US3892560A - Process and device for flash smelting sulphide ores or concentrates - Google Patents

Process and device for flash smelting sulphide ores or concentrates Download PDF

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US3892560A
US3892560A US409261A US40926173A US3892560A US 3892560 A US3892560 A US 3892560A US 409261 A US409261 A US 409261A US 40926173 A US40926173 A US 40926173A US 3892560 A US3892560 A US 3892560A
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furnace
oxidation
feeding
roasting
flash smelting
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Esko Olavi Nermes
Timo Tapani Talonen
Olavi August Aaltonen
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Outokumpu Oyj
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B5/00—General methods of reducing to metals
    • C22B5/02—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes
    • C22B5/12—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes by gases
    • C22B5/14—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes by gases fluidised material

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  • ABSTRACT A process and device to be used in the flash smelting of sulphide ores or concentrates is disclosed, wherein molten matte is fed, possibly after granulation, into an oxidation zone together with air and/or oxygen, whereafter the hot roasting gases are fed into the upper part of the reaction zone of a flash smelting furnace together with fuel and ore or concentrate.
  • the reaction space or bed in the oxidation furnace is cooled or the air and/or oxygen is pre-heated before it is fed into the oxidation zone in order to control the oxidation capacity of the oxidation furnace and the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace and to relate the capacities to each other.
  • PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR FLASH SMELTING SULPHIDE ORES OR CONCENTRATES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.
  • Field of the Invention The invention relates to a process and device to be used in the flash smelting of sulphide ores or concentrates.
  • the products of the reactions in the reaction shaft are a gas which contains the following compounds, among others: 5 S H 8, COS, H and Co, and a melt which consists of FeS, iron oxides and slag.
  • the sulphur content of the gas is produced in the form of elemental sulphur, the melt is granulated and roasted into gaseous sulphur dioxide and iron ore.
  • the sulphur content in the melt (the rate of iron oxides) is dependent on the oxygen content in the smoke gases fed into the reaction shaft, which again can be regulated by regulating the air coefficient of the oil burning process.
  • the air coefficient By increasing the air coefficient (by decreasing the rate of oil) a larger part of the sulphur present in the concentrate can be released from the concentrate and directed into the gas.
  • the sulphur content in the produced iron matte can be lowered by raising the oxygen content in the gas to be fed into the reaction shaft.
  • the ratio between the production of elemental sulphur and that of gaseous sulphur dioxide can thus be regulated by the reaction shaft oil feed the air rate being constant.
  • the rate of oil used in the reaction shaft burners does not have a significant effect on the smelting capacity of the system (FIG. 2).
  • the air coefficient of the oil burning also affects the fuel consumption in the process.
  • all the oxygen fed into the reaction shaft in the combustion air must become bound either to the iron removed along with the iron matte or to the carbon and hydrogen of the fuel and the reduction agent.
  • the air coefficient rises and the sulphur content of the iron matte lowers the oxygen content of the matte increases and the sum of the requisite oil and reduction petroleum decreases.
  • roasting capacity of a roasting furnace per se can be increased by cooling the fluidized bed by means of cooling devices.
  • the cooling of the bed results in a reduction of excess air in the roasting furnace and a reduction of the content of free oxygen in the roasting gas.
  • the roasting capacity of a roasting furnace at a constant air rate can be reduced further, and the oxygen content in the roasting gas can be increased by pre-heating the roasting air.
  • the consumption of the reduction agent and/or fuel decreases. This is because the rate of oxygen coming into the flash smelting furnace is lower since part of the oxygen becomes bound to iron in the roasting furnace.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a device fitted in connection with a flash smelting furnace according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 shows, among other things, the feeds of fuel, reduction agent and concentrate as functions of the oil fed into the reaction shaft.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 shows the roasting air as a function of pre-heating
  • FIG. 5 the fluidized bed of the roasting furnace as a function of cooling.
  • the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace is mainly dependent on the content of free oxygen in the gas used and on the temperature of the gas. A rise in the temperature and the oxygen content increases the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace.
  • the gas obtained from the roasting furnace is used in the flash smelting furnace for smelting pyrite
  • the low rate of free oxygen in the gas has a decreasing effect on the flash smelting furnace capacity.
  • a high gas temperature again increases the smelting capacity in comparison to cold air. With the joint effect of these two and by using an uncooled roasting furnace, a smelting capacity which is approximately the same as when using cold air is obtained in the flash smelting furnace.
