Trimet commissions aluminum furnace

Essen, Germany-based aluminum producer Trimet has begun operating its newest rotary aluminum furnace at its Gelsenkirchen, Germany, smelter. The new furnace, with a capacity of 40 tons, will replace two of the facility’s existing systems.

“Around 90 percent of the aluminum in circulation is recycled, and the total quantity of recycled light metal continues to increase as a result of increasing demand,” remarks Philipp Schluter, chairman of Trimet Aluminium SE. “So, it is only logical for us to consistently invest in expanding our capacities and modernizing our plants.”

Along with the new furnace, the secondary smelter’s infrastructure and exhaust system were modernized and expanded, according to Trimet.

The furnace has a self-controlling burner system that switches between oxygen and air during the production of the fuel mixture, depending on requirements. This significantly reduces energy consumption and increases the proportion of recycled metal that can be used, says Trimet. Additionally, the furnace is equipped with intelligent charging technology, which enables faster filling and can process larger quantities of material in the smelting process, according to the firm.