provides very
important benefits. These include greater fluidity during the casting process itself, the
minimization of oxides and intermetallic hardspot inclusions which cause machinability
and surface finishing problems, improved mechanical properties, x-ray soundness, etc.
Microporosity and leakers are also reduced--in that inclusions nucleate hydrogen porosity
in castings.
15
Today, the in-furnace filtration systems employing the bonded particle filter media are
rapidly becoming standard practice in high pressure diecasting, permanent molding, and
even many high volume sand and semi-permanent mold casting operations.
Vertical Gate Filter (VGF)
Vertical gate filters (Figure 5a, 5b) are used principally in central melting reverberatory
furnaces, and in casting/holding furnaces to separate pour-in or dip-out wells from the
main hearth, with good result, especially in pressure diecasting applications, with either
manual or automatic ladling (Figure 6). The VGF will often perform for up to two or
three months life with very little thermal gradient between the inlet and outlet side (5-20
degC versus 25-50 degC or more) for oxide-based ceramic foam or cellular filter media).
The VGF can be easily installed into an existing furnace with a compressible ceramic
fiber rope gasket on the perimeter, or into slots or guides constructed into the furnace
lining during rebuilds. Furthermore, filter change-out can be accomplished without
draining the furnace with excellent result. Only minimal preheat is required (200-300
degC), principally to avoid thermal shock and moisture condensation. Upon insertion
into the bath, the molten metal itself provides additional heat for easy priming.
To insure total continuity of filtered metal flowing into the dipout during a filter change,
the new filter may be installed just behind or ahead of (on alternating campaigns) the
spent filter prior to removing it. As the metal is "static" and no metal flow occurs
between ladle dips, this may be accomplished quite easily.
Metaullics Box Filter (MBF)
In the foundry industry various refractory-constructed filter vessels have been previously
employed, containing one or more filter elements placed within the refractory vessel
wall(s) themselves. While offering reasonable performance, nevertheless the heat loss,
replacement cost, mechanical damage, and shortened life of such devices left
improvements to be desired. During the past few years, the greatest strides in bonded
particle filter media applications within the foundry and diecast industry have been
achieved with the Metaullics Box Filter (Figure 5c ). This all-media configuration
provides an uncommonly large surface area, often permitting finer filter grades to be
employed, and extending filter life. Furthennore, the high thennal conductivity of the all-
media construction absolutely minimizes any thermal gradient between outside( inlet) and
inside( outlet), the preferable operating mode in which filtered metal may be ladled
from within the vessel. Various geometric shapes may be configured, including
square, round, half-round, and truncated conical vessels to meet various casting/holding
furnace geometries and to accomodate the specific casting process/handling hardware
involved.
Because ofthe higher surface area with the MBF, lifetimes of3-4 months are
common, barring inadvertant mechanical damage. The highly durable media itself
16
permits cleaning by scraping in-situ on a periodic basis, often determined by monitoring
the buildup of thermal gradient--oxide accumulation lowers the thermal conductivity
resulting in increasing gradient.
Typical results with the MBF, as well as the VGF, include substantial reductions in
metallurgically-caused casting defects of 50-95+%, and reduced scrap/reject rates
to well below 1% in many instances. While often difficult to quantify and monitor,
most users who have been suffering from "hardspot" problems report that once
they employ the bonded particle filter media, these problems virtually disappear.
Filter Pump
A centrifugal transfer pump equipped with a filter (Figure 5d) is very commonly
employed to fill transfer ladles in many casting operations. The pump is usually housed
in a sidewell in a central melting furnace. The advantage of employing the filter pump
version of this is that the shaft and impeller are protected from the ingestion ofrocks,
sludge, and other debris from the melting operation, resulting in longer pump life. In
additon, of course, the pump provides a submerged inlet for the metal to be transferred,
avoiding the entrainment of surface dross during the transfer operation. While the
utilization of a transfer pump in a central melter does not avoid the necessity of filtering
closer to the actual casting process, it nevertheless improves the overall metal quality of
the process.
Transfer pump life is dependent on overall throughput, may approach one-three million
lbs before changeout is required, and transfer rates of 500-1500 lb/min are possible with
different filter pump sizes.
