Metal Granulation - GRANSHOT^®

The granulation principle is based on a heat exchange between the liquid metal and cooling water. There are no fundamental variations in the process whatever type of metal to be cast.

The liquid metal stream, normally poured from a tundish or ladle, strikes the refractory sprayhead placed in the centre of the granulation tank. The sprayhead splits up the metal stream into droplets (granules) that are distributed evenly over the granulation tank water surface.

Cooling takes place as the granules sink downwards in the granulation tank exchanging heat with the counter flowing cooling water. The solidified granules are discharged from the lower end of the tank by the unique UHT air/water ejector on to a dewatering screen. After dewatering the granules contain less than 1 % water. From the dewatering unit the granules are transported via conveyor belt to the storage area, or fed into a rotary dryer (common route for ferroalloy granulated products).

The metal flow in the process is more or less straight forward where the product usually free flows between units. Depending on site preferences the plant configuration may be altered in numerous ways.