Vertical Larger-Diameter Vacuum Retort Magnesium Reduction Furnace

Abstract

A new magnesium reduction technique has been developed to improve the Pidgeon reduction process. A demo-plant of l000t magnesium per year succeeds in applying this new technique. Firstly, a new furnace is developed and a larger-diameter vertical settled vacuum retort is used instead of traditional horizontal retort. So the furnace can be designed with more compact structure to raise the magnesium output per furnace volume. Secondly, calcined dolomites and ferrosilicon is compressed into given unitary shape for enhancing heat and mass transfer during the reduction and shorten remarkably the reduction time. The shape is designed with reference to the numerical simulation result. Demo operation shows that, with application of the technology, significantly production capacity increases in the same furnace, reduction period decreases (only two thirds of the traditional reduction period), energy consumption decreases too, retort’s life extends, operation becomes easy and the total production cost reduces.