US20160060780A1 - Reusable anode system for electrorefining processes - Google Patents

Reusable anode system for electrorefining processes Download PDF

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Publication number
US20160060780A1
US20160060780A1 US14/768,022 US201314768022A US2016060780A1 US 20160060780 A1 US20160060780 A1 US 20160060780A1 US 201314768022 A US201314768022 A US 201314768022A US 2016060780 A1 US2016060780 A1 US 2016060780A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
container
copper
bars
anode
copper bars
Prior art date
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Abandoned
Application number
US14/768,022
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English (en)
Inventor
Pablo Suarez Loira
Daniel Cuchacovich Mikenberg
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ASESORIAS Y SERVICIOS INNOVAXXION SpA
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ASESORIAS Y SERVICIOS INNOVAXXION SpA
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C7/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells
    • C25C7/02—Electrodes; Connections thereof
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D25/00—Special casting characterised by the nature of the product
    • B22D25/02—Special casting characterised by the nature of the product by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art
    • B22D25/04—Casting metal electric battery plates or the like
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C1/00—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of solutions
    • C25C1/12—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of solutions of copper
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
    • Y02P10/20—Recycling

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a reusable anode system for electrorefining processes, constituted by a container which is made of stainless steel and shaped as a straight thin rectangular parallelepiped having on its front and rear faces a plurality of holes communicating the outside and the inside in such a way the electrolyte is able to enter said container.
  • the container projects higher than the position of the electrical contact bars, by means of projections extending the inside the container to form an unloading and loading zone for a plurality of copper bars.
  • the copper bars coming from an extrusion and wire drawing process are grouped inside the container, thus forming the anode system of the present invention. This system allows eliminating the excess or scrap of traditional processes of the previous art.
  • the production process of high-purity copper involves several stages, starting with the reception and sampling of copper concentrates. It is important to do a sampling thereof by classifying them according to the concentration of copper, iron, sulfur, silica and impurities such as arsenic, antimony and zinc mainly.
  • the concentrate enters into the drying stage wherein the humidity is reduced from 8% to 0.2%, then the dried concentrate enters into the fusion process, whose objective is to achieve a change of state which allows the concentrate to pass from a solid state to a liquid state so as the copper can be separated from the other elements comprising the concentrate.
  • the copper concentrate fusion is a product of the instantaneous auto-ignition thereof, which takes place at high temperatures (greater to 1200° C.).
  • the concentrate passes from the solid state to the liquid state, the elements comprising the ores present in the concentrate are separated according to their weight, remaining the lighter ones on the upper part of what has been smelted (molten metal) which is called slag, mainly phases containing high contents iron and silica, while the copper associated to sulfur which is heavier, is concentrated on the lower part of the reactor, which is called Babbitt metal or bearing metal.
  • the material having high content of copper is carried in liquid form through pots or channels to the conversion process where a high copper phase called blister copper is produced (98.5 Cu).
  • This product is subsequently carried in liquid form through pots or channels to a refining process where are mainly removed impurities such as dissolved sulfur, dissolved oxygen and impurities such as arsenic, antimony, bismuth, lead among others, in such a way that finally it is possible the obtaining of the product called anode copper with an average purity of 99.5% of copper.
  • the anode copper is molded and solidified with a rectangular geometry, forming an anode plate ( 1 ) having ears ( 2 ) as showed in FIG. 1 .
  • the most used form to cast the anode copper is by means of a casting wheel, which comprises a determined quantity of copper molds, wherein copper is poured at a temperature lower or equal to 1200° C., once the copper is poured into the casting Wheel, the latter starts to spin and the smelted copper begins to cool off in a first stage at ambient temperature until the upper part of the copper is solid, subsequently the copper passes by a cooling stage which comprises upper water cooling and lower water cooling. In this stage the copper decreases its temperature until reaching a complete solid state, to be carried to the electrolytic refining plant in order to produce a high-purity cathode having copper contents higher or equal to 99.9% Cu.
  • the anode copper is formed on a mold ( 7 ) which comprises a central rectangular-shaped cavity ( 8 ) for receiving the liquid copper which forms the anode plate ( 1 ).
  • a mold ( 7 ) which comprises a central rectangular-shaped cavity ( 8 ) for receiving the liquid copper which forms the anode plate ( 1 ).
  • the anode ( 1 ) is introduced in an electrolytic cell ( 3 ) which has a cathode ( 4 ) that can be permanent or of mother sheet according to the technology to be used, having its respective hanging bar ( 5 ).
  • the electrolytic cell ( 3 ) is filled with an acid solution and current is applied to the contacts ( 6 ) in order to produce the electroplating of copper from the anode ( 1 ) towards the cathode ( 4 ) according to what is shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 .
  • the anode ( 1 ) only remains submerged up to the continuous zone of the ears ( 2 ) and due to this, the upper part of the anode ( 1 ) does not participate in the electrolysis process as shown in greater detail in FIG. 3 , thus using the ears ( 2 ) only to transport the same and for electrical contact.
  • this part of the anode remains intact and becomes an important part of the rest of the anode, together with the undisolved material, called scrap.
  • This material must be again smelted to form a new anode ( 1 ) and continuing with the complete cycle.
  • This product is formed in all the existing refineries and the reprocessing cost is high which is performed by means of different technologies existing in the market.
  • the present invention proposes completely eliminating the excess of scrap by means of the substitution of the molten and molded copper as an anode ( 1 ) with ears ( 2 ) by copper shaped as bars coming from an extrusion and wire drawing process which guarantees a surface quality and homogeneity of the copper bar.
