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By Ian G. H. du Preez

It is illustrated how differences in the basic chemistry of individual metal ions can be exploited to develop new or improved separating agents. Factors like coordination number preferred by the specific metal ion, the degree of coordinate saturation reached by the metal ion and its relation to the phase transferability of the complex species, kinetic factors as opposed to thermodynamic factors controlling the success of the separation, the nature and type of the donor atom employed in a separating agent in relation to the preferences of the metal ion, the significance of stereochemical factors and the hydrophobicity of the media are some of the important factors which are discussed and applied for the development of pa1ladiwn(TI) and nickel(TI) specific separating agents, respectively.

Jan 1, 1999

By Antti Roine

Sulfidic zinc concentrates are usually roasted in a fluidized bed furnace into sulfur-free oxide form. Metallic zinc is produced from this oxidic calcine using hydrometallurgical leaching, solution purification and electrowinning stages. The roasting step is necessary because zinc oxides are easier to dissolve using traditional leaching methods than zinc sulfides. The Kokkola Zinc smelter uses various types of zinc concentrates and secondary materials as feed mixture. This makes it difficult to find optimum process parameters for the roaster when the composition and particle size distribution of the feed mixture varies even on a daily basis. Certain conditions may even cause difficult accretion problems or increase the amount of calcine in the process off-gas line excessively. A thermochemical heat and material balance model was developed for process advisor, in order to estimate the effects of different process parameters (temperature, process air coefficient, concentrate feed, oxygen enrichment, water feed, etc.) on the heat balance, roasting temperature and calcine composition. This model was constructed using the heat balance module of HSC Chemistry 4.0 software. The prevailing chemical compounds in the concentrate and calcine were verified using mineralogical analyses and equilibrium calculations. The roasting process seems to operate near chemical equilibrium conditions, if the behavior of the main components is considered. This paper describes briefly the basic principles of the calculation model and outlines the results with several diagrams and discussion. The calculated results were in reasonable agreement with the recent process air oxygen enrichment and water feed test campaigns carried out at Kokkola in 1999.

Jan 1, 2000

By Hui Zhang

The leaching behavior of palladium powder in aqueous solutions containing NaCI or N'H4Cl was investigated. Cupric ion was used as an oxidant for the dissolution reaction. The effect of a number of leaching parameters such as temperature, concentration, stirring speed and surface area on the leaching rate was studied. The leaching system containing chloride and cupric ion was found to be very effective for the dissolution of metallic palladium. Based on the experimental results the overall leaching rate was believed to be controlled by a chemical reaction step. The dissolution rate of palladium was found to be first order with respect to the concentration of cupric ion and second order with respect to the concentration of chloride.

Jan 1, 1996

By S. J. Buckler

Many chemical and metallurgical processes use submerged gas injection to increase contact area between gas and liquid phases in order to promote faster overall reaction or refining rates. The total interfacial area produced by gas injection through lances, nozzles or tuyeres is both an important design parameter for new vessels and a measurement for estimating the maximum processing capacity of existing equipment. Estimating total interfacial area from submerged injection into industrial pyrometallurgical vessels from existing knowledge is a problem with two aspects. The first difficulty is the difference in behaviour of cold (aqueous) and hot (molten metal) systems, implying that existing models and correlations of gas-liquid behaviour developed in low temperature systems are not necessarily appropriate for estimation of high temperature behaviour. The second difficulty is the issue of scale-up of correlations from laboratory to industrial sized vessels. The work presented in this paper is part of an ongoing experimental investigation, at the GK Williams CRC for Extractive Metallurgy, to quantify the total gas-liquid interfacial area available in pyrometallurgical vessels using chemical measurement methods. The effects of three operating variables, injected gas flow rate, nozzle diameter and nozzle submergence, on total interfacial area are quantified in a IOOL aqueous system - the first stage of a three stage process in examining the implications for scale-up of high temperature, medium-scale results are discussed. The results of work at high, injected gas flow rates (up to 500/min) show that the submerged Froude number is not sufficient for use as the sole variable in a predictive model of total interfacial area. Further work is being undertaken to identify other dimensionless variables that will better represent the gas-liquid characteristics in submerged injection that influence the formation of total interfacial area. The second and third stages of the experimental investigation involve measuring the total interfacial area in a large-scale (1000L) aqueous sodium sulphite and small-medium scale molten metal baths.

