JSC “Chepetsky Mechanical Plant”, Glazov, Russia:

A. A. Talanov, Leading Engineer
R. S. Konshin, Chief Specialist
V. L. Kiverin, Head of a Shop

All-Russian Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Moscow, Russia:
M. L. Kotsar, Head of Laboratory, phone: +7 (499) 324-63-75

This paper shows the results of tests of modernized equipment with increased productivity for vacuum distillation of calcium from copper-calcium alloy in Chepetsky Mechanical Plant. Five new types of equipment were tested. The technology was optimized on this equipment. Industrial exploitation required the distillation retort with optimal geometry and loading mass of “rich” coppercalcium alloy and electric resistance furnace SH-1 (Ш-1) with zone heating and 60 kW capacity. In comparison with the basic method, calcium obtaining in the optimal method was increased by ~9 kg (by 13.5%) during the loading of “rich” copper-calcium alloy (149±5 kg) in distiler and concentration of power in the low part of apparatus at the end of the process. Access of distillate to the ingot and the mass fraction of calcium in the “poor” copper-calcium alloy was unchanged at 83.5 and 20.8%, respectively. Specific energy consumption was not increased and equaled to 5.12 kWh/kg of Ca. Distillate reflow was decreased by 8% in 100 processes and equaled to 3.45 (instead of 3.75 in the base case). Nowadays, after the pilot testings, the entire site of distillation of calcium production of Chepetsky Mechanical Plant was equipped with modernized retorts and three-zone furnaces with capacity of 20 kW in each heating zone. The capacity in the modernized furnaces is consumed mainly for alloy heating with the level, decreasing during the distillation process.

1. Stepanova I. V. Symmetry analysis of nonlinear heat and mass transfer equations under Soret effect. Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation. 2015. Vol. 20, No. 3. pp. 684–691.
2. Okayasu M., Takeuchi S. Crystallization characteristics of cast aluminum alloys during a unidirectional solidification process. Materials Science and Engineering: A. 2015. Vol. 633. pp. 112–120.
3. Rodyakin V. V. Kaltsiy, ego soedineniya i splavy (Calcium, its compounds and alloys). Moscow : Metallurgiya, 1967. 188 p.
4. Doronin N. A. Kaltsiy (Calcium). Moscow : Atomizdat, 1962. 192 p.
5. Talanov A. A., Kotsar M. L., Dulesov N. K., Ilenko E. V., Kiverin V. L. Razrabotka novykh vidov kaltsievoy produktsii (Development of new types of calcium products). Tsvetnye Metally = Non-ferrous metals. 2012. No. 12. pp. 69–73.
6. Lyakishev N. P. Diagrammy sostoyaniya dvoynykh metallicheskikh sistem : spravochnik (Constitution diagrams of double metallic systems : reference book). Moscow : Mashinostroenie, 1996. Vol. 1. 992 p.
7. Muthiah T., Aguilar C., Guzman D., Kumaran S. Synthesis and Characterization of Mechanical Alloyed Mg – Ni – Ca and Mg – Cu – Ca Amorphous Alloys. Procedia Materials Science. 2015. Vol. 9. pp. 428–434.
8. Drits M. E. Splavy shchelochnykh i shchelochnozemelnykh metallov : spravochnik (Alloys of alkali and alkali-earth metals : reference book). Moscow : Metallurgiya, 1986. 248 p.
9. Cheremnykh G. S., Talanov A. A., Dranichnikov S. L., Indyk S. I., Kiverin V. L., Kotsar M. L., Kunev A. I., Maksimov S. V., Novikov P. Yu., Popov A. M. Sposob vakuumnoy distillyatsii kaltsiya (Method of vacuum distillation of calcium). Patent RF, No. 2260066, IPC7 C 22 B 26/20. Published: September 10, 2005. Bulletin No. 25.
10. Skorobogatov G. A. Rol klasterov v fazovom ravnovesii zhidkost – par (strukturnyy podkhod) (Role of clusters in the phase equillibrium “liquidvapour” (structural approach)). Tsvetnye Metally = Non-ferrous metals. 2008. No. 11. pp. 86–91.
11. Capecelatro J., Pepiot P., Desjardins O. Numerical investigation and modeling of reacting gas-solid flows in the presence of clusters. Chemical Engineering Science. 2015. Vol. 122. pp. 403–415.
12. Talanov A. A., Kotsar M. L., Ilenko E. V., Kiverin V. L., Kochubeeva S. L. Analiz tekhniko-ekonomicheskikh pokazateley sovremennogo proizvodstva kaltsiya (The analysis of technical and economic indexes of modern calcium manufacturing). Tsvetnye Metally = Non-ferrous metals. 2013. No. 1. pp. 57–60.