Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 6

Letters
Questions about aluminum process
August, Chementator, This new process promises substantial
savings for aluminum production, p. 9: The
reaction of aluminum carbide and aluminum oxide to
aluminum and carbon monoxide is so hugely endothermic
that it cannot possibly take place at the moderate
temperatures quoted.
Richard Durrant
U.K.
Source's reply
It is true that the reaction of aluminum carbide and
aluminum oxide is hugely endothermic and needs a high
level of energy to proceed. However, according to thermodynamics
(using JANAF data), this reaction starts to
produce a measurable value of CO gas at 1,527°C and operates
at one atmosphere CO pressure at about 2,080°C
temperature.
In the conventional carbothermic processes, strong kinetic
barriers hinder the reaction, and to overcome these
barriers, temperatures higher than 2,250°C are required.
So, any process that can reduce these barriers can produce
metal at 1 atm CO at about 2,080°C temperature.
In the Thermical process, these barriers are removed
and in addition, metallic aluminum present in the charge
(xAl-A2O3 + Al4C3) plays a role in enhancing the reaction
rate. At the same time, using hydrocarbon gas as a carrier
and carbon supplier dilutes the generated CO in the
reactor. When natural gas is used as the carbon source,
the hydrogen generated in the charge production zone
enters into the metal production zone and dilutes the CO
gas generated in metal production zone. As the hydrogen
passes through the reaction zone, the CO content of the
gas increases and the off-gas leaves the reaction zone with
2H2 + CO composition. Therefore, a lower temperature is
needed to produce metal at 1 atm.
The company website (www.calsmelt.com) contains the
patent texts in the Thermical IP section. Calsmelt is now
ready to build a pilot plant to test the process.
Yaghoub Sayad-Yaghoub
Calsmelt Pty Ltd., Melborne, Australia
Postscripts, corrections
May, Bookshelf, p. 9: The price quoted for " Stoichiometry
5th ed. " By B.I. Bhatt and S.B. Thakore was incorrectly
listed as $66.16. The correct list price for the book is
$41.50. ■
Do you have -
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* Feedback about our articles?
* Comments about today's engineering
practice or education?
* Job-related problems or gripes
to share?
If so - Send them,
for our Letters column, to
Rebekkah Marshall
Chemical Engineering,
Access Intelligence,
110 William St., 11th floor
New York, NY 10038;
letters@che.com
Circle 33 on p. 58 or go to adlinks.che.com/29256-33

http://adlinks.che.com/29256-33 http://www.calsmelt.com

Chemical Engineering November 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering November 2010

Contents
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - Cover1
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - Cover2
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - Contents
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 2
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 3
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 4
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 5
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 6
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 7
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 8
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - 9
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Chemical Engineering November 2010 - Cover3
Chemical Engineering November 2010 - Cover4
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