Development of a technology to produce titanium powder with a low carbon footprint

Abstract

This paper reports the analysis of modern technologies for the production of titanium from oxide raw materials. It has been established that current industrial methods for producing titanium require the use of carbon as a reducing agent and, accordingly, cannot decrease carbon emissions without changing the technology. That is why devising a technology for producing titanium with a reduction in emissions of carbon components is a relevant task. So, the object of research is the technology of obtaining titanium from its oxide without the use of carbon components. It was found that an integrated approach to the preparation of raw materials and the separation of reduction processes with the successive use of two types of reducing agents – magnesium and calcium, made it possible to create an effective process for producing titanium without the use of carbon reducing agents. The influence of calcium and magnesium chlorides as promoters of the reduction process was revealed. Experimental studies have established that the shape and density of raw materials significantly affect the efficiency of the reduction process by streamlining the reducing agent flows and reaction products in the furnace charge. The established regularities made it possible to improve the process of reduction of titanium oxide to obtain samples of titanium powders with an oxygen content of 0.17 %, which corresponds to international standards for titanium alloys and powders. Additional plasma treatment made it possible to obtain materials that were suitable for additive processes in all respects. A systematic approach to the utilization of reaction products made it possible to devise a technological scheme in which all possible waste is either returned to the technological process after treatment or processed into marketable products. Based on the results of the study, a technological scheme for obtaining powders of titanium alloys from titanium oxide by complex reduction in two stages – magnesium and calcium – was developed. The proposed scheme involves standard metallurgical processes and is brought to standard processes and equipment of metallurgical enterprises and chemical industry. In terms of practical significance, the results of this work could be used in the development of industrial technology to produce titanium from titanium dioxide without the use of carbon components.

Development of Titanium Production in Ukraine: Evolving Prospects Based on National R&D

“…The developed tech nology makes it possible to obtain both tra di tio nal industrial titanium alloys, known since the last century, and new complex alloyed high-strength titanium alloys for structural purposes and heatresistant titanium alloys with dispersion stren gthening with silicides and intermetallics, which are created by researchers of the National Aca demy of Sciences of Ukraine [4]. The newly created low-carbon technology for the production of titanium powder is stated in the study of Uk rainian specialists Gonchar et al, representing Ti tanera LLC, Velta Holding US Inc [5].…”

Prerequisites and Prospects for the Ukrainian Titanium Industry Development in the Postwar Period

“…Про новостворену низьковуглецеву технологію виробництва титанового порошку заявлено й у дослідженні українських фахівців Gonchar et al (2023), які представляють підприємства Titanera LLC, Velta Holding US Inc (Gonchar, 2023).…”

“…4 URL: https://gmk.center/ua/news/oghk-u-chervni-planuie-vidnoviti-robotu-irshanskogo-gzk/ (дата звернення: 08.08.2023 р. )5 URL: https://groupdf.com/uk/nash-biznes-2/titanovyiy-biznes/ (дата звернення: 08.08.2023 р. )6 URL: https://valki.in.ua/ (дата звернення: 08.08.2023 р.…”

Status and Directions of Development of Domestic and Foreign Trade in Titanium Ores and Concentrates in Ukraine

“…Тенденції на внутрішньому ринку України у титановій індустрії описані в низці публіцистичних видань -GMK Center 4 , УНІАН 5 , та наукових видань авторів Педько А., 2 https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/visualizing-asias-dominance-in-the-titanium-supply-chain/ (дата звернення 09.08.2023) 3 https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/aperam-recycling-iperionx-parter-on-titanium-supply-chain/ (дата звернення 04.08.2023) 4 https://gmk.center/ua/posts/titanichni-zusillya-yak-zapustiti-titanovu-galuz-ukraini/ (дата звернення 10.08.2023); https://gmk.center/ua/posts/ukrainskyj-tytan-u-2022-rotsi-eksport-tytanovmisnykh-rud-z-ukrainy-znyzyvsia-na-42-r-r/ (дата звернення 10.08.2023) 5 https://www.unian.ua/economics/other/metal-novoji-ukrajini-viperedzhaye-chas-i-zamikaye-cikl-12068193.html (дата звернення 10.08.2023) Губаренко Л.М., Волошина А. (Педько, 2018), Таранюк Л. та Макаренко Т.…”

“…Рис. 4 Імпорт титанових руд і концентратів за кодом УКТЗЕД 2614000090 "Руди та концентрати титанові: інші" в Україні здійснюється переважно трейдерами, однак ввезена продукція не насичує внутрішній ринок сировини, а скеровується на реекспорт (Головньов, 2020).…”