Applying Ausmelt processing to complex copper smelter dusts

Ausmelt technology opens up new opportunities for the economic processing of complex copper smelter dusts. Not only can the technology separate more of the unwanted elements to produce a clean blister copper for refining, but it can also allow production of fume and precious metal products that can be readily upgraded to produce high-grade, valuable products. Developments in the processing of copper-bismuth-gold flue dusts left over after the smelting of bismuth-bearing concentrates in flash furnaces are described, including pilot-plant trials and process and equipment development. Design considerations and capital and operating costs for the proposed plant are discussed.     

SO2 abatement,energy conservation,and productivity at copper cliff

Inco pioneered the use of tonnage oxygen in nonferrous metallurgy when it commissioned the first industrial oxygen flash smelting process for the treatment of copper concentrates in the early 1950s. This was followed by other applications of oxygen such as the enrichment of reverberatory furnace and Peirce-Smith converter blasts; oxy-fuel smelting in reverb furnaces; and, very recently, flash conversion of chalcocite to copper. Inco is currently implementing a sulfur dioxide abatement project designed to reduce SO₂ emissions from the smelter by 60 percent (to 265 kt) in 1994. At that time, oxygen consumption at the smelter will reach about 1.7 t O₂/t Cu+Ni. Oxygen smelting and converting technology will lead toa substantial decrease in the use of fossil fuels and to the generation afhigh-strength SO₂ off-gases suitable for cost-effective fixation in a new acid plant.     

燃煤锅炉烟气露点温度确定方法的分析

燃煤锅炉低温腐蚀和堵灰问题严重地影响着电厂的安全经济运行,烟气中的H2SO4蒸气在低温受热面上的凝结是产生这一系列问题的主要原因。因此,确定烟气露点便成为解决低温腐蚀和堵灰问题的主要依据。计算烟气露点可以预测酸凝结的温度范围,然而这种预测与实际酸凝结的露点温度有很大差异。准确地测量烟气露点温度是节能降耗,保证电厂安全经济运行的有效手段。本文对影响测量装置准确性的一些因素进行了分析,为烟气露点测量装置的测量准确性提供指导。     

Refractory Wear Mechanisms in the Nonferrous Metal Industry: Testing and Modeling Results

Nonferrous pyrometallurgical processes today operate at a high intensity requiring the best standards for the furnace refractory systems. From one plant to another, there is a range of process conditions such as temperature, slag chemistry, and feed types, and each of these parameters can influence refractory life. It is generally understood that process changes at plants can impact refractory life. The ability to test and understand refractory responses to a wide range of furnace operating conditions is therefore important. The RHI Technology Centre in Leoben, Austria is well equipped with laboratory and pilot plant facilities to evaluate refractory suitability over the range of conditions encountered in modern nonferrous pyrometallurgical systems. This article describes refractory testing at the RHI Technology Centre of the impact of two metallurgical slags on a number of different RHI test bricks. The slags were a fayalite slag and a calcium ferrite slag supplied by two smelter plants. High-temperature corrosion tests were carried out in a 250-mm-diameter induction furnace and a 165-mm-diameter short rotary kiln; each unit was lined with a number of refractory bricks and tested against attack by the particular slag. After testing, the refractory bricks were subjected to several laboratory tests to determine the extent of corrosion. Optimal refractory choices for the customers’ plants were developed based on the test results.     

Developing an integrated information system in a modern aluminum smelter

The developments in the aluminum markets demand that more use be made of the information available within a smelter. Quality must be made measurable and verifiable; the organization continually must be optimized, and the production processes must be steadily improved. Costs have to be supervised, deviations immediately reported, countermeasures taken at once. These elements offer protection against the pressure of the market and allow competitive high-tech products to be produced and timely investments to be targeted and made. With the help of information technology, it is ever more possible to keep up with these demands. This article describes the design and realization of a completely integrated data transmission system in a modern aluminum smelter operated by VAW Aluminium AG. Several examples of practical implementation are given.     

A Review of Nickel Pyrometallurgical Operations

While the vast majority of the world’s nickel is produced using pyrometallurgical techniques, the equipment and processes employed in such production encompass a variety of technologies. Even though certain patterns are followed by many companies, the nature of the raw materials dictates how process parameters will vary from smelter to smelter. In addition, much remains unknown about nickel smelting. Further work is clearly required in such areas as the thermochemistry of sulfide, oxide and metal systems, correlation of industrial data with theoretical information and techniques to improve equipment design.     