  • the capacities of the smelting furnace and the roasting furnace can be controlled by means of cooling devices placed in the fluidized bed in the roasting furnace or by pre-heating the roasting air. Cooling the bed increases the roasting capacity of the roasting furnace and decreases the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace. Pre-heating the roasting air produces the opposite effect.
  • the capacities of the roasting furnace and the flash smelting furnace can be balanced so that the rate of melt produced by the flash smelting furnace corresponds to the capacity of the roasting furnace. In this case all the sulphur present in the concentrate is obtained in the form of elemental sulphur.
  • the desired proportion ofthe iron matte produced in the flash smelting furnace is left for roasting in another roasting furnace to produce gaseous sulphur dioxide (FlGS. 3 and 4).
  • the capacity of the flash smelting furnace can be raised without significantly affecting the capacity of the roasting furnace, by enriching the roasting air or the roasting gas with oxygen. In this case a higher degree of cooling is required for the roasting furnace in order that the roasting furnace capacity correspond to the iron matte output of the flash smelting furnace. The correspondence is achieved with a greater smelting capacity (FIG. 5).
  • the excess oxygen in the reaction shaft must be sufficient, because the slagging of iron at the smelting stage requires a high oxygen pressure in comparison to the pyrite process.
  • copper concentrate is used in the process according to the invention. the treatment of the copper matte from the flash smelting furnace takes place in a previously known manner in a copper converter, the gases of which are then fed as such or concentrated in regard to S possibly mixed with air, into the smelting stage of the flash smelting furnace. With this procedure, the entire sulphur content of the copper concentrate is recovered as elemental sulphur.
  • the lower limit of the temperature of the oxidation zone is about 900C, which is defined by the ignition point of the matte produced in the flash smelting furnace, and the upper limit of 2,000C, which is defined by the heat resistance of the oxidation furnace.
  • the flash smelting furnace shown in FIG. 1 mainly comprises three parts. i.e., a vertical reaction shaft 1 and a rising shaft 3, the lower ends of which have been connected to the two ends of a horizontal lower furnace 2.
  • the fuel and concentrate are fed through pipes 4 and 5 into the upper part of the reaction shaft 1 and the reduction agent is fed through pipe 14 into the upper and lower parts of the rising shaft 3.
  • Molten iron matte is removed from the lower furnace 2 through pipe 7 into a granulating device 8.
  • Part of the granulated iron matte is fed along feed line 9 into the S0 production, and part of it along feed line 10 into a suspension bed furnace 12 which works as a roasting furnace and in which the temperature is about 1,000C.
  • the reaction temperature of the fluidized-bed furnace can be lowered by cooling devices 15, or the air can be pre-heated. Air is also fed into the fluidized-bed furnace through feed line 11, and the hot roasting gases are directed from the upper part of the fluidized-bed furnace through a cyclone I3 and a connecting pipe 6 into the upper part of the reaction shaft l of the flash smelting furnace.
  • the oxygen content in the roasting gas to be fed into the upper part of the reaction shaft 1 is preferably about 5-18 percent and its sulphur dioxide content about 1-10 percent.
  • the lower limit of the oxygen content and the upper limit of the S0 content are defined by the relation between the flash smelting and oxidation furnaces, Outside these limits the matte production of the flash smelting furnace is lower than the oxidation capacity of the oxidation zone.
  • the upper limit of the oxygen content and the lower limit of the S0 content correspond to the lowest possible capacity of the oxidation zone achieved by preheating the oxidant gas to be fed to the oxidation zone.
  • the process and device according to the invention can also be used for the treatment of ores and concentrates other than pyrite, such chalcopyrite.
  • controlling temperature in the oxidation zone for maintaining the oxygen content in the roasting gases between about 5 percent and about 18 percent by volume and for maintaining the S0 content in the roasting gases between about 1 percent and about 10 percent by volume to control the relationship between the oxidation capacity of the oxidation zone and the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace reaction shaft.
  • a flash smelting furnace of the type having a lower furnace, a vertical reaction shaft at one end of the lower furnace, means for feeding fuel and a raw material of sulphide ores or concentrates to the upper part of the vertical reaction shaft, and means for withdrawing molten matte from the lower furnace:
  • c. means for feeding at least one gas selected from the group consisting essentially of air and oxygen to the oxidation furnace;
  • the means for feeding the gas to the oxidation furnace comprise a preheater for the gas in order to control the temperature of the oxidation furnace.
  • the oxidation furnace is a fluidized bed furnace and wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the oxidation furnace comprise means for cooling the bed.
  • the means for withdrawing solid material from the oxidation furnace comprise a separator in the means for feeding the roasting gases from the oxidation furnace to the upper part of the reaction shaft in order to remove the solids entrained in the roasting gases prior to feeding the roasting gases to the upper part of the reaction shaft.