Stalk Tube Filters (STF)
The low pressure casting process is the predominant method utilized for aluminum
wheel casting production, and is rapidly being applied to other cast components as well.
Filtering in the low pressure process as close to the point of fmal solidification is
desirable. However, placement of either ceramic filters in the riser (stalk) tube, or use of
steel screens in the sprue is often problematical. Sprue cutoffs containing the iron screens
cannot be directly recycled because of the iron content restrictions on cast wheel
compositions and properties.
There are a variety of stalk tube filter configurations using the bonded particle
filter that can be employed depending on the stalk tube type (cast iron or ceramic),
diameter and length of stalk tube and resultant "gap" from the crucible bottom,
and specific operating circumstances including frequency of molten metal replenishment
to the casting crucible. These are illustrated in Figure 5e including discs, plugs, and
extended bottle-nose designs which provide extra filtering surface area (not shown).
17
Filter life can be easily matched to the life of cast iron tubes (usually just one week) and
may in fact extend to three weeks or 2000-3000 castings depending on overall metal
cleanliness. In a detailed evaluation, a favorable advantage of almost 4% scrap reduction
for metallurgical causes was achieved with the bonded particle filter versus a ceramic
foam filter utilized in the same application.
Crucible Baffle Filter (CBF)
The vast majority of aluminum foundry casting furnaces to be found throughout the
world are crucible furnaces, both for melting and casting. Generally, these furnaces
range from 300 to 1000 kg metal contained, and in particular the smaller ones do
not possess a lot of space available for a box filter to be employed. In addition, in
some casting furnaces it is common to add ingot (in controlled fashion so as not to
decrease the temperature) even while casting. In other cases, casting may be
discontinued while the furnace is being charged. In such furnaces, the ability to
provide filtration within the furnace is difficult, but not impossible.
Figure 7 portrays the insertion of a contoured vertical gate filter, or "inverted tombstone"
filter, into the crucible. The appropriately sized filter may be placed either on the
major diameter, or perhaps otherwise, creating a 1/3-2/3 division. Charging of ingot
and returns, or pouring-in ofliquid metal takes place in the minor section, while casting is
performed either with manual or autoladle dipout in the major section. Typically, two or
three filters (2-3 months life each) would be used during the expected lifetime of the
crucible(nominally siz months). Filter sealing, changeout, preheat and installation are
performed in exactly the same manner as previously discussed under Vertical Gate filters.
In general, each foundry filter configuration application has found success in many
casting operations producing a variety of benefits--scrap reduction, better machinability,
improved properties, etc,---and with excellent economic value with the filter product in
general lasting several months. Table 2 is a brief compendium of several applications and
results. Economically, it is easy to justify a filter installation based on the value
achieved. Figure 8 illustrates the net savings, per month, based on casting production
per casting station, as a function of 1/2-4% reduction (absolute value) in rejects/scrap.
Clearly there are significant cost savings associated with the appropriate employment
of the bonded particle filter in all circumstances.
Summary
The Bonded Particle Filter continues to find increasing application within the aluminum
casting industry in both wrought casthouse and foundry shape-casting processes. The
features of the BPF which generate advantage to the aluminum caster include its
inherent strength and durability, chemical resistance to attack and degradation for
all common alloys, high thermal conductivity, enhanced filtration efficiency, and
flexibility of product configuration/geometry to meet a variety of different applications.
18
In the shape-casting high pressure, low pressure, and gravity die or permanent mold
casting foundries, the four basic configurations of sustained, in-furnace usage of the
bonded particle filter systems--Vertical Gate Filter (VGF), Metaullics Box Filter (MBF),
Filter Pump (FP), and Stalk Tube Filter (STF)--are fmding increasing application.
Improvements in scrap/reject reduction, casting machinability, and cast product properties
are being realized with great cost-effectiveness.