Advanced process modeling at the BCL smelter: Improving economic and environmental performance

Since 1973 Bamangwato Concessions Limited (BCL) has operated a nickel-copper smelter in Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana. The smelter treats concentrates from local mines and various custom feed concentrates. The nickel throughput capacity of this smelter is constrained by a low nickel feed grade in its primary BCL concentrate. BCL contracted Xstrata Process Support (XPS) to assist in identifying key economic drivers to maximize revenue-generating opportunities. After the disclosure of essential BCL plant performance data XPS developed and utilized advanced metallurgical modeling techniques to identify production bottlenecks, calculate Ni, Cu, and Co recoveries, manage the slag volumes, increase the custom feed capacity, and perform various feasibility analyses for key unit process operations in the BCL smelter. The methodology for developing the process model and its application in contributing to the economic bottom line are outlined in this paper.     

The Kennecott Utah Copper Refinery modernization

In early 1992, Kennecott announced plans to modernize and expand the smelter and refinery located near Salt Lake City, Utah. The project increased the smelter capacity from 150,000 tonnes per year to 280,000 tonnes per year and also increased the refinery capacity from 200,000 tonnes per year to meet smelter output. Total cost of the modernization was $882 million. Part I of this paper outlines the scope of the refinery modernization program and describes the implementation of the new technology used there. The technology is based on polymer concrete cells, thoroughly prepared anodes, stainless steel plating blanks, and highly automated materials handling. In Part II, the hydrometallurgical process chemistry employed at the new Kennecott slimes treatment facility is described. The processing philosophy incorporates three major objectives: very-high firstpass recovery of the valuable metals from the slimes with minimal in-process inventory; minimization of the return of impurity metals (e.g., Pb, Sb, As, and Bi) to the smelter circuit; and complete elimination of pyrometallurgical processing with its potential for environmental abuse and precious metals recycle. In both parts, the unit start-ups and initial operating results are presented.     

Cominco’s new sinter plant

A lead smelter treating a high proportion of hydrometallurgical zinc plant residues requires specialized technique of feed preparation to incorporate the residues with other feed into a pelletized form for sintering. The design and operation of such a plant at Trail, B. C., is described.     

Cadmium Purification with a Vibrating Reactor

This paper describes the results of pilot plant testwork on a novel single stage zinc solution purification process using a vibratory reactor. This technique was modified for continuous cadmium cementation. There are distinct advantages to combining an intensely agitated reactor with a high mass of precipitant per unit volume in the form of granular zinc instead of zinc dust, including significant reduction of cementation agent consumption and substantial upgrading of the cadmium cement. This technique has the potential to minimize equipment, reduce plant size, and diminish operating costs.     

Praxair’s dilute oxygen combustion technology for pyrometallurgical applications

Dilute oxygen combustion (DOC) technology uses separate high-velocity fuel and oxygen jets to generate strong in-furnace gas recirculation, producing combustion between the fuel and a highly diluted oxygen and furnace-gas mixture. These very low NOx oxy-fuel burners have been developed and commercially demonstrated in steel reheating furnaces. The burner design meets industry needs for increased productivity and lower operating costs with minimal capital expense and low maintenance. The performance of DOC technology has been measured under laboratory and industrial conditions encompassing both natural gas and coke oven gas firing, and a wide range of furnace temperatures and nitrogen levels that simulate air infiltration. This paper describes the results of the tests using natural gas as the fuel and lists potential applications for DOC technology in the non-ferrous metals industry. For more information, contact A.C. Deneys, Praxair, Inc., Applications Research and Development, 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591; e-mail Adrian_Deneys@Praxair.com.     

The economics of inert anodes and wettable cathodes for aluminum reduction cells

Estimating the impact of inert-anode and wettable-cathode technologies on smelter costs must be speculative because no such technologies have yet been commercialized. Even so, some broad conclusions can be drawn about the economic merit of inert anodes in retrofit and greenfield smelter scenarios. Study suggests that retrofitting inert anodes to existing prebake cells generates insufficient economic benefit to justify this objective. Drained cathode cells offer potential for energy savings coupled with increased production, provided that the cell life is greater than three years. Unlocking the potential value of both inert anode and wettable cathode materials will require their use in vertical electrode configurations, where the impact on operating costs and, particularly, capital costs, is expected to be significant. To be economically and technically viable, vertical electrode cells will require wear rates of less than approximately 5 mm per year on the inert electrode surfaces, much less than has so far been reported. For more information, contact Jeff Keniry, Alumination Consulting Pty. Ltd., 2 Governors Drive, Mt. Macedon, VIC 3441, Australia; +61-3-5426-4124; fax +61-3-5426-4248; e-mail jkeniry@netcon.net.au.     

