5408847 Rotary solid sorption heat pump with embedded thermosyphons

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the top-lancing technology suitable for a variety of pyrometallurgical applications including smelting and converting of sulfide concentrates. This technology is known generically as top submerged lance technology. It is now licensed by two separate organizations, Isasmelt and Ausmelt. Smelting is done in vertically aligned cylindrical furnaces 3.5–5 m diameter and 12–16 m high. The smelting entails: dropping moist concentrate, flux, and recycle materials into a molten matte/slag bath in a hot furnace; blowing oxygen-enriched air through a vertical lance into the matte/slag bath. Most of the energy for smelting is obtained from oxidizing the Fe and S in the concentrate. The principal product of the furnace is a matte/slag mixture. It is tapped into a hydrocarbon-fired or electric settling furnace. The products after settling are 60% Cu matte and 0.7% Cu slag. The main advantages of the process are: its small footprint, which makes it easy to retrofit into existing smelters, its ability to process a variety of feed materials, and small evolution of dust. Further, Mitsubishi Process also performs smelting and converting in a molten bath. It uses three interconnected furnaces to continuously smelt copper concentrates, settle, and separate matte from discard slag, and convert the matte to blister copper. When performing properly, continuous processing solves many of the problems created by more traditional copper smelting technology, most notably the elimination of ladle transfer of molten matte, the fugitive emissions associated with Peirce–Smith converting, and the uneven SO2 offgas content that results from batch processing of copper concentrates.