
232 Aluminum Recycling
the dross, but 60%–70% metal recovery is typical (Herbert, 2007). Optimal head
design is an evolving concept, with extensive testing of new designs in recent years
(Peel et al., 2011; Perry, 2000). Air cooling of the head is now standard, which
improves dross cooling rates and further decreases metal losses by minimizing
thermiting. The reduced thermiting in turn reduces aluminum carbide and nitride
formation in the dross. Because of this, dross presses are currently the most popular
choice for new dross cooling equipment. A less-expensive variation of this is the
cooling head, which is simply set on top of the molten d ...