Jan 1, 2002

By Klaus Bauckhage

Phase-Doppler-anemometry (PDA)-measurements have to be taken from representative measuring positions from inside the spray cone, helping - with the support of simulated data of improved process models - to describe the multiphase flow situations within the spray cone - and accordingly to that - the heat transfer conditions for the rapid cooling and (partly) solidifying melt droplets before their impact onto the substratddeposit. Simulations and PDA-measurements thus give the base to confirm the hypothesis of the existence of a semisolid mixed-layer and it's influence on the resulting material structure during compaction. The dispersed particles in the spray cone exhibit a cooling and solidification process within a split of a second, which leads - as far as the particles solidify - to a dendritic structure with very short dendritic arm spacings. This causes within the particles extremely short distances for the following equalizing diffision processes taking place on a high temperature level (between liquidus and solidus) in the semisolid mixed-layer of the deposit and explaining the short residence times within this zone of only seconds up to a few minutes. This and the fact that the globular structure of the mushy zone (in the semisolid mixed-layer) leads to an unidirectional crystallization process over very short distances also explains the chemical and morphological ,homogeneity of the sprayed material. The dynamics of these process steps, the very special buffer function of the mixing layer during parameter variations as well as the controlled cooling process of the preform in order to avoid hot cracks influence the quality of the material. Due to the necessity of measuring and controlling the particle bound mass-, momentum- and enthalpy- fluxes to the deposit the PDA-technique has been adapted and modified in order to receive in-line and (in the future) also on-line data from the dynamics of the multiphase flow conditions within the spray chamber.

Jan 1, 1999

By José Roberto de Oliveira

Based on literature review one can see that the main objectives of MnO reduction is the comprehension of slag interactions and reactions with other elements beyond carbon. That's because it is worthwhile to study pure MnO reduction, where there will be not oxides interaction and just carbon will be the reduction agent. By a thermodynamic analysis we know that Si can react with MnO, then it's important to study this influence, so as Mn content. Our work aims to develop kinetics parameters for the MnO reduction, varying Mn and Si contents in bath. This has been given by pressure measure of CO in a Fe-C bath. The CO is generated by the oxide reduction with carbon. It has been proved that: - Mn content decreases the MnO reduction; - the MnO reduction is mainly influenced by Si content in a bath containing Iron, Carbon and Manganese so as Silicium

Jan 1, 1997

By Xirneng Zhu

The electrochemical behavior of Pittsburgh and Illinois coal pyrite in basic and neutral borate/sulfate solutions was investigated. In the transpassive region, aggressive oxidation of pyrite occurred. The reaction products in this region were Fe(III) oxide, sulfate ion and partially oxidized sulfur intermediates. The formation of sulfur and polysulfides was identified by in-situ Raman spectroscopy. The growth kinetics of the reaction product film, resulting from transpassive oxidation of coal pyrites, were studied using chronoamperometry measurement with both stationary and rotating disk electrodes. The reaction rate was well correlated by a paralinear rate equation. The effects of electrode rotation speed, solution pH and temperature were examined. The kinetics were compared to those for mineral pyrite.

Jan 1, 1994

By R. E. Moore

The lining systems currently in use in BOF furnaces, certain steel ladles, and the slag line of electric are furnaces were developed during the late seventies through the mid-eighties using a trial and error method of combining aggregate, carbon sources, additives and binders. They are currently based on magnesia, graphite, metal additives and resin binders, the selections of each being tied to the anticipated intensity of the use conditions. The general functions of the respective constituents are well appreciated, however, there is still a great deal that is not known about how the socalled antioxidants protect the graphite nor how impurities from the graphite and the aggregate enter into the wear processes. In a simplified assessment of wear processes, it appears that if the deoxidized layer can be kept very thin, less than 810 mm in depth, and if the viscosity and quantity of the matrix glassy phases can be controlled to resist erosion of the deoxidized layer, lining life can be maximized for the various applications. This paper will discuss the characteristics of the starting materials systems currently being employed for applications requiring a deoxidation function to realize extended wear. It will not attempt to explain all the complex interrelationships between the respective constituents but will point to the potential for improvements through the use of improved constituents.

Jan 1, 1991

By Tuula Mäkinen

One of the latest applications of the Outokumpu Flash Smelting Technology is the direct smelting ,of nickel concentrates to metallised low-iron nickel mattes. Compared to the conventional nickel smelting, the new DON process needs a lower number of smelting vessels resulting in considerable economic and environmental benefits. Fundamentals of smelting nickel concentrates in one stage to low-iron mattes are presented. Properties of nickel. smelting slags with an emphasis of the slag fluidity at high MgO-levels are also discussed. Conditions prevailing in DON mattes at high oxidation degrees are presented as well as their influence on the behaviour of such mattes in the settler and on tapping the furnace. Distributions of elements in the direct smelting are presented and compared with the conventional process. A further comparison is made with pilot-plant data and the industrial scale.

