Project Overview
In April 2018, JW Aluminum of Goose Creek, South Carolina, awarded Mechatherm International Limited a contract to supply a comprehensive scrap recycling solution. The goal was to produce 660 million pounds (300,000 tonnes) of aluminium sheet products annually. This project required the handling and remelting of various forms of market-grade coated aluminium scrap, with up to 15% contamination levels in both loose and bale forms.
Advanced Melting Technology
To efficiently remelt the contaminated scrap, Mechatherm provided four 310,000-pound (140-tonne) capacity X-Series “Multi-Chamber” scrap de-coating melting furnaces. These furnaces are equipped with Bloom “Lumiflame” natural gas regenerative burners, each rated for a melting rate of 27,500 pounds per hour (12.5 tonnes per hour) with Mechatherm’s Licenced Air Cannon technology for improved efficiency. The melting furnaces are designed to feed Mechatherm’s H-Series holding/casting furnaces, which then supply metal to the continuous casting process.
Energy Efficiency and Emissions Control
The melting furnace technology is specifically engineered to handle coated scrap by utilising energy from pyrolyzed volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are incinerated within the furnace, enhancing overall furnace efficiency by reducing gas consumption and minimising toxic emissions. This process ensures that fewer pollutants are sent to the fume treatment plants for final clean-up, thereby supporting JW Aluminum’s environmental goals.
State-of-the-Art Scrap Charging System
To complement the advanced furnace technology, Mechatherm supplied three Hencon autonomously guided vehicle (AGV) scrap charging machines. These AGVs use the latest lithium-ion battery technology and come with detachable scrap containers. The containers are pre-loaded with scrap by the customer and then automatically picked up by the AGVs. The AGVs transport the scrap to the melting furnaces, charging them in sequence to maintain the required melting and casting production cycle with minimal heat losses. In addition to charging, these AGVs are designed to push scrap across the furnace de-coating hearths in a precise, indexed fashion before the scrap enters the molten bath for melting.
High-Capacity H-Series Holding/Casting Furnaces
Mechatherm also supplied two 340,000-pound (155-tonne) tilting H-Series holding/casting furnaces to feed JW Aluminum’s continuous sheet casting machine. These furnaces, tilted via hydraulic cylinders, are controlled in tandem to ensure a seamless and uninterrupted casting handover sequence, enabling 24/7 continuous casting operations. These casting furnaces are among the largest capacity tilting types in the USA and globally.
Conclusion
Mechatherm is proud to have received this prestigious order from JW Aluminum. The successful completion of this project positions Mechatherm among the world’s leading providers of industrial-scale aluminium recycling technology. This collaboration showcases our commitment to innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in the aluminium industry.