Abstract

A process and device to be used in the flash smelting of sulphide ores or concentrates is disclosed, wherein molten matte is fed, possibly after granulation, into an oxidation zone together with air and/or oxygen, whereafter the hot roasting gases are fed into the upper part of the reaction zone of a flash smelting furnace together with fuel and ore or concentrate. The reaction space or bed in the oxidation furnace is cooled or the air and/or oxygen is pre-heated before it is fed into the oxidation zone in order to control the oxidation capacity of the oxidation furnace and the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace and to relate the capacities to each other.

Description

United States Patent 1 Nermes et al.
1 1 PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR FLASH SMELTING SULPHIDE ORES OR CONCENTRATES [75] Inventors: Esko Olavi Nermes; Timo Tapani Talonen, both of Kokkola; Olavi August Aaltonen, Pori, all of Finland [73] Assignee: Outokumpu Oy,Outokurnpu,
Finland [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 409,261
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 26, 1972 Finland 2977/72 [52] US. Cl. 75/23; 75/74; 75/92; 266/25 {51] Int. Cl. C2lb 1/04; C22b 1/10 [58] Field of Search 75/9, 23, 7375, 75/92; 266/25 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 852,612 5/1907 Perkins 75/23 X 1,845,503 2/1932 Legrand 75/92 1,860,585 5/1932 Lenander 75/23 X 2,219,411 10/1940 Carlsson 75/23 X 2,438,91 l 4/1948 Gronningsaeter 75/74 X 1 July 1, 1975 2,699,375 1/1955 .lohannsen et a1. 75/23 X 2,819,157 1/1958 Fischer v 75/9 3,193,602 8/1965 Wittmann. 75/9 X 3,463,630 8/1969 Todd 75/23 3,754,891 8/1973 Bryk et al. 75/74 X 3,773,494 11/1973 Tuwiner r ..'75/23 3,790,366 2/1974 Bryk et a1. 75/74 X 3,792,998 2/1974 Norro 75/74 X Primary ExaminerA. B. Curtis Assistant ExaminerThomas A. Waltz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brooks Haidt Haffner & DeLal-lunt [57] ABSTRACT A process and device to be used in the flash smelting of sulphide ores or concentrates is disclosed, wherein molten matte is fed, possibly after granulation, into an oxidation zone together with air and/or oxygen, whereafter the hot roasting gases are fed into the upper part of the reaction zone of a flash smelting furnace together with fuel and ore or concentrate. The reaction space or bed in the oxidation furnace is cooled or the air and/or oxygen is pre-heated before it is fed into the oxidation zone in order to control the oxidation capacity of the oxidation furnace and the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace and to relate the capacities to each other.
12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SHEET W 90% F bGQQ SHEET ar a 07900 rcducf/an process Mien using ai a! m 6 3a.:- a/ furnar A: m0 000 A/m% Fig. 2
PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR FLASH SMELTING SULPHIDE ORES OR CONCENTRATES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a process and device to be used in the flash smelting of sulphide ores or concentrates.
2. Description of the Prior Art In the currently used oxidation-reduction process, pyrite is suspended in hot, oxygenous smoke gases at the upper end of the reaction shaft of a flash smelting furnace. Both a thermal decomposition of the pyrite and a simultaneous partial oxidation of the sublimated sulphur and the iron matte produced in the sublimation process take place in the suspension. The hot, oxygenous smoke gases are obtained by burning oil with a high air coefficient.
The products of the reactions in the reaction shaft are a gas which contains the following compounds, among others: 5 S H 8, COS, H and Co, and a melt which consists of FeS, iron oxides and slag. The sulphur content of the gas is produced in the form of elemental sulphur, the melt is granulated and roasted into gaseous sulphur dioxide and iron ore.
The sulphur content in the melt (the rate of iron oxides) is dependent on the oxygen content in the smoke gases fed into the reaction shaft, which again can be regulated by regulating the air coefficient of the oil burning process. By increasing the air coefficient (by decreasing the rate of oil) a larger part of the sulphur present in the concentrate can be released from the concentrate and directed into the gas.
Owing to the more oxidating reaction shaft operation, the rate of sulphur dioxide increases and those of the reducing components (H 8, COS, H CO) decrease. The optimal recovery of sulphur prerequires that the gas composition realizes the following equation:
50 V2 (H 5 +COS H +CO) For this reason the excess S0 has been reduced with light petroleum in the rising shaft of the flash smelting furnace.
The sulphur content in the produced iron matte can be lowered by raising the oxygen content in the gas to be fed into the reaction shaft. The ratio between the production of elemental sulphur and that of gaseous sulphur dioxide can thus be regulated by the reaction shaft oil feed the air rate being constant. The rate of oil used in the reaction shaft burners does not have a significant effect on the smelting capacity of the system (FIG. 2).
The air coefficient of the oil burning also affects the fuel consumption in the process. When the operation takes place at the optimal point in regard to the sulphur yield, all the oxygen fed into the reaction shaft in the combustion air must become bound either to the iron removed along with the iron matte or to the carbon and hydrogen of the fuel and the reduction agent. When the air coefficient rises and the sulphur content of the iron matte lowers, the oxygen content of the matte increases and the sum of the requisite oil and reduction petroleum decreases.
