An eco-friendly system to degasify, purify and refine metals and alloys using ultrasonic technology – ULSONIK to obtain improvements in metallurgical, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of metals and alloys castings. ULSONIK uses high-intensity ultrasonic vibrations to generate oscillating pressures in molten aluminum. In the region of minimum pressure fine bubbles are produced. The bubbles produced could provide nuclei for hydrogen to coalesce and flow out of the melt. The ULSONIK provides improvement in the process by elimination of the fluorine and chlorine usage by replacing it with ultrasonic technology with suitable mechanical design, metallurgical criteria, thermal analysis consideration and electrical field consideration for usage and applications of produced castings. The ULSONIK facilitates production of fine and equiaxial grains. Further, it facilitates better structure of crystallization and balanced distribution of alloying elements throughout the cross section of the product with less porosity, less inclusions and less dissolved salts of Ca, Mg, etc. Moreover, it facilitates eco – friendly mass and continuous production, efficient process and robust construction, safer and faster operation with occupancy of less space with parts made up of special materials which employ unique concept along with universal degree of freedom movement.
- Back boned by patent the ULSONIK has been developed indigenously. (Patent Number: 3176/MUM/2013)
- ULSONIK is a unique process by which castings of metals and alloys derived from molten their molten state which gets degassified, purified and grain refined by inducting ultrasound.
- The process is GREEN as it uses no gases which produce health hazardous effects to living creatures.
Benefits of ULSONIK
- More energy efficient with very high hydrogen removal efficiency and better grain refinement than prevailing metallurgical treatment technologies, processes and associated equipment.
- Lower CAPEX and OPEX Requirements.
- User friendly, robust & compact equipment.
- Better properties of metals and alloys treated with it.
- ULSONIK does not use any gases hence no health hazardous gases (Hexafluoride – Hex chloride) are formed which have health hazardous effects which are 24,000 times more severe to Carbon Dioxide’s and Nitrogen Oxide’s health hazardous effects on living creatures.
- Power consumption of ULSONIK is very less as compared to the prevailing technologies. Hence, saves considerable amount of energy.
- ULSONIK uses no rotating parts which reduces operating cost.
- Higher hydrogen removal efficiency and better grain refinement yields worth of even reduced employed energy.
- Equipment costs are lower with added advantage of less space.
- Ease of operation yields Lean Manufacturing Advantages.
- Faster processing time.
- Doesn’t require any gases hence less initial and operating costs.
- Low energy costs.
- 30-40% reduction in dross production costs during degassing process.
- Capacity to treat molten metals and alloys in 1 to 80 tonnes per hour.
- ULSONIK can be retro fitted into customer’s existing setup.
- Production of more finer and equi-axial grains, better structure of crystallization, better distribution of alloy elements throughout the cross sections of the product, better strength to weight ratio can be achieved.
- Almost NIL Porosities can be achieved.
- Thermal, Electrical and Galvanic properties gain of 10-18%.
- Metallurgical properties gain of 5-8%.
- Mechanical properties gain of 10-20%.
- Green technology – better environment.
- Reduction in utilization and formation of health hazardous gases almost up to NIL level.
- Quality products with best enhanced properties of metals and alloys.
- Savings of energy.
- Best safety.
- Ease of operation attracts zero accident scenario.
- Productivity increment with very less and easy maintenance.
- More robust and compact equipment saves land costs.
- Minimal running/operating costs.
- Recycled metals and alloys production is more than 18 million tonnes annually which is projected to be raised up to 31 million tonnes annually by 2020.
- The gaseous fluorine compound, sulphur hexafluoride, SF6, occurs in the atmosphere at levels of about 0.3 parts per trillion. It is extremely unreactive with an atmospheric lifetime estimated at 3200 years. Current atmospheric levels of SF6 are significantly higher than the estimated background level of 0.04 ppt in 1953 when commercial production of it began. The compound is very useful in specialized applications including gas insulated electrical equipment and inert blanketing/degassing of molten aluminum and magnesium. Increasing uses of sulphur hexafluoride have caused concern because it is the most powerful greenhouse gas known, with a global warming potential (per molecule added to the atmosphere) about 23,900 times that of carbon dioxide.
- Thus, the metals and alloys recycling plants use hazardous gases for production than 136 tonnes of SF6 are emitted annually.
- These are equivalent to health hazardous effects of 3.3 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide.
- Our ULSONIK can reduce these health hazardous effects by 50% by 2020 assuming 50% plants who recycle metals and alloys using it!
Applications of ULSONIK
- Billets and slabs casting of alloys for aerospace, automotive and marine applications.
- Foils production for Pharmaceuticals and Food Packaging Industry.
- All types of castings for all industries of alloys.