基于钢管旋转的高速漏磁探伤装备及其关键技术

针对钢管生产对高速漏磁探伤设备日益剧增的需求,从钢管漏磁检测原理及方法入手,提出并分析了高速漏磁检测关键技术.基于这些关键技术,开发出国内第一套基于钢管螺旋运动、检测速度达到2.8 m/s的高速漏磁检测设备,其检测指标达到API标准的最高探伤要求,具有较好的使用效果.     

伊朗ARAK老电解环保存在问题及新建铝厂采取的措施

本文针对伊朗ARAK老铝厂环保存在的问题及新建铝厂净化所采用的设备及措施展开讨论 ,并进行了深入的分析 ,得出结论 :新建铝厂的环保指标能够达到环保要求 ,取得较好的效益     

高速喷墨数字印刷机恒温恒压供墨系统设计

为了进一步提升喷墨印刷设备的性能,对供墨系统进行了研究。在分析供墨系统功能需求的基础上,提出了供墨系统墨路、液路、气路的设计方案,从硬件和软件角度详细讨论了该恒温恒压、具备清洗、点墨等附加功能的机电气液一体化的供墨系统,并通过实验验证该系统的有效性。目前该系统已经在喷墨数字印刷设备上投入使用,取到了满意的效果。     

火电厂热力设备停用防腐最佳方法的试验研究

发电厂热力设备的停用腐蚀,多年来大多是锅炉侧和汽机侧单独考虑其防锈蚀的方法;由于有些设备的防锈蚀办法比较规范和可靠,而有些设备的防锈蚀方法效果甚微,有些设备还无可靠的防锈蚀方法;所以,在因检修等原因停运后,即使对部分设备实施了有效的保护,但因有的设备无有效保护,而使得机组启动后,系统中的腐蚀产物（铁含量．）长时间达不到标准要求,从而影响了汽水品质和热力设备的安全经济运行。目前众多停炉保护方法都不同程度地存在缺点和局限性,尤其是对大机组的过热器、再热器和液态排渣炉的停（备）用保护,结合我公司对热力设备的停（备）用保护研究和实践,我们决定使用目前效果最好的停用保护方法：药剂成膜保护法。药剂成膜保护法所用药剂为十八烷胺,它与金属表面接触后,会很容易在金属表面上形成一层分子膜,把空气与金属隔绝,从而防止水及大气中氧、二氧化碳对金属的腐蚀。     

轴承套圈退磁清洗机的设计

为了适应轴承加工技术对后处理工艺的要求，设计一套轴承退磁清洗装置，该设计摒弃了传统的退磁方法，它利用R—L—C放电回路所形成的高能量交流脉冲，在磁感应线圈中形成极强的磁场来达到退磁的目的，并介绍了该装置的组成和结构特点。实践证明，该设备具有退磁清洗效果好，生产环节少，生产成本低等优点。     

大功率薄煤层交流电牵引采煤机的研制

本文介绍了一种适用于薄煤层一次采全高的大功率薄煤层交流电牵引采煤机,对牵引部、摇臂、滚筒、电气系统及智能化设计方面需解决的关键技术及设计中采取策略进行详细的分析。该大功率薄煤层采煤机满足了目前薄煤层煤矿的生产需求,对提升我国煤炭采掘设备装备水平有着重要意义。     

Slag cleaning: The chilean copper smelter experience

Chile has seven copper smelters, four that are linked to primary producers (three owned by Codelco and one by Disputada) and three custom smelters (two owned by Enami and one by Noranda). Each smelter employs a different strategy for slag cleaning, thus each smelter obtains different results. This article outlines and compares the different slag-cleaning systems that are currently in operation in the Chilean smelters, their strategies, the equipment in use, and their experiences. For more information, contact S. Demetrio, Cerro San Ramán 1491, Las Condes, Santiago-Chile; telephone 56-2-2145006; fax 56-2-2142358; e-mail smeltec@netline.cl.     

大型铝电解系列氧化铝气垫皮带输送技术应用

国内电解铝工业近年得到了快速发展,160kA～500kA大型预焙槽技术得到了广泛应用,系列、单一厂址的规模不断扩大,传统氧化铝输送技术—浓相、稀相输送技术配置困难增大,输送能力、能耗等技术指标均已不能满足现在电解铝厂的要求,开发应用新型的氧化铝输送技术势在必行。沈阳铝镁设计研究院有限公司针对电解铝厂氧化铝输送的技术特点,联合河南天隆输送装备有限公司开发气垫皮带输送氧化铝技术并在中国铝业山西华泽铝电有限公司应用实施,通过近五年的使用,证明氧化铝气垫皮带输送技术具备系统输送量大、输送距离长、对氧化铝磨损小、输送能耗低等优点。减少输送过程对氧化铝的磨损有助于提高净化效率,减少污染物排放,降低输送过程中的能耗,有助于降低吨铝综合交流电耗。