In this known oxidation-reduction process it is not possible to efficiently use in the process the heat of combustion of the concentrate. The heat generated in the roasting of the iron matte is produced in the form of high-pressure steam. The rate of air used in the process is high because air is used both at the smelting and the roasting stages.
It is also known that the roasting capacity of a roasting furnace per se can be increased by cooling the fluidized bed by means of cooling devices. The cooling of the bed results in a reduction of excess air in the roasting furnace and a reduction of the content of free oxygen in the roasting gas. The roasting capacity of a roasting furnace at a constant air rate can be reduced further, and the oxygen content in the roasting gas can be increased by pre-heating the roasting air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention a decisive improvement is achieved when a so-called sulphur circulation process is adopted in which the iron matte obtained from the flash smelting furnace is roasted either in its entirety or partially in a roasting furnace, from which all the roasting gases are fed, uncooled, into the flash smelting furnace for the smelting of fresh concentrate.
The following advantages are gained in the process:
The consumption of the reduction agent and/or fuel decreases. This is because the rate of oxygen coming into the flash smelting furnace is lower since part of the oxygen becomes bound to iron in the roasting furnace.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a device fitted in connection with a flash smelting furnace according to the invention,
FIG. 2 shows, among other things, the feeds of fuel, reduction agent and concentrate as functions of the oil fed into the reaction shaft.
FIGS. 3 and 4 shows the roasting air as a function of pre-heating, and
FIG. 5 the fluidized bed of the roasting furnace as a function of cooling.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace is mainly dependent on the content of free oxygen in the gas used and on the temperature of the gas. A rise in the temperature and the oxygen content increases the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace.
When in the present process the gas obtained from the roasting furnace is used in the flash smelting furnace for smelting pyrite, the low rate of free oxygen in the gas has a decreasing effect on the flash smelting furnace capacity. A high gas temperature again increases the smelting capacity in comparison to cold air. With the joint effect of these two and by using an uncooled roasting furnace, a smelting capacity which is approximately the same as when using cold air is obtained in the flash smelting furnace.
It is obvious from the above that in this process the capacities of the smelting furnace and the roasting furnace can be controlled by means of cooling devices placed in the fluidized bed in the roasting furnace or by pre-heating the roasting air. Cooling the bed increases the roasting capacity of the roasting furnace and decreases the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace. Pre-heating the roasting air produces the opposite effect.
By choosing an appropriate degree of cooling the roasting furnace, the capacities of the roasting furnace and the flash smelting furnace can be balanced so that the rate of melt produced by the flash smelting furnace corresponds to the capacity of the roasting furnace. In this case all the sulphur present in the concentrate is obtained in the form of elemental sulphur. By lowering the degree of cooling of the roasting furnace or by further pre-heating the roasting air, the desired proportion ofthe iron matte produced in the flash smelting furnace is left for roasting in another roasting furnace to produce gaseous sulphur dioxide (FlGS. 3 and 4).
The capacity of the flash smelting furnace can be raised without significantly affecting the capacity of the roasting furnace, by enriching the roasting air or the roasting gas with oxygen. In this case a higher degree of cooling is required for the roasting furnace in order that the roasting furnace capacity correspond to the iron matte output of the flash smelting furnace. The correspondence is achieved with a greater smelting capacity (FIG. 5).
When copper or nickel concentrate is used as feed in the oxidation-reduction process, the excess oxygen in the reaction shaft must be sufficient, because the slagging of iron at the smelting stage requires a high oxygen pressure in comparison to the pyrite process. When copper concentrate is used in the process according to the invention. the treatment of the copper matte from the flash smelting furnace takes place in a previously known manner in a copper converter, the gases of which are then fed as such or concentrated in regard to S possibly mixed with air, into the smelting stage of the flash smelting furnace. With this procedure, the entire sulphur content of the copper concentrate is recovered as elemental sulphur.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the lower limit of the temperature of the oxidation zone is about 900C, which is defined by the ignition point of the matte produced in the flash smelting furnace, and the upper limit of 2,000C, which is defined by the heat resistance of the oxidation furnace.
