WIKA South Africa

Aluminium industry

Measurement technology for the aluminium industry

Today, aluminium is the second most-frequently used metal in the world. This is because aluminium has a unique combination of attractive properties - light weight, high strength, very easy to mould and excellent corrosion resistance are only the most important ones. Aluminium is one of the materials of the future. In the long term, the global trend in primary aluminium is very positive. According to forecasts, demand is expected to increase by 50 % by 2050 and reach well over 100 million tons.

Aluminium features very good recyclability and is one of the most commonly recycled metals. Energy consumption during aluminium smelting is only 5 to 10 % of the energy used in new production.

Aluminium industry × 3

Primary aluminium smelter

Primary aluminium smelter
1

Alumina refinery

Alumina refinery
4

Casting house

Casting house
2

Anode carbon plant

Anode carbon plant
5

Calibration & service centre

Calibration & service centre
Aluminium industry
Minimise selection

Alumina refinery

For the highest demands

Globally, most commercial alumina refineries use the Bayer process to refine aluminium oxide from bauxite ore. Extraction of aluminium from its ore and subsequent processing into finished products takes place in a series of successive operations that are largely independent of each other. The process conditions within the alumina refinery ‒ caustic concentration, temperature, pressure, flow and level ‒ are set depending on the properties of the bauxite ore.

The most significant risk in an alumina refinery is the mechanical overpressure of a digester. There, bauxite ore reacts with caustic soda under high pressure and high temperature. In the past, major explosions have occurred due to failures of process instrumentation devices and pressure relief systems, resulting in major damage to vessels and equipment.

The optimal use of raw materials, energy and process steam can be guaranteed by the use of reliable and accurate flow, pressure, level and temperature measuring instruments from WIKA to ensure strict process control.

Calibration technology and calibration services

Are you looking for suitable calibration equipment for your applications? Get an overview of our wide range of calibrators. Use our calibration service for pressure, temperature, force, flow and electrical measurands. We calibrate your references and test equipment independently of manufacturers in our accredited calibration laboratories, or directly on your premises.

Additional services

WIKA will support you with additional services from our trained experts. Service technicians will make sure that your measuring instruments, in case of breakdowns and repairs, are fully functional again in a short space of time. From pressure controllers and diaphragm seal systems to calibration baths - all from one source. With our field-service we install your measuring units and provide support for the commissioning of the instrumentation. Through our local experts, we can be reached worldwide, are quickly available and tuned to individual circumstances. Try it for yourself.


Alumina refinery × CT

Calibration

Calibration
P

Red mud pump pressure

Red mud pump pressure
T

Digester & heater temperature

Digester & heater temperature
P

Digester & flash tank pressure

Digester & flash tank pressure
L

Heat exchanger level

Heat exchanger level
T

Precipation temperature

Precipation temperature
F

Process steam flow

Process steam flow
W

Overload force

Overload force
F

Residue flow

Residue flow
Alumina refinery
Minimise selection

The following 75 products correspond to your selection. You haven't found the product? Please contact us.

Anode carbon plant

Ensuring the quality of anodes

After the mixture of petroleum coke, resin, aggregates and recycled used anodes, the mass is shaped (“green anodes”). In the anode furnace, the green anodes are gradually heated to the range of 1,100 to 1,120°C and slowly cooled again. The entire heating cycle can take 16 to 28 days. The goal of firing the green anode is to produce properties such as sufficient mechanical strength, thermal shock, high electrical conductivity, and low chemical reactivity.

One of the main requirements of anode baking is that all anodes, regardless of their location, are exposed to the same temperatures. For the anode furnaces, WIKA offers a range of accurate, reliable and robust measuring instruments designed to control high temperatures, ultra-low pressures and primary flow elements to optimise the anode baking process, significantly reducing the risk of low-quality anodes.

Calibration technology and calibration services

Are you looking for suitable calibration equipment for your applications? Get an overview of our wide range of calibrators. Use our calibration service for pressure, temperature, force, flow and electrical measurands. We calibrate your references and test equipment independently of manufacturers in our accredited calibration laboratories, or directly on your premises.

Additional services

WIKA will support you with additional services from our trained experts. Service technicians will make sure that your measuring instruments, in case of breakdowns and repairs, are fully functional again in a short space of time. From pressure controllers and diaphragm seal systems to calibration baths - all from one source. We install your measuring units and provide support for the commissioning of the instrumentation. Through our local experts, we can be reached worldwide, are quickly available and tuned to individual circumstances. Try it for yourself.


Anode carbon plant × CT

Calibration

Calibration
W

Crane system load pins

Crane system load pins
P

Oven chamber pressure

Oven chamber pressure
F

Burner Gas flow

Burner Gas flow
T

Burner bridge temperature

Burner bridge temperature
T

Anode oven temperature

Anode oven temperature
Anode carbon plant
Minimise selection

The following 61 products correspond to your selection. You haven't found the product? Please contact us.