Jan 1, 1998

By Varadarajan Seshadri

The performance of mould fluxes in satisfying its quality requirements can have a significant effect on the efficiency of the continuous casting process and on the surface quality of the products. This performance is affected by various parameters including the characteristics of the mould fluxes, the quality of the steel being cast and the operational conditions of the caster. The extremely complex relationships involving the parameters mentioned above make it very difficult to have simple criteria for selecting mould fluxes for casting a certain grade of steel in a continuous casting machine. These difficulties led steelmakers and mould flux suppliers to select mould fluxes based mainly on plant trials. In the present work, a software to help in the analysis and development of mould fluxes for continuous casting was developed. This software includes several models for prediction of mould flux viscosity and consumption. A mathematical model was also used to predict the heat flux through the mould flux. The proposed methodology was applied to continuous casting of crack sensitive steels. Some of the results given by this software are presented, discussed and compared to plant data.

Jan 1, 2003

By J. B. W. Bailey

The Noranda Horne smelter in Quebec, Canada has change considerably during the last two decades to accommodate varying custom concentrate receipts, closure of the Horne mine, better working conditions, environmental programmes, new technology and increased energy and labour costs. This paper highlights the reasons for changing the smelter from two calcine charged and one wet charge reverberatory furnaces fired by coal to a smelter using. tonnage oxygen oil, natural gas and coal in a single wet charged reverberatory furnace and a Noranda Process continuous Reactor. The current operation 1 described, including three major topics; the use of oxygen/fuel burners on the charge banks of the reverberatory furnace which has increase the smelting rate from 680 to 1100 tonnes of concentrate per day; the oxygen enrichment of the Noranda Process converting air to achieve smelting rates of over 1800 tonnes of concentrate per day; the converting of the mixture of 73 percent copper matte produced from the Noranda Process and the 33 percent copper matte produced from the reverberatory furnace.

Jan 1, 1983

By Paul C. Turner

In 1998, approximately 57,000 tons of titanium metal was consumed in the form of mill products (1). Only about 5% of the 4 million tons of titanium minerals consumed each year is used to produce titanium metal, with the remainder primarily used to produce titanium dioxide pigment. Titanium metal production is primarily based on the direct chlorination of rutile to produce titanium tetrachloride, which is then reduced to metal using the Kroll magnesium reduction process. The use of titanium is tied to its high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Aerospace is the largest application for titanium, and titanium cost has prevented its use in non-aerospace applications including the automotive and heavy vehicle industries.

Jan 1, 2001

By Peter C. Hayes

"The high temperature reduction of solids through the use of reactive gas atmospheres has application in a wide range of industrially important processes. Whilst significant advances have been made in understanding and describing these processes, some key aspects of the chemical reactions and reaction mechanisms operating in these systems, for example, the transformation from metal oxide to metal, remain poorly understood. A number of different product morphologies have been identified in these reaction systems and the reaction rates have been shown to be critically dependent on the product structure.Theoretical examination of the elementary process steps taking place in the region of the gas/metal/metal oxide interface, combined with electron microscope studies of the resultant product microstructures, have enabled the key process and material variables responsible for the development of the various product morphologies to be identified. By considering i) established criteria for the stability of moving interfaces in a thermodynamic potential gradient, ii) the relative rates of chemical reactions on the oxide and metal surfaces, and iii) key process phenomena and physico-chemical properties of the solid phases, the mechanisms and conditions for the formation of various product morphologies are identified. Interestingly the analysis points to direct analogies between these phase transformations and, the phenomena and microstructures observed in metal solidification, and the potential to develop generic models of these fluid/solid reaction systems."

Jan 1, 2013

By Tan Pengfu

By using computer-aided techniques of equilibrium calculations for multicomponent and multiphase systems, a computer model has been developed to simulate QSL, KIVCET and Outokumpu flash lead smelting processes. A mathematical description is studied using two zones or three zones, namely smelting zone and slag reduction zone for QSL furnace, or offtake shaft zone, smelting shaft zone and electric furnace zone for KIVCET furnace. The amount of each component in lead, slag and gaseous phases under equilibrium is calculated by using the data of free energies of formation and activity coefficients. The predictions by the present computer model are compared with the known data from QSL-Plant at Korea Zinc Co. in Korea, KIVCET-Plant at Nuova Samim Co. in Italy and Outokumpu Co. in Finland. The agreements between the computer predictions and the known data are excellent, so that the present computer model can be used to monitor and optimize the actual industrial operations of direct lead smelting.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. E. Wey

Extraction of cobalt from cobalt sulfide and cobaltite flotation concentrate from the Blackbird Mine, Idaho, was investigated using an adapted strain of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Cobalt extractions as high as 100% were realized in the inoculated experiments, whereas only 4% extraction was obtained in the sterile run. The influence of pulp density on the rate and extent of cobalt extraction was also determined. It was found that the extraction of cobalt followed predominantly the indirect mode of bacterial activity. In this process, ferric iron oxidizes cobaltite to cobalt sulfate and ferric arsenate while being reduced to its ferrous state; the bacteria continuously re-oxidize ferrous to ferric iron. Electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry suggested that cobaltite oxidation involved a number of intermediate reactions.

