Combustion in flash smelting furnaces

The reaction shaft is the heart of a flash smelter. Current knowledge of the combustion of concentrate and ancillary fuels (coal, oil, and gas) in flash smelter shafts comes from laboratory studies, plant measurements, and physical and mathematical modeling. The latter is particularly useful when considering the complications of two-phase flow of particles and gas and chemical reactions; however, uncertainty as to effective particle size requires validation to establish confidence in the model outcomes. Those issues are addressed in the paper, together with the importance of the burner in achieving good mixing and dispersion. Simulations, which may be viewed on the web, show the consequences of poor mixing. For more information, contact Frank Jorgensen, CSIRO Division of Minerals, Box 312, Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia; +61-3-9545-8531; fax +61-3-9562-8919; e-mail frank.jorgensen@minerals.csiro.au.