Continuous cleaning process of molten copper slags in a channel reactor under the external electric field

Mingjun Zhang,Huaiwei Zhang,Li Fu,Y Wang

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/20197803006

Abstract

Continuous cleaning process of the molten copper slags in a channel reactor under a vertical electric field is proposed. The copper-matte settling velocity under the vertical electric field is much faster than that only under the gravity in the molten slags, and the electric field can also accelerate the magnetite reduction. Cu content in the slag can fall below 0.35 wt. % during the continuous cleaning process, which exceeds much more existing slag treatment process. In addition, the behaviours of some other heavy metal elements in the molten slags during the continuous process are also discussed.

Highlights

The slag cleaning process is the essential component in the copper production industry [1,2,3,4]
The copper-matte droplets in the molten slags can be aggregated at the bottom of the furnace hearth under the effects of gravitational and electrostatic forces
V − Device volume/m3 The droplets residence time in the vertical direction can be obtained as follow: Fig.1 Experimental apparatus and the internal size during the molten copper slags cleaning process under the vertical electric field ty

Summary

Introduction

The slag cleaning process is the essential component in the copper production industry [1,2,3,4]. The behaviors of matte droplets in the molten slags under a vertical electric field are studied by Choo et al, and the slags and matte composition can significantly affect the migration direction of the droplets [12,13]. Warczok et al [14] investigated that the copper droplets can migrate to the cathode in the molten CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 slag in the external electric filed. Metallic copper will be generated around the cathode during the electrolysis process of molten Cu2Ocontaining slag [8]. Iron-rich phases are formed around the cathode for the FeOx-containing CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 molten slags under the constant current field [9]. External electric field has the wide application prospects in the copper slag cleaning process. Continuous copper slag cleaning process in vertical DC electric field (CVDCF). A channel type of furnace with continuous slag feeding system is applied during the process

Experimental apparatus and procedure

Results and discussion

Conclusions