Monday, March 18, 2013

A Book on "Alumina Technology - Process & Design"

Hi Friends,


We are planning to publish a book on Alumina Technology covering various technical aspects with emphasis on process & design of Metallurgical and Non-Metalurgical (Speciality grades) Alumina Plants including Byproducts. We have structured a Draft Table of Content for the purpose. If everything goes well, this book will be published by early 2014 by a Publisher of International repute.

In our opinion, the proposed new book will be unique with regard to availability of in depth technical data / information generally required by process engineers and plant designers as no such book is available in the market particularly on Bauxite, Hydrates and Aluminas.

Given below, please find the draft table of content seeking your views for addition / deletion / modifications, you feel appropriate, for enrichment.



TABLE OF CONTENT

1.            Introduction
2.            Raw Materials
3.            Process technology
3.1.         Alumina production process
3.2.         Process considerations
3.3.         Quality of Alumina
3.3.1.     Specifications of Metallurgical grade alumina
3.3.2.     Applications of Metallurgical grade alumina
3.4.         Technological options for design of Alumina refinery
3.4.1.     Bauxite crushing
3.4.2.     Bauxite grinding
3.4.3.     Desilication, digestion and slurry flashing
3.4.4.     Residue thickening, washing and disposal
3.4.5.     Heat interchange system
3.4.6.     Precipitation
3.4.7.     Calcination
3.5          Recommended process route
3.6          Process and design features of Alumina refinery
3.6.1       Basic considerations for design of bauxite crushers
3.6.2       Principles of Desilication process
3.6.3       Significance of sodalite factor
3.6.4       Impact of dissolved silica in pregnant liquor on product quality
3.6.5       Desilication methods
3.6.6       Design of efficient digestion system
3.6.7       Techniques of liquor decantation and residue washing
3.6.8       TCA as filter aid for polishing filtration
3.6.9       Heat interchange system
3.6.10    Principles of hydrate precipitation
3.6.11    Techniques of hydrate classification
3.6.12    Multiple effect evaporation system
3.6.13    Hydrate washing and filtration
3.6.14    Energy efficient calcination system
3.7          Major process control parameters
 
4.            Plant Design Criteria
4.1          Basic terminology used in Alumina refinery
4.1.1       Solids concentration in slurry
4.1.2       Liquor concentration
4.1.3       Plant causticity
4.1.4       Alumina to Caustic ratio
4.2          Basis for design capacity of Alumina refinery
4.2.1       Estimated reserves and quality of Bauxite
4.2.2       Fixation of plant capacity
4.2.3       Product-mix and product specifications
4.2.4       Finalization of production process route
4.2.5       Sizing of plant and equipment
4.2.6       Safety and pollution control measures
4.2.7       Planning for green belt
4.3          Plant availability, margin and operating schedule
4.3.1       Overall availability of plant
4.3.2       Design margin
4.3.3       Turndown ratio
4.4          Major efficiency parameters
4.5          Plant operating schedule
4.6          Unit areawise operating and process control parameters
5.            Methodology for Design of Plant and Equipment
5.1.         Basis for Sizing of Pipelines in Alumina refinery
5.2.         Dimensions and drive motor rating for Ball mill
5.3.         Design of test tanks
5.4.         Design of liquor to Ball mill heat exchangers
5.5.         Design of Bauxite slurry heat exchangers
5.6.         Drive motor rating calculations for agitators of Predesilication tanks
5.7.         Design of digester vessels
5.8.         Design of 1st stage regenerative heat exchangers
5.9.         Design of 2nd stage regenerative heat exchangers
5.10.       Design of 3rd stage regenerative heat exchangers
5.11.       Design of live steam heat exchangers
5.12.       Design of 1st stage heat exchanger for heat interchange unit
5.13.       Design of 2nd stage heat exchanger for heat interchange unit
5.14.       Design of precipitation tank chemical cleaning heat exchangers
5.15.       Design of spiral heat exchangers
5.16.       Method of Stack height calculations for boilers and calciners
5.17.       Basis for design of Cogeneration plant
5.18.       Design calculations for raw water supply system

