Determination of RTD Curves for Aluminium Refining Process Conducted in Batch Reactor – Physical Modelling

It is really hard to determine the phenomena occurring during aluminum refining process using argon blowing through the liquid metal in industrial conditions. The solution of such problem is physical modelling. This kind of modelling gives possibility to determine the level of dispersion of the refining gas in liquid metal. Especially in steel metallurgy RTD (Residence Time Distribution) analysis and visualization process with some colour tracer, which can give extra information about time of mixing are very popularly used. Because the modelling research (especially visualization) is pictorial, the research was conducted to check if it is possible to estimate quantitatively impeller working effectiveness basing on determination of the RTD curves. The examined object was model of URO-200 batch refining reactor. The RTD curves was registered and discussed for three different impellers and four different variants of processing parameters (rotary impeller speed: 300-500 rpm, and gas flow rate: 15-20 l·min^-1). Additionally, the process of mixing of the inert gas with water as a modelling agent was enabled to be observed due to introduction of colour tracer (KMnO₄). Results obtained from both measuring methods were graphically presented, compared and shortly discussed.