Invited Speaker

Dr. Horst Peters

Dr. Horst Peters

ATC Bonn, Germany
Speech Title: Development of VAW Alumina Technology

Abstract: VAW was founded in 1917. Focus of research was on Alumina and Smelter Technologies. Focus on Alumina was Digestion Technology. Autoclaves for the Dsigestion of Bauxite have natural limitations. The reaction area cannot be extended ultimately. In addition to this, the availability of easy processible trihydratic bauxites is diminishing. With increasing amounts of monohydratic bauxites the digestion temperature has to be 250 to 300 °C to achieve reasonable yields.

Tube digestors are a solution.

VAW has developed this technology since 1956 to production stage. In the last 20 years most of the newly built alumina plants use tube digestors.

In parallel efficient drum disc filter technologies have been developed.

Another development is the calcination technique for Hydroxide. In order to replace the energy intensive rotary kilns, VAW has developed the energy-efficient fluid bed calciners.

All of these technologies contribute to a successful production of 120 Mio tons/a of Alumina in the world.

Keywords: Tube digestion, filter system, calcing


Biography: Dr.-Ing. Horst D. Peters studied Business Administration and Economics in Hamburg and Göttingen as well as Material Science in Berkeley, California, USA, and Clausthal. He was awarded the degrees of Dipl.-Vw. and Dipl.-Kfm. and subsequently graduated as Dr.-Ing. Dr. Peters began his professional career at Preussag AG Metall in Goslar and Hannover. From there he moved to Kaiser Aluminium & Chemical Corp. in Oakland, Cal., USA, where his fields of activity were bauxite mining in Jamaica, alumina fabrication in Batton Rouge and investment control of smelters in the USA, in 1971. In 1977, he started working for VAW Aluminium in Bonn. From 1992 to 2003 he was managing director of VAW Aluminium-Technologie GmbH. He then became Vice President Aluminium at EN+ Group Ltd. in London as well as being a board member at Rusal. Dr. Peters now heads the consulting firm ATC (Aluminium Technology Consultants).