PyroGenesis looks at maximizing aluminium recovery from dross in India through DROSRITE™

According to a recently published report by AlCircle on Aluminium Dross Processing, the aluminium industry comprising primary, recycled and downstream sectors generated approximately 3 million tonnes of dross in 2017. Near 50% of the total dross generated still finds its way to land fill. The Asia Pacific region accounts for about 56% of the total dross generation followed by Europe and North America at 21% and 14% respectively. Keeping pace with aluminium usage the dross generation across the aluminium value chain is expected to grow at around 4 to 5% per annum in the coming years. The recovery of aluminium metal from dross is economically profitable and is essential from the environment perspective. Aluminum producers face increasing pressure from regulatory authorities to eliminate landfilling of hazardous salt cakes from traditional dross recovery operations while operating with tight margins.

We continue to focus on some of the innovative solution providers in these special sectors. 

PyroGenesis Canada Inc. is a world-renowned high-tech company based out of Montreal operating in the field of high temperature processing of materials and waste, which counts the US Navy and the US Air Force amongst its discerning client base.

PyroGenesis' DROSRITE™ system is a salt-free, cost-effective process for maximizing aluminium recovery from dross, a waste generated in the smelting, processing and recycling process. DROSRITE™   is a patented process that can cut down on loss of expensive metal and reduce a smelter's carbon footprint and energy consumption through their sustainable process. The process offers substantial ROI to metal manufacturers.   

Technically speaking, DROSRITE™   is a batch process where hot or cold dross is introduced into an argon-filled tilting rotary furnace which significantly minimizes any oxidation or thermite reaction. The furnace is rotated in order to separate the metal phase from the oxide and/or non-metallic phase. The molten metal is removed and then returned to the holding furnace while a controlled amount of oxygen is introduced into the DROSRITE™   furnace.

PyroGenesis’ DROSRITE™ process not only increases metal recovery from waste, but also reduces operating costs. Being salt-free, it does not generate hazardous by-products. PyroGenesis announced the sale of a second commercial DROSRITE™ furnace system to a North American automobile parts manufacturer in November 2017. The company expects to suuply additional 6-10 systems in 2018.

The company is currently speaking with a few major aluminum industry players across India, from automotive parts manufacturers to primary & secondary aluminum smelters. Furthermore, their small-scale demonstrational DROSRITE™ unit is currently running paid trials, backlogged in India until September. The company looks at India as a potential key market and expects their DROSRITE™ product line to benefit the Indian aluminium industry players to a large extent. 

According to a company spokesman, demand for a dross recovery system like DROSRITE™   is driven by the need for higher aluminum recovery rates, lower OPEX costs, and most importantly the elimination of metal loss to landfill and toxic by-products such as salt-cake residues. 100% of the by-product residues produced in the DROSRITE™   process can be recycled through applications developed by PyroGenesis.

Supported by a rapidly growing domestic downstream markets and higher base metal prices, companies in India are expanding their CAPEX budgets & looking at innovative ways to reduce the impact of waste streams on their bottom line while simultaneously reducing their environmental footprint. DROSRITE™ system is offering a dependable turnkey solution to achieve both goals.