Innovative Titanium Recycling Through Hydrogen Plasma Smelting
Key Ideas
  • Hydrogen plasma arc deoxygenates titanium alloy scrap efficiently, improving strength and ductility over conventional alloys.
  • Increasing arc power enhances deoxygenation by altering plasma conditions, reducing oxygen content below 1000 ppm in 8 minutes.
  • Hydrogen plasma smelting offers a promising, low-carbon footprint method for high-performance titanium recycling with metallurgical advantages.
The pursuit of efficient titanium recycling methods has led to the exploration of hydrogen plasma smelting for its high deoxidation efficiency and low carbon footprint. This study investigates how varying arc power inputs affect the deoxygenation efficiency and mechanical performance of recycled titanium alloys. Results show that increasing arc power elevates the molten pool temperature and alters the concentrations of reactive hydrogen species, effectively reducing oxygen content in recycled titanium alloys to below 1000 ppm in 8 minutes. Recycled TC4 alloy processed at 400 A exhibited enhanced strength and ductility, surpassing conventional as-cast titanium alloys. Hydrogen plasma technology, known for its reduction capabilities and potential to minimize carbon-based agents, offers a promising avenue for green titanium recycling. While conventional methods face challenges like high energy consumption and oxide removal, hydrogen plasma smelting shows potential for rapid reduction kinetics and efficient titanium extraction. This innovative approach presents opportunities for optimizing plasma-based processes to achieve higher efficiency and reduced environmental impact, with implications for refining recycling pathways of other metals.
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