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By Suman Das, Justin J. Gambone, Rohan Bansal, Ranadip Acharya, Paul Cilino

"This paper focuses on generating a quantitative microstructure prediction model for Scanning Laser Epitaxy (SLE) process based on coupled flow-thermal modeling using Finite Volume method. SLE is a laser-based additive manufacturing process for the deposition of equiaxed, directionally solidified and single-crystal nickel superalloys through the melting of alloy powders onto superalloy substrates. In the current work, the detailed effects of natural and Marangoni convection on the flow field are studied and the results are analyzed in terms of the temperature gradient, vorticity parameter, melt pool dimensions and mushy region extent. The detailed property data of the processed superalloy and the laser scan path are incorporated in the model to predict the microstructure in realistic scenario. An optimization study is carried out to evaluate the critical parameter values at which the columnar-to-equiaxed and the oriented-tomisoriented transition take place. This work is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research through grant N00014-11-1-0670.IntroductionSLE is a laser-based additive manufacturing process for the creation of structures in equiaxed, directionally solidified and single-crystal nickel superalloys through the selective melting and resolidification of superalloy powders. In SLE, a tightly focused laser beam is guided by a highspeed galvanometer scanners allowing for tight control of the amount of energy being applied to the top of the powder bed, as well as the speed at which the melt pool moves across the substrate. Under the proper operating conditions and with sufficient substrate meltback, the solidification microstructure follows the morphology of the underlying substrate, allowing for directional and even SX growth.Several reports on the modeling aspects of laser cladding-based additive manufacturing approaches can be found in the literature. Approaches based on Finite Element Methods (FEM) and Finite Volume Methods (FVM) are employed for the thermal modeling of the system [1, 2]. Gaumann coupled the Columnar to Equiaxed Transition (CET) modeling with the Rosenthal solution in earlier work based on laser cladding [3]. Rappaz et. al. provided a detailed modeling of the microstructure/columnar orientation based on the solidification velocity and crystalline orientation [4]. This approach is based on the selection of the growth direction that closely follows the melt pool normal direction. Later on, substrate orientation is also taken into account [5, 6]."

Jan 1, 2013

By Katia Vutova, Vania Vassileva

Investigations and results on the refining of tungsten scrap applying electron beam melting (EBM) in vacuum are presented and discussed. In this work EB melting experiments were performed in single or double-melt operations with different power inputs and refining times for tungsten purification and recovery of multiple metals (including refractory and other metals such as Mo, Nb, Cu, Zn, etc.), which are alloyed elements or impurities with high concentrations in the initial materials. Evaluations for extraction of some valuable metals, generated in the condensate at their removal from the liquid metal during the refining process are provided. Efficient technological regimes for e-beam melting and refining that enable the simultaneous production of pure metal ingots and condensates that can be used directly or can be used for subsequent extraction of expensive and valuable metals are presented.

Jan 1, 2016

By Vinicius Alves Gomes, Jean Igor Margem, Thallis Cordeiro, Frederico Muylaert Margem, Roberto Faria Jr., Sergio Neves Monteiro, Marina Rangel Margem

Natural fibers are attracting the interest of engineering sectors owing to specific advantages such as lightweight and lower cost as well as for their inherent condition of being renewable, biodegradable, recyclable and neutral with respect to CO2 emission. In particular, the fiber extracted from the malva plant stem is nowadays recognized as one of the strongest lignocellulosic fibers. However, the thermal properties of the malva fibers have yet not been fully investigated. The present work had as its objective to investigate, by photoacoustic spectroscopy and photothermal techniques the thermal properties of diffusivity, specific heat capacity and conductivity of a pressed malva fibers sample. The results revealed that these fibers showed a superior thermal insulation capacity.

Jan 1, 2015

By L. G. Wiseman

The raw materials processed, highlights of technology used, and products produced at INCO's Copper Cliff Nickel Refinery in Ontario, Canada, are described in this paper. INCO's Bessemer matte separation process yields various nickel and copper products and intermediates. The latter presents the main supply of raw materials for the Refinery. Key features in the Refinery are Top Blown Rotary Converters and the INCO Pressure Carbonyl (IPC) process. Process improvements made since the commissioning of the Refinery in 1973 are also discussed. The Refinery produces a variety of nickel products, including nickel powders. Residue after carbonylation presents an important intermediate enriched in precious metals and cobalt that serves as feed to downstream operations for recovery of the residue's metal values. Also discussed are detection, measurement and control procedures which ensure safe operation.

Jan 1, 1988

By S. P. Rivers

The stainless steel industry re1ies on nitric-hydrofluoric acid (HNO,/HF) pickling solutions to remove surface contaminants and maintain the corrosion resistance of the steel. More stringent environmental guide1ines are expected to be placed on the disposal of these solutions which could significantly increase processing costs. The U.S. Bureau of Mines has been conducting research to develop a process for recycling depleted pickling solutions, thus reducing the quantity of by product acids generated. Research has shown that F- can be liberated from the predominant iron fluoride species (FeF,') by using oxalic acid in an electrodialysis cell. Ion selective membranes allow dissolved metals in the depleted solution to be replaced with hydronium ions by metathesis, thereby regenerating the HF. The regenerated HN03/HF is then retained in the pick1ing solution. This paper reports on the research effort at the U.S. Bureau of Mines Rolla Research Center to apply electrodialytic recycling to HN03/HF pickling solutions.