The flash smelting furnace shown in FIG. 1 mainly comprises three parts. i.e., a vertical reaction shaft 1 and a rising shaft 3, the lower ends of which have been connected to the two ends of a horizontal lower furnace 2. The fuel and concentrate are fed through pipes 4 and 5 into the upper part of the reaction shaft 1 and the reduction agent is fed through pipe 14 into the upper and lower parts of the rising shaft 3. Molten iron matte is removed from the lower furnace 2 through pipe 7 into a granulating device 8. Part of the granulated iron matte is fed along feed line 9 into the S0 production, and part of it along feed line 10 into a suspension bed furnace 12 which works as a roasting furnace and in which the temperature is about 1,000C. The reaction temperature of the fluidized-bed furnace can be lowered by cooling devices 15, or the air can be pre-heated. Air is also fed into the fluidized-bed furnace through feed line 11, and the hot roasting gases are directed from the upper part of the fluidized-bed furnace through a cyclone I3 and a connecting pipe 6 into the upper part of the reaction shaft l of the flash smelting furnace.
The gases at about 1,200C which emerge from the upper part of the rising shaft 3 are finally fed into the gas cooling. purification and catalysis stage where the elemental sulphur is recovered.
The oxygen content in the roasting gas to be fed into the upper part of the reaction shaft 1 is preferably about 5-18 percent and its sulphur dioxide content about 1-10 percent.
The lower limit of the oxygen content and the upper limit of the S0 content are defined by the relation between the flash smelting and oxidation furnaces, Outside these limits the matte production of the flash smelting furnace is lower than the oxidation capacity of the oxidation zone.
The upper limit of the oxygen content and the lower limit of the S0 content correspond to the lowest possible capacity of the oxidation zone achieved by preheating the oxidant gas to be fed to the oxidation zone.
The process and device according to the invention can also be used for the treatment of ores and concentrates other than pyrite, such chalcopyrite.
What is claimed is:
l. [n a process for flash smelting a raw material se lected from sulphide ores and concentrates. the steps of:
a. feeding into an oxidation zone molten matte from the flash smelting furnace and at least one oxidizing gas selected from the group consisting essentially of air and oxygen;
b. withdrawing roasting gases at roasting temperature from the oxidation zone;
c. feeding to an upper part of a reaction shaft of a flash smelting furnace said roasting gases together with fuel and said raw material; and
d. controlling temperature in the oxidation zone for maintaining the oxygen content in the roasting gases between about 5 percent and about 18 percent by volume and for maintaining the S0 content in the roasting gases between about 1 percent and about 10 percent by volume to control the relationship between the oxidation capacity of the oxidation zone and the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace reaction shaft.
2. The process of claim 1, comprising fluidizing the molten matte in the oxidation zone to a fluidized bed and controlling the temperature of the oxidation zone by cooling said bed.
3. The process of claim 1, comprising controlling the temperature of the oxidation zone by preheating the gas fed to the same.
4. The process of claim I, comprising controlling the temperature of the oxidation zone to a temperature of from 900C to 2,000C.
5. The process of claim I, further comprising separating solids entrained in the roasting gases prior to feeding the roasting gases into the flash smelting reaction zone.
6. In a flash smelting furnace of the type having a lower furnace, a vertical reaction shaft at one end of the lower furnace, means for feeding fuel and a raw material of sulphide ores or concentrates to the upper part of the vertical reaction shaft, and means for withdrawing molten matte from the lower furnace:
a. an oxidation furnace;
b. means for feeding the molten matte from the lower furnace to the oxidation furnace;
c. means for feeding at least one gas selected from the group consisting essentially of air and oxygen to the oxidation furnace;
d. means for controlling the temperature of the oxidation furnace;
0. means for feeding hot roasting gases from the oxidation furnace to the upper part of the vertical shaft; and
f. means for withdrawing solid materials from the oxidation furnace.
7. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the means for feeding the molten material to the oxidation furnace comprise means for granulating the molten matte and feeding the granules to the oxidation furnace.
8. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the means for feeding the gas to the oxidation furnace comprise a preheater for the gas in order to control the temperature of the oxidation furnace.
9. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the oxidation furnace is a fluidized bed furnace and wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the oxidation furnace comprise means for cooling the bed.
10. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the means for withdrawing solid material from the oxidation furnace comprise a separator in the means for feeding the roasting gases from the oxidation furnace to the upper part of the reaction shaft in order to remove the solids entrained in the roasting gases prior to feeding the roasting gases to the upper part of the reaction shaft.
I]. The process of claim 1 comprising preheating the oxidizing gas fed to the oxidation zone.
12. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidation ca pacity of the oxidation zone is controlled to correspond to the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace reaction shaft.