6.            Safety and Environmental Management
6.1.         HAZID and HAZOP study for Alumina refinery
6.2.         Emission of gases and Air quality monitoring
6.3.         Generation and Disposal of Bauxite residue
6.4.         Generation and disposal of fly ash
6.5.         Surface effluent & Concept of Zero effluent discharge

7.            Design Aspects for Civil and Structural Work
7.1.         Geo-technical studies of soil
7.2.         Design features of civil work
7.3.         Design features of structural work
7.4.         Suitability of TMT bars for Alumina refinery

8.            Special Grades of Bauxite, Hydrate and Alumina
8.1.         Chemical grade bauxite
8.2.         Cement grade bauxite
8.3.         Refractory grade calcined bauxite
8.4.         Abrasive grade calcined bauxite
8.5.         Chemical grade hydrate
8.6.         High purity hydrate
8.7.         Dry coarse hydrate
8.8.         Superfine hydrate
8.9.           Fire retardant filler grade hydrate
8.10.         Pharmaceutical grade hydrate
8.11.         Light hydrate
8.12.         SP grade calcined alumina
8.13.         High purity high alpha alumina
8.14.         Activated alumina
8.15.         Tabular alumina

9.                    By-Products & Alumina Chemicals
9.1.                 Vanadium Sludge
9.2.                 Gallium metal
9.3.                 Ferric alum from Bauxite
9.4.                 Non-Ferric alumum from hydrate
9.5.                 Specifications and Production of Zeolite
9.6.                 Production of Zeolite from Bauxite
9.7.                 Production of Zeolite from hydrate
10.          Basic Process Calculations
10.1.       Calculations for bauxite consumption factor
10.2.       Calculations for Caustic soda losses
10.3.       Material flow balance for typical Alumina refinery
10.4.       Broad break of process steam requirement
10.5.       Estimated electrical power requirement
10.6.       Process water requirement
10.7.       Make up water requirement for cogeneration plant
10.8.       Water requirement for drinking and sanitation in plant

11.          Project Engineering and Execution
11.1.       Engineering stages of Alumina refinery
11.2.       Execution Methodology
11.3.       Testing & commissioning Procedure


Your views / suggestions on the matter will be appreciated.
Thanks and regards.

Kunwar Rajendra

6 comments:

  1. I was waiting for such a book. Congratulations, Sir.If If the book can be in volumes, it will be much more useful and other volumes on Plant upkeep may also be thought of.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Mr. Siddiq,

    Thanks for your valued advice. We have thought of publishing the book precisely in single volume covering, process, design, engineering & execution of Metallurgical and Non-metallurgical grades of hydrates and aluminas.The book will involve many technical issues which are not available in any published literature so far.

    Lot of efforts have already gone in and many chapters are already under scrutiny and review.

    We welcome your suggestion as house keeping and safety are prime concern in any mineral processing plant and more so in Alumina refinery.

    Thanks.

    Kunwar Rajendra

    ReplyDelete
  3. When this book on alumina refinery will be published and released

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Sir,
    When can we expect this book in the market ?

    Warm Regards,
    Ravi Kumar.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Mr. Ravi Kumar,

    Generally I adhere to schedule committed to my organization and my friends as well. But on publication of the book of Alumina technology, there will be little delay because of my deep involvement and pressing needs in execution and commissioning of a prestigious project in India itself. Though majority of manuscript have already been completed but I wish to include many many critical technical issues to be covered in this book in the benefit of friends of Alumina fraternity. Please bear with us for some more time. The basic purpose for publication of this book not to make money but to bring many hidden technical aspects on the surface by clarity in expression which is not available so far in any published literature across the globe.
    Thanks and regards.

    Kunwar Rajendra

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Sir,
    Eagerly waiting for book. Can you please suggest month of publication

    ReplyDelete