References
1. J.P. Martin, G. Dube, D. Frayce, R. Guthrie, "Settling Phenomena in Casting
Furnaces--A Fundamental and Experimental Investigation", Light Metals, TMS,
1988,p.445
2. D. J. Eichenmiller, R.S. Henderson, D. V. Neff, "Rigid Media Filtration--New
Understanding and possibilities iwth Bonded Particle Filters", Light Metals, TMS,
1994,p. 1007
3. D. V. Neff, "Continuous, Sustainable, Reusable Filtration for Aluminum Foundries
and Diecasters", Proceedings, Third International Molten Aluminum Processing
Conference, AFS, Orlando, FL, 1995, p. 121
4. D. V. Neff, ''The Bonded Particle Filter", Aluminum Melt Treatment and Casting,
TMS, Third Australian Asian Pacific Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 1993, p.137
5. D. V. Neff, "Bonded Particle Filters in Casthouses and Foundries", Proceedings,
!MEDAL, Vera Cruz, June 1999
19
Type
f---
Al
2
o
3
0
X HgO
I
D
E HgA1
2
0
4
5
Si0
2
Salts
Chlorides
-N Fluorides
0
N Carbides
Al4C3
0 SiC
X
I Nitrides
D AlN
E
s So rides
TiB
2
AlB
2
,_.
1.6
-
-
"E
1.2
.,
0
....
\.0
UJ
Q_
"'
0 0.8
:z
J
...
...
0.6
UJ
"'
o.
0.2
0.0
0
Table I
Inclusions in Aluminum
Form Density (g/cm3) Dimensions (j.Jm)
Particles 3.97 0.2
Skins 10
Particles 3.58 0. 1
Skins 10
Particles 3.6 0. 1
Skins 10
Particles
2 ~ 6 6
0.5
Particles 1. 98 - 2.16 0.1
Particles 2.36 0.5
Particles 3. zz
Particles
Skins 3.26 10
Particle-
Clusters 4.5 1
Particles 3. 19 0. 1
-b- 2.SO glcm3
--0-- 3.00 g/0'1\3
-G- 3.58 glcmJ
-......&-- 3.se g/cmJ
--&- .so g/cmJ
20 60 80
INCLUSION RADIUS (micrometers)
Figure 1: Rise/Fall Velocity oflnclusions
based on Stoke's Law (I)
- 30
- 5000
- 5
- 5000
- 5
- 5000
- 5
- 5
- 25
- 50
- 30
- 3
100
20
''
i
'
I
'
Depth Filtration
Cake Formation
1 I II I 11 II I I II
F1gure : e . 2 Cak Mode versus Depth Mode Filtration
21
Figure 3: Stereographic Depiction ofthe Tortuosity and Internal Structure
of the Bonded Particle Filter Media (8 grit at SOX magnification)
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
5
PORE DIAMETER COMPARISONS
NOMINAL AVERAGE PORE DIAMETER, MM
30 PPI
FILTER TYPE
-BPF -CFF
80
6
8
10
12
14
16 20
BPF GRIT SIZE NUMBER
Figure 4: Nomenclature and Pore Size Comparison,
Ceramic Foam and Bonded Particle Filters
24
22
FigureS': Foundry Filter Configurations: (a, b) Vertical Gate Filter (VGF)
(c) Metaullics Box Filter (MBF); (d) Filter Pump; (e) Stalk
Tube Filters
23
Figure': VGF in Dipwell with Automatic Ladling
Foundry Filter Type Result Filter Life
A
B
c
D
E
F
G
VGF
Hardspots
2 months
eliminated
MBF
90% reject
2 months
reduction
STF 4% better yield 1 week
MBF Zero defects 2 months
FP
Reduced
3 weeks
hardspots
Cylinder
Reduced
7 weeks
oxides
MBF
Reduced
1 month
leakers
Table 2: Compendium of Results with Various Bonded Particle Foundry
Filter Products
24
Figure 7: Crucible Baffle Filter (CBF)
SAVINGS
NET SAVINGS/CASTING STATION, $1000
16
14 ------ ----
12 ----------
10
8 -------
6
4
2
0
11300 22600 33900
Production/Station/Mo. Kg
45400
1-1/2% SCRAP REDUCTION -1% -2% .-3% 4% I
CASTINGS VALUE $4.4/KG; FILTER COST $200/MO
Figure 8: Net Savings with Bonded Particle Filters
90800
25