Claims (12)

1. IN A PROCESS FOR FLASH SMELTING A RAW MATERIAL SELECTED FROM SULPHIDE ORES AND CONCENTRATES, THE STEPS OF: A. FEEDING INTO AN OXIDATION ZONE MOLTEN MATTE FROM THE FLASH SMELTING FURNACE AND AT LEAST ONE OXIDIZING GAS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AIR AND OXYGEN, B. WITHDRAWING ROASTING GASES AT ROASTING TEMPERATURE FROM THE OXIDATION ZONE, C. FEEDING TO AN UPPER PART OF A REACTION SHAFT OF A FLASH SMELTING FURNACE SAID ROASTING GASES TOGETHER WITH FUEL AND SAID RAW MATERIAL, AND D. CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE IN THE OXIDATION ZONE FOR MAINTAINING THE OXYGEN CONTENT IN THE ROASTING GASES BETWEEN ABOUT 5 PERCENT AND ABOUT 18 PERCENT BY VOLUME AND FOR MAINTAINING THE SO2 CONTENT IN THE ROASTING GASES BETWEEN ABOUT 1 PERCENT AND ABOUT 10 PERCENT BY VOLUME TO CONTROL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OXIDATION CAPACITY OF THE OXIDATION ZON AND THE SMELTING CAPACITY OF THE FLASH SMELTING FURNACE REACTION SHAFT.
2. The process of claim 1, comprising fluidizing the molten matte in the oxidation zone to a fluidized bed and controlling the temperature of the oxidation zone by cooling said bed.
3. The process of claim 1, comprising controlling the temperature of the oxidation zone by preheating the gas fed to the same.
4. The process of claim 1, comprising controlling the temperature of the oxidation zone to a temperature of from 900*C to 2,000*C.
5. The process of claim 1, further comprising separating solids entrained in the roasting gases prior to feeding the roasting gases into the flash smelting reaction zone.
6. In a flash smelting furnace of the type having a lower furnace, a vertical reaction shaft at one end of the lower furnace, means for feeding fuel and a raw material of sulphide ores or concentrates to the upper part of the vertical reaction shaft, and means for withdrawing molten matte from the lower furnace: a. an oxidation furnace; b. means for feeding the molten matte from the lower furnace to the oxidation furnace; c. means for feeding at least one gas selected from the group consisting essentially of air and oxygen to the oxidation furnace; d. means for controlling the temperature of the oxidation furnace; e. means for feeding hot roasting gases from the oxidation furnace to the upper part of the vertical shaft; and f. means for withdrawing solid materials from the oxidation furnace.
7. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the means for feeding the molten material to the oxidation furnace comprise means for granulating the molten matte and feeding the granules to the oxidation furnace.
8. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the means for feeding the gas to the oxidation furnace comprise a preheater for the gas in order to control the temperature of the oxidation furnace.
9. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the oxidation furnace is a fluidized bed furnace and wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the oxidation furnace comprise means for cooling the bed.
10. The furnace of claim 6, wherein the means for withdrawing solid material from the oxidation furnace comprise a separator in the means for feeding the roasting gases from the oxidation furnace to the upper part of the reaction shaft in order to remove the solids entrained in the roasting gases prior to feeding the roasting gases to the upper part of the reaction shaft.
11. The process of claim 1 comprising preheating the oxidizing gas fed to the oxidation zone.
12. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidation capacity of the oxidation zone is controlled to correspond to the smelting capacity of the flash smelting furnace reaction shaft.
US409261A 1972-10-26 1973-10-24 Process and device for flash smelting sulphide ores or concentrates Expired - Lifetime US3892560A (en)

