Separation of Inclusion Particles from Liquid Metal by Electromagnetic Force

Abstract

The separation of non-metallic inclusion particles from liquid metal is very important not only for fabricating high-quality metal products, but also for recycling materials. Electromagnetic separation is an attractive method for removing inclusions from liquid metal. It separates particles whose electrical conductivity differs from that of the liquid metal. This study investigates electromagnetic separation in a liquid Al/SiC particle system. The applied electromagnetic force causes the SiC particles to migrate toward the side wall of the crucible, causing a layer of particles to form on the wall. The thickness of this layer is limited by the electromagnetic skin depth. The layer forms by the balance between the electromagnetic separation force and the dispersion force due to turbulent flow.