  • anode system which comprises a bars container having on its upper portion two projections for the electrical contact in the form of ears and on its front and rear faces having a plurality of holes which allow the communication between the outside and the inside of said container, in such a way the bars are in contact with the electrolyte.
  • the saving is then generated by recovering and/or reusing the “worn-out copper mother anode” after having completed its working cycle in the electrolytic process, by using all or part thereof, as a whole perforated and/or bent insertion or part thereof, in such a way it is a constituent part of the “new copper mother anode” when placing it on the mold and pouring liquid metal above the insertion by filling it up to complete a new piece, which after being cooled off can be demoulded to be used.
  • this document discloses a method for the manufacture of a suspension bar in which a sheath of copper is drawn over a core of steel, starting from copper tube. Copper and steel cores are introduced into the copper tube, subsequently the sheath is drawn with further cores being added, to a total length which essentially corresponds to the change in length of the copper tube occurring as a result of the drawing and, finally, the rod produced is sawn up into the desired rod lengths at the points where the copper cores are located. Towards the center, the bar has two hooks to suspend an anode or cathode as the case may be.
  • Anode system comprising: A bars container; and b) a group or set of copper bars allowing the elimination of the produced excess or scrap.
  • the present invention refers to an anode system comprising a bars container and a group or set of bars forming a reusable stainless copper anode manufactured in such a way that its structure is a container for copper bars which are stacked inside thereof.
  • the general shape of this assembly is similar to the format of a smelted copper anode, both in mass and configuration, but when being formed by cylindrical solid bars, the total surface of the set of bars is by a 40% greater than its equivalent in a flat smelted anode.
  • the increased surface has an impact in the speed of dissolution which is faster due to the greater surface of copper in contact with the electrolyte and for this reason when being faster, it is necessary to use a smaller amount of energy in order to achieve the same amount of refined copper deposited on the cathode.
  • Another advantage of this configuration is that as these bars are dissolved, they decrease their diameter, therefore they start compacting and being gathered in groups. As long as the system remains charged with copper bars stacked on the upper part, which due to the weight start tightening and compacting the assembly, a constant dissolution of the bars will take place without the existence of copper excess or scrap. In this way, the electrorefining process can be maintained in a continuous way as the container is reload with copper bars.
  • an object of the present invention is providing a system which allows completely eliminating the excess or scrap from the anodes processed in an electrorefining cell.
  • Another object of the present invention is providing a system which allows a continuous electrorefining process by means of the reload of the containers of bars with new bars to be processed.
  • Another object of the present invention is generating a contact surface of the anode with the electrolyte which is increased by a 40% with respect to the anode surfaces of the previous art.
  • FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an anode according to the previous art.
  • FIG. 2 shows a perspective view, according to the previous art, of an electrolytic cell, having the anode and cathode inserted therein.
  • FIG. 3 shows a perspective view, according to the previous art, of an electrolytic cell having the anode and cathode risen above the acid solution (electrolyte).
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 show a perspective view of an electrolytic cell, according to the previous art, having the anodes and cathodes submerged in the acid solution (electrolyte).
  • FIG. 6 shows a front elevation of a casting mold to form an anode according to the previous art.
  • FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a casting mold to form an anode according to the previous art.
  • FIG. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the constitutive elements of the system of the present invention formed by a container and copper bars.
  • FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the system of the present invention wherein the copper bars are inside the container.
  • FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view of the system of the present invention within an electrolytic cell wherein the bars are inside the container.
  • FIG. 11 shows a schematic sectional view of the system of the present invention within an electrolytic cell wherein the bars are fed towards the container.
  • FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a cell for the copper electrorefining with the system of the present invention.
  • the present invention relates to a reusable anode system constituted by a container ( 10 ) which is made of stainless steel and shaped as a straight thin rectangular parallelepiped having on its front and rear faces a plurality of holes ( 11 ) which allows communicating the outside and the inside in such a way that the electrolyte is able to enter said container ( 10 ).
  • the container ( 10 ) projects higher than the position of the electric contact bars ( 12 , 13 ) by means of projections ( 16 ) extending the inside ( 15 ) of the container ( 10 ) to form an unloading and loading zone of a plurality of copper bars ( 14 ).
  • the copper bars ( 14 ) coming from an extrusion and wire drawing process are grouped inside ( 15 ) the container ( 10 ), thus forming the anode system of the present invention.
  • These bars ( 14 ) are shaped as cylinders having a circular cross section.
  • the anode system comprising a container ( 10 ) and the set of bars ( 14 ) located inside ( 15 ) of said container ( 10 ) is submerged in the electrolyte within an electrolytic cell ( 3 ).
  • the bars ( 14 ) start decreasing their diameter and deposit at the bottom of the container ( 10 ) thereby causing that the bars ( 14 ) being on the upper part of the container ( 10 ) are displaced towards the bottom portion of said container ( 10 ).
  • the bars ( 14 ) whose diameter has decreased are deposited at the bottom of the container ( 10 ) until disappearing which leads to the elimination of the excess or scrap.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
US14/768,022 2013-02-14 2013-05-06 Reusable anode system for electrorefining processes Abandoned US20160060780A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CL2013000447A CL2013000447A1 (es) 2013-02-14 2013-02-14 Un sistema de anodo reutilizable para procesos de electro-refinacion que permite eliminar el sobrante o scrap que esta conformado por un contenedor el cual esta conformado en acero inoxidable y tiene la forma de un paralelepipedo rectangular recto delgado, una pluralidad de barras de cobre que provienen de un proceso de extrusion y trefilado, son agrupadas en el interor de dicho contenedor.
CL0447-2013 2013-02-14
PCT/IB2013/053635 WO2014125341A1 (en) 2013-02-14 2013-05-06 A reusable anode system for electrorefining processes

