Flash smelting and converting furnaces: A 50 year retrospect

1999 marked the 50th anniversary of the Outokumpu flash-smelting process. Originating during the post-World War II energy crisis, flash smelting is a high-intensity process developed to attain ever-increasing throughputs and intensities. Many innovations and continuous development ensued during the next 50 years before today’s state-of-the-art copper-making process chain and environmental benchmarking technology (e.g., Outokumpu flash smelting, Kennecott-Outokumpu flash converting, and flash technology) became possible. This article reviews how Outokumpu flash furnace design, especially cooling for higher heat loads, has improved over the years. For more information, contact I.V. Kojo, Outokumpu Engineering Contractors Oy, P.O. Box 862, FIN-02201 Espoo, Finland; telephone 358-9-4211; fax 358-9-421 3973; e-mail ilkka.kojo@outokumpu.com.     

氧气底吹铜熔池熔炼过程的机理及产物的微观分析

对氧气底吹熔炼过程气体喷吹行为、造锍熔炼化学反应机理及熔炼炉内热工作状态进行理论分析及水模型实验和取样分析验证。结果表明,氧气底吹气流能使熔体形成均匀的扩散区,实现熔体的搅拌,在气体连续相区和液体连续相区,气液、液液之间的相互作用强烈,为炉内化学反应及传热传质提供了良好的动力学条件;氧气底吹熔炼过程在零配煤的情况下能达到自热熔炼,在节能减排方面,该工艺具有很强的优势;获得了铜渣、冰铜和蘑菇头中各组分的形貌,确定了铜渣、冰铜和蘑菇头的物相组成,渣样主要由冰铜相、磁铁矿相、铁橄榄石相和玻璃体相组成,熔炼内的氧势和硫势分布有利于反应的进行,能有效抑制Fe3O4的形成以及降低渣含铜。     

The oxidation mechanism in copper smelting and converting

The oxidation mechanism of copper-sulfide concentrates is of fundamental interest in an understanding of flash smelting and converting. The compositions of mattes follow simple, well-defined relationships, and the progression of iron and sulfur oxidation in smelting and converting occurs in such a manner that generates mattes of these compositions. J.W. Matousek earned his Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering at Queens University. He is currently an independent consulting engineer. Dr. Matousek is also a member of TMS.     

Current refractory practice as applied in copper smelting

Present indications are that the highest speeds of copper smelting have not yet been achieved. Although refractories are available which permit reasonable or satisfactory smelting costs, extensive research continues in an effort to develop refractories which will be capable of withstanding even more severe treatment.     

硫化铅精矿无SO_2排放反射炉一步炼铅半工业试验

以西部矿业公司自产硫化铅精矿和进口高锌硫化铅精矿为原料 ,在 1m2 的小反射炉上进行了硫化铅精矿还原造锍熔炼的半工业试验。结果表明 :烟气中SO2 含量达标 ,固硫率≥ 96 % ,铅直收率≥ 87% ,总回收率≥ 96 % ,粗铅质量高 ,符合电解精炼要求。说明硫化铅精矿无SO2 排放一步炼铅新工艺实现大规模的工业应用是完全可能的。     

硫化铅精矿无SO2排放反射炉一步炼铅半工业试验

以西部矿业公司自产硫化铅精矿和进口高锌硫化铅精矿为原料,在1m^2的小反射炉上进行了硫化铅精矿还原造锍熔炼的半工业试验,结果表明,烟气中SO2含量达标,固硫率≥96％,铅直收率≥87％,总回收率≥96％,粗铅质量高,符合电解精炼要求,说明硫化铅精矿无SO2排放一步炼铅新工艺实现大规模的工业应用是完全可能的。     

Making improvements in smelting capacity at Onsan copper smelter

The Onsan copper smelter of LG Metals Corporation started operation in 1979 with an installed copper smelting capacity of 80,000 t/y. Utilizing Outokumpu flash-smelting technology, the smelter has expanded capacity since its start-up; in 1997, it is expected that the tonnage of smelted concentrate will be more than twice the original design capacity. Furthermore, a new smelting line based on the Mitsubishi continuous process will be commissioned in early 1998 with a capacity of 160,000 t/y of copper. This article describes the modifications and improvements made to increase the smelting capacity. Y.-C. Kang earned his B.S. in metallurgy from Hanyang University in 1979. He is currently general manager of the smelting team at LG Metals Corporation. S.-S. Park earned his B.S. in metallurgy from Hanyang University in 1991. He is currently manager of the smelting team at LG Metals Corporation.     

