Patent ID: 6060014
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: C22B

Abstract:
In an insulated refractory lined refining chamber for aluminum refining, having side walls and a floor and being adapted for the positioning of a spinning nozzle assembly therein for the injection of sparging gas into a body of molten aluminum present in the chamber during aluminum refining operations, said insulated refractory lined refining chamber having no gas inlet means in the side wall thereof, the improvement consisting essentially of vertical, refractory baffle means, composed of silicon carbide, positioned at the floor of and across said refining chamber, so as to be located under a rotor portion of said spinning nozzle assembly upon placement of said spinning nozzle assembly in the refining chamber for the injection of sparging gas into the body of molten aluminum therein, whereby said baffle means serves to change the flow pattern of the body of molten aluminum within the refining chamber upon the use thereof for refining operations so as to enable higher gas flows and/or nozzle rotating speeds to be employed without excessive surface turbulence of said molten aluminum, thereby enabling increased refining rates to be achieved in said refining chamber.