Modeling and Optimization of Charge Materials Ranges in Converter Furnace with Enhanced Passivation Time in Copper Electrorefining Process: A Mixture Design Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of materials science and Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Research & Development Center, Shahrebabak Copper Complex, National Iranian Copper Industries Company, Kerman, Iran

3 Senior metallurgical engineer, Process control unit, Khatoonabad copper refinery, Shahrebabak copper complex, National Iranian copper industries company, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

In this study, the design of experiments is used to study and model the time of passivation in copper electrorefining as a function of the charge of melting furnace through the preparation of copper casting anodes. As a result of optimization for the proposed optimized anodes, the charge percent values of concentrate (Co), refinery scrap (RS), and non-refinery scrap (NRS) were proposed equals to 69.1, 0.574 and 30.32 (wt.%), respectively. Experimental data confirmed the enhanced passivation time of the proposed anode was 6520 s. Also, it was observed that the molar ratio of As/(Bi+Sb) and Ag/(Se+Te) are the key factors in passivation time. Finally, the relation of passivation time (seconds) with the charge of melting furnace is proposed as:  t (s)= - 3728.98 × Co + 4640.00 × RS + 3141.00 × NRS + 17763.27 × Co × RS + 25547.65 × Co × NRS - 1758.00 × RS × NRS. Moreover, adding of As ingot in casting anodes as a dose dependent of non-refinery scrap portion in the input charge of the melting unit can effectively prolong the time of passivation.

Keywords


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