Electrolytic refining is the principal method of mass producing high-purity copper in an industrial scale. In this study, a three dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulation together with experimental field measurements was applied to optimize the performance of industrial electrolysis cell in the Sarcheshmeh copper complex, Iran. The continuity, momentum equations with inclusion of buoyancy force and the copper mass concentration equation were solved by finite volume method. In order to calculate the velocity distribution in the cell, the k–ω turbulence flow model has been used. There was a good agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data of the electrolysis cell. After the validation of the model, the effects of flow pattern, copper mass concentration distribution, current density, volumetric flow rate of feed and the distance between the electrodes on the performance of the cell using CFD were studied. The results of CFD modeling show that along the cathode and anode surfaces, there were a down flow and an up flow due to natural convection, respectively. Increasing the current density caused an increase of copper mass concentration near the anodes and a decrease near the cathodes; that is in accordance with Faraday's law. Increasing the volumetric flow rate of feed caused an increase of vertical velocity near the anodes and cathodes. Decreasing the distance between electrodes caused a decrease of the natural convection between the anodes and the cathodes and increasing of copper mass concentration near the anodes.
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