Major Industrial Users Confirm Advantages of PyroGenesis' Plasma Torches

Executive Summary

• PyroGenesis announced live‑furnace trial data, in partnership with Rio Tinto and Alcoa, showing its patented plasma torches deliver major energy and productivity improvements over natural‑gas burners.
• Key performance gains include ~35% reduction in energy consumption, 20–27% shorter cycle times, up to 55% less dross generation, and metal quality equal or superior (40–50% lower hydrogen content).
• The results are being presented at the TMS annual conference and published in a peer‑reviewed technical paper, underscoring commercial relevance for aluminum casting and melting operations.

Key Details

• Trial Scope: Pilot furnace installed at PyroGenesis’ Montreal facility; operated by client engineers in two configurations – casting furnace and melting furnace.
• Heating Efficiency: Average energy consumption reduced by 35% versus natural‑gas burners.
• Cycle Time: Process duration shortened by 20–27%.
• Metal Quality: Hydrogen content lowered by 40–50%, delivering equal or better alloy quality.
• Dross Generation: Clean‑metal dross cut by 24–55%; scrap containing organics saw a ~9% reduction.
• Carbon Footprint: Plasma torches provide significant CO₂ emissions reductions, supporting industry decarbonisation targets (24% drop by 2030, 63% by 2040, 92% by 2050 vs. 2021).
• Commercial Implications: Potential to reduce CAPEX for furnace footprint, refractory construction, and fume‑treatment systems; enables higher throughput without expanding plant size.
• Publication & Presentation: Results disclosed at the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) 2026 conference and in the peer‑reviewed paper “Decarbonization of Aluminum Cast House Furnaces Using Plasma Torches” (Light Metals 2026).

Notable Quotes

“By replacing a natural gas burner with a patented PyroGenesis plasma torch, you can produce more output from the same footprint… major CAPEX costs for metal and refractory construction … can be reduced.” – P. Peter Pascali, President & CEO, PyroGenesis

“The results reveal once again the widespread benefits of replacing natural gas burners with PyroGenesis plasma torches… there are real and significant operational advantages.” – P. Peter Pascali