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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4073645A (en) * 1975-04-09 1978-02-14 Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft Process of smelting sulphidic copper ore concentrates
US4113470A (en) * 1974-07-05 1978-09-12 Outokumpu Oy Process for suspension smelting of finely-divided sulfidic and/or oxidic ores or concentrates
US4169725A (en) * 1976-04-30 1979-10-02 Outokumpu Oy Process for the refining of sulfidic complex and mixed ores or concentrates
US4334918A (en) * 1979-03-09 1982-06-15 501 National Research Development Corp. Method of recovering non-ferrous metals from their sulphide ores
FR2506786A1 (en) * 1981-06-01 1982-12-03 Kennecott Corp PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BLISTER COPPER
US4388110A (en) * 1980-12-01 1983-06-14 Boliden Aktiebolag Method for recovering the metal content of complex sulphidic metal raw materials
US4521245A (en) * 1983-11-02 1985-06-04 Yarygin Vladimir I Method of processing sulphide copper- and/or sulphide copper-zinc concentrates
EP0174291A1 (en) * 1984-08-16 1986-03-12 VOEST-ALPINE INDUSTRIEANLAGENBAU GESELLSCHAFT m.b.H. Process and installation for melting metals for non-ferrous oxidic and/or finely ground sulfidic ores or concentrates
US6180078B1 (en) * 1997-12-09 2001-01-30 Outokumpu Oyj Method for thermally regenerating spent acid
US9725784B2 (en) 2012-06-21 2017-08-08 Lawrence F. McHugh Production of copper via looping oxidation process

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FI91283C (en) * 1991-02-13 1997-01-13 Outokumpu Research Oy Method and apparatus for heating and melting a powdery solid and evaporating the volatile constituents therein in a slurry melting furnace
DE69401907T2 (en) * 1993-12-24 1997-09-04 Denso Corp Motor for electric pumps
FI98380C (en) * 1994-02-17 1997-06-10 Outokumpu Eng Contract Method and apparatus for suspension melting

