Simulating particle agglomeration in the flash smelting reaction shaft

A steady-state, axi-symmetric, numerical model was developed to investigate the agglomeration of molten particles of sulphide ore in the reaction shaft of a flash smelting process used for extracting copper. The turbulent, particle-laden, gas flow was simulated in conjunction with a population balance model to account for agglomeration. The agglomeration was found to depend primarily on the particle to gas mass loading ratio, and the particle size and turbulence intensity at the shaft inlet. Predictions compared well with the limited experimental data in the literature. Increasing the angle at which the flow enters the shaft from the burner was found to increase agglomeration up to a critical angle at which the flow behaviour changes. The results have implications for the control and reduction of dust levels in the waste gas stream.     

The relationship between chemical structure and reactivity of alberta bitumens and heavy oils

Long residues (424°C +) from Athabasca, Cold Lake, Lloydminster, and Peace River were hydrocracked over a commercial NilMo on y-alumina catalyst at 430°C, 13.9 MPa (2000 psia). The conversion of residue fraction ranged from 55 to 68%, and was correlated with the concentration of carbon bound to aromatic rings in the feeds. Conversions of sulfur, Micro-Carbon Residue, and metals were all highest for Peace River feed, following the same ranking as residue conversion. Estimates for the breakage of carbon-carbon bonds and the uptake of hydrogen were diagnostic in interpreting the reactor performance.     

Effect of 2-oleodipalmitin and 2-elaidodipalmitin on polymorphic behavior of cocoa butter

The polymorphic behavior of cocoa butter mixed with 2-oleodipalmitin (POP) or 2-elaidodipalmitin (PEP) was investigated with a differential scanning calorimeter. Six mixtures of cocoa butter containing 10, 25, and 50% POP and 10, 25, and 50% PEP were used. Each of the three cocoa butter-POP mixtures exhibited at least four polymorphic forms. The lowmelting form was obtained by quick chilling; the intermediate, by tempering for several hours just below the melting range; and the high-melting, by raising the temperature slowly to 25 C then holding there overnight or longer. In the cocoa butter-POP mixtures, only the low-melting form appeared to be more stable than the corresponding form for pure POP or cocoa butter. In addition to increased stability of the unstable low form, the rate of conversion from the intermediate to the high form, normally quite slow, increased in the cocoa butter-POP mixtures. Typical melting point lowering occurred when POP was added. POP was quite compatible with cocoa butter, the tempered mixture melting as a single compound; and the melting curves were fairly sharp. The three cocoa butter-PEP mixtures appeared to be incompatible. The cocoa butter and PEP behaved like a mixture of two fats, each of which melted independently. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, Chicago, Sept. 1973.     

High Salinity Relaying to Reduce Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in Chesapeake Bay Oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

Cases of Vibrio infections in the United States have tripled from 1996 to 2009 and these infections are most often associated with the consumption of seafood, particularly oysters (Crassostrea virginica). Information is needed on how to reduce numbers of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in bi‐valve molluscan shellfish (for example, oysters). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of high salinity relaying or treatment in recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs) as methods to reduce the abundance of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in oysters. For relaying field trials, oysters were collected from approved harvest waters, temperature abused outside under a tarp for 4 h, and then transferred to high (29 to 33 ppt.) and moderate (12 to 19 ppt.) salinities. For RAS treatment trial, oysters were transferred to 32 to 34 ppt. salinity at 15 °C. After 7, 14, 21, and in some instances 28 d, oysters were collected and analyzed for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus levels using multiplex real‐time PCR. Initial levels of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus ranged from 3.70 to 5.64 log₁₀ MPN/g, and were reduced by 2 to 5 logs after 21 to 28 d in high salinity water (29 to 34 ppt.). Oyster mortalities averaged 4% or less, and did not exceed 7%. Relaying of oysters to high salinity field sites or transfer to high salinity RAS tanks was more effective in reducing V. vulnificus compared with V. parahaemolyticus. These results suggest that high salinity relaying of oysters is more effective in reducing V. vulnificus than V. parahaemolyticus in the oyster species used in this study.     

Experimental study of splash generation in a flash smelting furnace

A survey of previous studies of splash formation in metallurgical vessels revealed that little information is available to characterize and describe the processes involved in splash formation. An experimental study of splash formation by top submerged gas injection was carried out in the settler region of the nickel flash smelting furnace at the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter (KNS) both to obtain some visualization of the splash mechanisms that occur on a plant scale and to measure the amount of splash being formed. Video images taken of the splashing showed that large sheets of melt were formed by the escaping gas and subsequently thinned into ligaments which then broke up into large splash drops. The video could only resolve a minimum size of 2 cm. The large splash drops visible on video have an initial velocity between 1 and 2 m/s, are unstable, and fall back into the bath after traveling a short distance. The analysis identified two major splash forming mechanisms. First, the gas injected resulted in the bulk movement of the melt to form a cavity and large sheets of melts being thrown around the point of injection. The area affected by this splash mechanism can be predicted successfully by using an energy balance between the removal of the melt in the cavity and the energy of the gas being injected. Second, the slag free surface within the cavity is highly unstable, and through the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mechanism, small splash droplets are generated which are carried into the furnace’s top space. A model proposed for the formation of the smaller splash droplets predicted that the splash collected decreases exponentially with increasing height above the slag free surface from the point of splashing, and this is in agreement with the experimental results obtained.     

Junk Computing

Junk computing, the use of information systems in a way that does not directly advance organizational goals, can both diminish productivity and add value to a work environment. Results of a year-long study of the types and causes of junk computing can help managers reduce performance losses without stifling employee creativity.     

Hardware Realization of Waveform Vector Quantizers

A real-time full search vector quantization system for speech waveform coding is implemented using LSTTL and CMOS devices. The system consists of low-pass filters, A/D and D/A converters, an algorithm for discriminating voiced and unvoiced speed, a full search vector quantizer encoder and decoder, and a microprocessor-based controller. The system is designed to operate at two possible rates: one bit/sample using a dimension 8 vector quantizer (6500 bits/s) or 2 bits/sample using a dimension 4 vector quantizer (13 000 bits/s). In both cases the codebooks have rate 8 bits/vector. Separate codebooks were designed for voiced and unvoiced speech based on a training sequence of 640 000 samples containing five different speakers. The subjective and quantitative results are compared to both simulations and with a real-time array processor based implementation.