Primary aluminium smelter

Productivity and cell efficiency

The bath temperature is one of the most-important parameters for achieving optimum cell operation. It is necessary to measure the bath temperatures as frequently and as accurately as possible.

Thus, abnormalities in the cell can be detected and necessary measures taken to achieve a stable cell operation (e.g. addition of bath additives). WIKA offers a variety of solutions for reliable temperature measurement in aluminium reduction cells.

Precise temperature control is crucial for the efficiency of aluminium plants. Our experience in manufacturing and calibrating temperature measuring instruments enables you to meet your exact requirements and standards.

Calibration technology and calibration services

Are you looking for suitable calibration equipment for your applications? Get an overview of our wide range of calibrators. Use our calibration service for pressure, temperature, force, flow and electrical measurands. We calibrate your references and test equipment independently of manufacturers in our accredited calibration laboratories, or directly on your premises.

Additional services

WIKA will support you with additional services from our trained experts. Service technicians will make sure that your measuring instruments, in case of breakdowns and repairs, are fully functional again in a short space of time. From pressure controllers and diaphragm seal systems to calibration baths - all from one source. We install your measuring units and provide support for the commissioning of the instrumentation. Through our local experts, we can be reached worldwide, are quickly available and tuned to individual circumstances. Try it for yourself.


Primary aluminium smelter × CT

Calibration

Calibration
W

Crane system load pins

Crane system load pins
P

Pot gas pressure

Pot gas pressure
F

Pot gas flow

Pot gas flow
T

Cell temperature

Cell temperature
T

Kryolite temperature

Kryolite temperature
Primary aluminium smelter
Minimise selection

The following 54 products correspond to your selection. You haven't found the product? Please contact us.

Casting house

High reliability for high availability

Low weight with high strength, high load capacity and extreme flexibility ‒ these are the characteristics of modern sophisticated aluminium alloys. The use of aluminium in the construction of modern transportation can save up to a third of the weight ‒ and thus fuel.

In the age of mobility, aluminium is the material of choice. The efficiency of a casting house is measured in cost per ton of aluminium produced. To increase this, it is essential to monitor the temperature of liquid aluminium. The flow temperature of the hot metal is determined while it flows through the channels.

For the temperature measurement of molten aluminium, immersion thermocouples from WIKA are durable and extremely precise.

Calibration technology and calibration services

Are you looking for suitable calibration equipment for your applications? Get an overview of our wide range of calibrators. Use our calibration service for pressure, temperature, force, flow and electrical measurands. We calibrate your references and test equipment independently of manufacturers in our accredited calibration laboratories, or directly on your premises.

Additional services

WIKA will support you with additional services from our trained experts. Service technicians will make sure that your measuring instruments, in case of breakdowns and repairs, are fully functional again in a short space of time. From pressure controllers and diaphragm seal systems to calibration baths - all from one source. We install your measuring units and provide support for the commissioning of the instrumentation. Through our local experts, we can be reached worldwide, are quickly available and tuned to individual circumstances. Try it for yourself.


Casting house × CT

Calibration

Calibration
F

Off gas flow

Off gas flow
F

Gas supply flow

Gas supply flow
W

Lifting system load pins

Lifting system load pins
T

Temperature

Temperature
P

Supply gas pressure

Supply gas pressure
Casting house
Minimise selection

The following 51 products correspond to your selection. You haven't found the product? Please contact us.

Calibration and service centre

Consultation, design, implementation – all from one source

Precise calibration instruments are the starting point for resolving your test requirements. However, they only form one part of a high-performance calibration system. From our extensive product range, we can design a complete and individual solution for you which contains all the relevant components - with adaptability for test items, pressure and vacuum supply, components for pressure control and fine adjustment, through to voltage supply and multimeters for the calibration of electrical test items.

Our particular strength lies in the project planning, development and the building of complete, individual, application-specific systems – from simple manual work stations through to fully automated test systems in production lines.

Calibration technology and calibration services

Are you looking for suitable calibration equipment for your applications? Get an overview of our wide range of calibrators. Use our calibration service for pressure, temperature, force, flow and electrical measurands. We calibrate your references and test equipment independently of manufacturers in our accredited calibration laboratories, or directly on your premises.

Additional services

WIKA will support you with additional services from our trained experts. Service technicians will make sure that your measuring instruments, in case of breakdowns and repairs, are fully functional again in a short space of time. From pressure controllers and diaphragm seal systems to calibration baths - all from one source. We install your measuring units and provide support for the commissioning of the instrumentation. Through our local experts, we can be reached worldwide, are quickly available and tuned to individual circumstances. Try it for yourself.


Calibration and service centre × CT

Calibration Temperature

Calibration Temperature
CT

Calibration E

Calibration E
CT

Calibration Pressure

Calibration Pressure
Calibration and service centre
Minimise selection

The following 19 products correspond to your selection. You haven't found the product? Please contact us.