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20160060780A1 true US20160060780A1 (en) 2016-03-03

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ID=51353531

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/768,022 Abandoned US20160060780A1 (en) 2013-02-14 2013-05-06 Reusable anode system for electrorefining processes

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US20160060780A1 (es)
JP (1) JP2016507011A (es)
CN (1) CN104995338A (es)
BR (1) BR112015019529A2 (es)
CL (1) CL2013000447A1 (es)
DE (1) DE112013006672T5 (es)
MX (1) MX2015010451A (es)
PE (1) PE20151440A1 (es)
WO (1) WO2014125341A1 (es)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105714329B (zh) * 2014-12-05 2017-10-20 上海奇谋能源技术开发有限公司 一种直接电解金属碎料的方法

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1792998A (en) * 1928-07-05 1931-02-17 Thomas G Melish Anode container
US4059493A (en) * 1976-04-29 1977-11-22 Cities Service Company Anode, anode basket and method of packaging anodes
US5620586A (en) * 1995-11-27 1997-04-15 Noranda, Inc. Silver electrolysis method in Moebius cells
US20070283558A1 (en) * 2006-06-08 2007-12-13 Kelemen Marc P Tin-plated anode casings for alkaline cells

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1433800A (en) * 1973-12-27 1976-04-28 Imi Refinery Holdings Ltd Method of and anodes for use in electrowinning metals
BG22251A1 (en) * 1974-10-04 1979-12-12 Petrov Method and installation for non-ferros elektrolysis
NL8700537A (nl) 1987-03-05 1988-10-03 Gerardus Henrikus Josephus Den Draagstang voor anode- en/of kathodeplaten bij electrolytische raffinage van metalen en een werkwijze voor de vervaardiging van een dergelijke draagstang.
JP2001181883A (ja) * 1999-12-27 2001-07-03 Nippon Mining & Metals Co Ltd 銅の電解精製における銅の回収方法
CN2732762Y (zh) * 2004-10-12 2005-10-12 范有志 一种直接电解杂铜的网架组合式阳极筐装置

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1792998A (en) * 1928-07-05 1931-02-17 Thomas G Melish Anode container
US4059493A (en) * 1976-04-29 1977-11-22 Cities Service Company Anode, anode basket and method of packaging anodes
US5620586A (en) * 1995-11-27 1997-04-15 Noranda, Inc. Silver electrolysis method in Moebius cells
US20070283558A1 (en) * 2006-06-08 2007-12-13 Kelemen Marc P Tin-plated anode casings for alkaline cells

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CL2013000447A1 (es) 2013-07-19
CN104995338A (zh) 2015-10-21
DE112013006672T5 (de) 2015-10-29
PE20151440A1 (es) 2015-10-28
WO2014125341A1 (en) 2014-08-21
BR112015019529A2 (pt) 2017-07-18
MX2015010451A (es) 2015-10-26
JP2016507011A (ja) 2016-03-07

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Effective date: 20150903

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