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US1845503A (en) * 1928-05-15 1932-02-16 Phelps Dodge Corp Pyro-metallurgical process and apparatus
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US2219411A (en) * 1938-05-16 1940-10-29 Carlsson Fredrik Method of treating tin containing materials
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US3773494A (en) * 1971-12-10 1973-11-20 Treadwell Corp Smelting of copper sulphide concentrates with ferrous sulphate
US3790366A (en) * 1969-01-14 1974-02-05 Outokumpu Oy Method of flash smelting sulfide ores
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US852612A (en) * 1906-01-22 1907-05-07 Walter G Perkins Process of desulfurizing and subsequent smelting.
US1845503A (en) * 1928-05-15 1932-02-16 Phelps Dodge Corp Pyro-metallurgical process and apparatus
US1860585A (en) * 1930-07-26 1932-05-31 Patentaktiebolaget Grondal Ram Treatment of sulphide ores
US2219411A (en) * 1938-05-16 1940-10-29 Carlsson Fredrik Method of treating tin containing materials
US2438911A (en) * 1945-04-21 1948-04-06 Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd Process for recovering metal values from slags
US2699375A (en) * 1950-03-28 1955-01-11 Basf Ag Production of gases containing sulfur dioxide
US2819157A (en) * 1953-07-17 1958-01-07 Dorr Oliver Inc Method of treating sulfide solids under solids fluidizing conditions
US3198602A (en) * 1958-09-10 1965-08-03 Basf Ag Production of gases containing sulfur dioxide
US3463630A (en) * 1966-03-03 1969-08-26 Lamar S Todd Process for producing zinc and related materials
US3790366A (en) * 1969-01-14 1974-02-05 Outokumpu Oy Method of flash smelting sulfide ores
US3754891A (en) * 1970-04-10 1973-08-28 Outokumpu Oy Method of producing iron poor nickel sulphide matte from sulphidic nickel concentrates in suspension smelting thereof
US3792998A (en) * 1971-03-01 1974-02-19 Boliden Ab Method for preventing the dilution of sulphur dioxide containing waste gases obtained in copper concentrate electric smelting furnaces
US3773494A (en) * 1971-12-10 1973-11-20 Treadwell Corp Smelting of copper sulphide concentrates with ferrous sulphate

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4113470A (en) * 1974-07-05 1978-09-12 Outokumpu Oy Process for suspension smelting of finely-divided sulfidic and/or oxidic ores or concentrates
US4073645A (en) * 1975-04-09 1978-02-14 Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft Process of smelting sulphidic copper ore concentrates
US4169725A (en) * 1976-04-30 1979-10-02 Outokumpu Oy Process for the refining of sulfidic complex and mixed ores or concentrates
US4334918A (en) * 1979-03-09 1982-06-15 501 National Research Development Corp. Method of recovering non-ferrous metals from their sulphide ores
US4388110A (en) * 1980-12-01 1983-06-14 Boliden Aktiebolag Method for recovering the metal content of complex sulphidic metal raw materials
US4416690A (en) * 1981-06-01 1983-11-22 Kennecott Corporation Solid matte-oxygen converting process
FR2506786A1 (en) * 1981-06-01 1982-12-03 Kennecott Corp PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BLISTER COPPER
US4521245A (en) * 1983-11-02 1985-06-04 Yarygin Vladimir I Method of processing sulphide copper- and/or sulphide copper-zinc concentrates
EP0174291A1 (en) * 1984-08-16 1986-03-12 VOEST-ALPINE INDUSTRIEANLAGENBAU GESELLSCHAFT m.b.H. Process and installation for melting metals for non-ferrous oxidic and/or finely ground sulfidic ores or concentrates
US6180078B1 (en) * 1997-12-09 2001-01-30 Outokumpu Oyj Method for thermally regenerating spent acid
ES2154998A1 (en) * 1997-12-09 2001-04-16 Outokumpu Oy Method for thermally regenerating spent acid
AU749609B2 (en) * 1997-12-09 2002-06-27 Outotec Oyj Method for thermally decomposing spent acid
US9725784B2 (en) 2012-06-21 2017-08-08 Lawrence F. McHugh Production of copper via looping oxidation process

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS49133204A (en) 1974-12-20
FI49845B (en) 1975-06-30
CA1010663A (en) 1977-05-24
ES420339A1 (en) 1976-07-01
DE2353135A1 (en) 1974-05-02
FI49845C (en) 1975-10-10
AU6186573A (en) 1975-05-01

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