About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Magnesium Technology 2026
|
| Presentation Title |
Distillation for Recovery of Magnesium Alloy |
| Author(s) |
Daniel Mc Arthur Sehar, Hannah Parisella, Grace Qiu, Maria Mishechkina, Adam Powell |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Daniel Mc Arthur Sehar |
| Abstract Scope |
Magnesium, with its superior stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios, offers a lower-weight alternative to aluminum, but traditional production methods remain energy-intensive. This work presents new developments in Gravity-Driven Multiple Effect Thermal System (G-METS), a novel distillation technology that enables continuous magnesium recovery using 0.5-1 kWh/kg—about 80-90% less energy than conventional processes. G-METS utilizes multiple stacked evaporator-condenser pairs, where heat from magnesium vapor condensation in one “effect” is reused to drive evaporation in the next. The hydrostatic pressure of descending liquid metal creates a temperature gradient, allowing heat to flow upward through the system. Operating under low-pressure conditions lowers boiling point and reduces thermal losses, leading to better efficiency of the system. This study presents experimental distillation data from a one-effect distiller using AM, AZ and Mg-Sn alloys. This study also presents experiments on liquid Mg transfer out of the furnace and validation of models for scale-up to industrial multi-effect systems. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, Pyrometallurgy, Magnesium |