Abstract
In 2005, Rio Tinto Aluminium started an ambitious program to reduce casting furnace energy consumption in its casthouses. A major reduction step was reached in 2008 by implementing this energy efficiency program in all casthouses, focusing more specifically on the reduction of natural gas consumption (m3 of gas) and specific energy consumption (MJ/t of cast metal). In order to further reduce energy consumption, a new strategy was recently developed and is described in this paper.
The main tool of this strategy is a standardized energy performance indicator. This indicator takes into account not only intrinsic furnace operating parameters such as burner efficiency and pressure control but also some specific production characteristics (casthouse layout, temperature of the potroom metal, mass of remelt and mass of alloying ingredients). This indicator allows to adequately compare energy performance between casthouses and to identify best practices and potential improvements. Some industrial applications of this tool are also presented.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
V. Goutiere and al, Implementa tion of a Global Casthouse Furnace Energy Efficiency Program at Rio Tinto Alcan, Light Metals 2010, pp. 669–674.
R. Voyer, Francis Caron, Energy Efficiency of Casthouse Furnaces, Light Metals 2010, pp. 651–655.
C. Belt, Energy Efficiency Tests in Aluminium Combination Melting and Holding Furnaces, Light Metals 2004, pp. 613–617.
B. Gooden and J. Migchielsen, Environmentally Friendly Furnace Design, Aluminium Cast House Technology 2007, pp.31–38.
L. Tianxiang and al, An Analytical Furnace Model for Optimizing Aluminium Melting Furnaces, Light Metals 2005, pp.875–879.
C. Belt and al, Industrial Application of DOE Energy Savings Technologies to Aluminium Melting, Light Metals 2006, pp. 881–885.
R. D. Peterson, C. Belt, Elements of an Energy Management Program, JOM 2009, Vol. 61, N 4, pp. 19–24.
B. Houghton et al, Melting Furnaces, Technical Developments Reviewed and Thoughts for the Future, Light Metals 2008, pp. 541–545.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Goutière, V., Fortier, M., Dupuis, C. (2016). Aluminium Casting Furnace Energy Efficiency: Recent Improvements in Rio Tinto Aluminium Casthouses. In: Williams, E. (eds) Light Metals 2016. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48251-4_125
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48251-4_125
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48615-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48251-4
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)