Jan 1, 1993

By Vadim J. Jabotinski

Electron beam processing is potentially very attractive for the high temperature treatment of hazardous materials. The very high power efficiency of the electron beam energy source (80- 90% of the power from the electric power line is converted to useable energy) is one of the positive features of this technique. This paper will consider advanced electron beam concepts for solid, liquid, and gaseous waste treatment such as stabilization of radioactive solid and liquid hazardous streams. Fundamental aspects and applications including an analysis of the economic potential of electron beam processing of waste treatment will be presented.

Jan 1, 2000

By Chai Li-yuan

Anodizing behaviors of magnesium alloys AZ31 at constant applied current, based on the electrolyte solution free of chromate or fluoride, were investigated. The anodizing process was influenced by constituents of electrolyte greatly. Therein, the oxylate salts, which led to the occurrence of the two totally different processes, played a determinant role in anodizing. They were stable and sparking process respectively. The morphology of anodizing film was observed by SEM and the structure of film was analyzed by XRD. During the stable process, a brown thin film was formed, however the sparking process led to the formation of white hard thick film. The functions of some kinds of additives, such as ammonia, glyceryl alcohol and PVP etc were also studied. Some of them had great effect on surface morphology of anodic film and some of them affected stability of anodizing process significantly.

Jan 1, 2006

By Shanlu Yang

In this study, laser-GTAW hybrid welding was used to the lap joint of galvanized dual-phase (DP) 980 steel in a gap-free configuration. The effects of welding parameters such as the laser power, the distance between the laser beam and the electrode torch, the arc current on the quality of hybrid welds were fully studied. The reason for the formation of different weld defects arises from the development of the highly-pressurized zinc vapor at the interface of two metal sheets. Experimental results demonstrated that the elongated molten pool introduced by the GTAW can suppress the formation of spatters to some extent. However, the hybrid laser-arc welding process still suffers from a large amount of spatters that degrade the weld quality. Furthermore, it was found that the weld quality was enhanced with the increase in the laser beam-arc distance and welding current.

Jan 1, 2009

By George P. Demopoulos

n this study we have sought to highlight the critical linkage between individual reaction kinetic parameters (usually determined in small bench scale experiments) and large continuous reactor performance by focusing on the industrially significant zinc pressure leach process. To this end a comprehensive mathematical model previously developed for the description of this process was employed. In this paper we have examined in particular how small variations in key kinetic parameters impact on the autoclave&apos;s performance, i.e. attainment of autogenous steady-state temperature, zinc conversion and solution chemistry. The reaction parameters studied were: (i) stoichiometry of the marmatite leaching reaction; (ii) the activation energy of the same reaction, E,; (iii) the rate constant of the ferrous to ferric oxidation reaction, k,; and (iv) the apparent equilibrium constant for ferric precipitation, K,. This parameter sensitivity analysis was done under no oxygen mass transfer control limitations. Model predictions were found to be more sensitive to the kinetic parameters under certain conditions than others. The most dramatic finding was the one related to the small amount of sulfate produced during marmatite leaching. In connection to this it was found that the small percentage (< 5 %) of sulfate produced enhances the autothermal operational stability of the autoclave. The need for accurate kinetic parameter determination under conditions similar to those encountered in industrial zinc pressure leaching was demonstrated.

Jan 1, 1999

By Jörn E. Fischer

Cracks were observed at the top of spray formed billets for some alloys. In this paper the effect of process parameters on crack probability is discussed. After the spray run the thermal conditions at the top of the billet change rapidly. A hot spot with melt residue] can occur inside the billet and shrinkage will be suppressed due to the solidified surface of the billet. In this situation hot cracks can be initialized. The temperature history of the billet during and after the spray run is calculated. The temperature difference between core and outside diameter of the billet is taken as indicator for hot crack probability. The effect of different process parameters on the hot crack probability is discussed. The results lead to a better understanding of the process. The calculations are taken as a tool to find process parameters in order to reduce or avoid hot cracks in spray formed billets.

Jan 1, 1999