Numerical simulation analysis of Guixi copper flash smelting furnace

A numerical simulation analysis for reactions of chalcopyrite and pyrite particles coupled with momentum,heat and mass transfer between the particle and gas in a flash smelting furnace is presented.In the simulation.the equations governing the gas flow are solved numerically by Eular method.The particle phase is introduced into the gas flow by the particle-source-in-cell technique(PSIC),Predictions including the fluid flow field,temperature field,concentration field of gas phase and the tracks of particles have been obtained by the numerical simulation.The visualized results show that the reaction of sulfide particles is almost completed in the upper zone of the shaft within 1.5m far from the central jet distributor (CJD)type concentrate burner,The simulation results are in good agreement with data obtained from a series of experiments and tests in the plant and the error is less than 2%.     

Oxidation leaching of copper smelting dust by controlling potential

A study was conducted for metal extraction from copper smelting dust using the oxidation leaching and control of potential technology. The effects of H₂O₂ dosage, H₂O₂ feeding speed, initial HCl concentration, leaching temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio and leaching time on metals leaching efficiencies were investigated. The following optimized leaching conditions were obtained: H₂O₂ dosage of 0.8 mL/g (redox potential of 429 mV), H₂O₂ feeding speed of 1.0 mL/min, initial H₂SO₄ concentration of 1.0 mol/L, initial HCl concentration of 1.0 mol/L, leaching temperature of 80 °C, initial liquid-to-solid ratio of 5:1 mL/g and leaching time of 1.5 h. Under the optimized conditions, copper and arsenic can be effectively leached from copper smelting dust, leaving residue as a suitable lead resource. The average leaching efficiencies of copper, arsenic and iron are 95.27%, 96.82% and 46.65%, respectively.     

Modeling and control of copper loss in smelting slag

A series of technical improvements have been implemented to address the issue of high copper losses in rotary holding furnace (RHF) slag, which were experienced at the Xstrata Copper Smelter at Mount Isa in 2007 and 2008. The copper losses in smelting slag in the RHF were more than 3% in 2006 and 2007. Thermodynamic models and viscosity models have been applied in the operation of Xstrata Copper Smelter in Australia. The theory of RHF key performance indicators has also been developed to reduce the copper losses in RHF slag. The RHF KPIs Theory has been applied in Mount Isa Copper Smelter. The copper losses in RHF slag dropped from 3.1% in 2007 to 0.76% in April 2009. The average copper loss in RHF slag in 2009 and 2010 was about 0.9%.     

Fluid-bed roasting reactions of copper and cobalt sulfide concentrates

A study of reactions in the fluid-bed roasting of Union Minière’s chalcocite concentrates has made it possible to achieve optimum recovery of copper and cobalt during the acid leaching of roaster calcines.     

超声强化单斜磁黄铁矿从铜烟灰中选择性硫化沉淀铜离子

在单斜磁黄铁矿(MPr)处理废水重金属离子过程中表面产生的硫化物钝化膜严重阻碍进一步反应.采用超声波技术辅助MPr回收铜离子.XPS分析结果表明,反应过程中MPr表面存在CuS产物.XRD和SEM分析结果表明,在超声条件下颗粒表面的CuS被剥离.动力学结果表明,常规和超声条件下的反应均符合Avrami模型.在超声条件下...     

Operation optimization of concentrate burner in copper flash smelting furnace

The software that simulates the flow, temperature, concentration and the heat generation field in the Outkumpu flash smelting furnace, was developed by a numerical method of the particle-gas flow together with some chemical reaction models. Many typical operating conditions were chosen for simulation in order to obtain the effect of the distribution air, process air, central oxygen and the oil-burner position etc. The concepts about optimum op-eration, 3C(concentration of high temperature, high oxygen and laden concentrate particles), are concluded from these simulated results, which have been checked primarily by operational experiments.     

基于遗传算法的铜闪速熔炼过程控制优化

基于已建立的铜闪速熔炼神经网络模型,以能耗费用最低为目标,在工艺指标控制范围内,采用遗传算法对铜闪速熔炼过程的工艺参数进行了仿真优化计算。结果表明,当空气、分配风、工艺氧和中央氧的市场价格折合比值分别为0.05、0.1、0.4和0.45,精矿量为128 t,其成分(质量分数)为Cu 20.61%、S 27.59%、Fe 24.72%、SiO2 11.64%和MgO 1.39%时,铜闪速熔炼工艺参数的遗传优化值为空气15 011 m3、分配风1 302 m3、工艺氧17 359 m3、中央氧1 000 m3、熔剂13.6 t;与实践平均值相比,若采用优化工艺参数控制,熔炼能耗费用可降低4.6%。