Jan 1, 1993

By J. A. Gonzalez-Dominguez

During the electrorefining of lead by the Betts process, ionic concentration gradients become established within the slimes layer. These gradients contribute to precipitation of secondary products and to gradients in electrode potential applied to slimes filaments, and thereby affect the dissolution of noble impurities. This paper describes the experimental results obtained when a typical lead anode was dissolved under galvanostatic conditions with concurrent interruption of current at preset slimes thicknesses. Reference electrodes were incorporated within the lead anode to follow the potential gradients across the slimes electrolyte. Samples of the slimes electrolyte were withdrawn in-situ and their compositional changes were related to transport processes across the slimes layer. Upon current interruption the anodic overpotential decays, first abruptly (as the uncompensated ohmic drop disappears), and then slowly (due to the presence of a back E.M.F. created by ionic concentration gradients that decay slowly). Current interruption measurements showed that: (A) concentration gradients exist across the slimes layer, (B) inner solution potentials within the slimes layer can be larger than those measured from reference electrodes located in the bulk electrolyte, (C) secondary products can shift the inner solution potential to negative values that reverse upon re-dissolution and (D) ionic diffusion is seen upon current interruption but it is complex and difficult to model due to the presence of processes that can support the passage of internal currents. SEM and X-ray diffraction analysis of the slimes filaments indicated that secondary reactions leading to the formation of Si02 and PbF2 take place (mainly at the anodelslimes interface). The onset of these reactions and their relationship to the Pb-F-Si-H20 Eh-pH diagram are linked to the industrial operation of the Betts process.

Jan 1, 1994

By Huimin Lu, Liyuan Zhao, Zhijiang Gao

The aluminum matrix composite reinforced by graphene was successfully fabricated using high pressure torsion (HPT). With only 0.5wt% graphene, the grain size was reduced to 100nm while that of pure Al was about 500nm. The hardness of the composite increased from the center (64HV) to the edge (120HV) of the sample. Moreover, the tensile strength of this composite reached 197MPa, while that of pure Al was 157MPa. The enhancement in mechanical properties was induced by grain refinement, load transfer from the matrix to the reinforcement and dislocations piled up at the grain boundaries.

Jan 1, 2015

By Norimasa Yamasaki, Masao Kurosaki

"The effects of plating conditions on the crystal orientation of electrodeposited zinc were investigated by varying elecyrolyte flow rate and current density. Precipitation of the Zn (00 • 2) basal plane is promoted at lower current density and higher flow velocity. Effect of the flow velocity on the mass transport was evaluated based on the polarization measurement in which Cu was used as the tracer. As a result, it has been clarified that the crystal orientation of electrodeposited zinc can be uniquely arranged by the overvoltage (iU0.5) that can be simply calculated by considering -the current density and boundary layer thickness. At the same time, the electrode potential during electrodeposition that can be calculated by using a model based on the competitive reactions of hydrogen reduction 'and zinc reduction exhibits an extremely good correlation with the crystal orientation of electrodeposited zinc.Introduction Electrogalvanized steel sheet has better surface properties than hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, and is used in home electric appliance and automobile applications. Factors such as crystal morphology, crystal orientation and surface roughness have a large influence on its appliance, formability and corrosion resistance [1-3].Electrolysis, condition, bath composition and alloying elements are reported as factors that affect the crystal orientation of the electrogalvanized coating. Factors that can be controlled on time in the production site are electrolysis condition that-is current density and plating solution flow velocity.Some studies[4-6] report that the crystal- orientation of the Zn(00 • 2) plane is increased by promoting, the mass transfer of zinc ions in the plating solution or decreasing the concentration overvoltage, but did not investigate in detail the plating solution flow conditions in the plating cell nor quantitatively determine the effects of both current density and plating solution flow conditions on the crystal orientation of ' electrodeposited zinc."

Jan 1, 2000

By Baoxiang Zhang, Jing Zhang

"As extruded Mg-9Zn-0.6Zr-2Er magnesium alloys were hot-rolled at 400°C, followed by solution treatment at 400 °c for 1. 5h and artificial aging at 200°C for 10h. Microstructures and tensile mechanical properties of the alloys after hot rolling, solution and aging treatment were examined respectively. Optical micrographs of the as-rolled and as-solution alloys showed fine grain structures, due to the formation of Er-and Zn-bearing compounds at grain boundaries which obviously improved the thermal stability of the alloy. Yield strength as high as about 335 MPa was obtained for the as-rolled alloy, showing that the mechanical properties of the alloy was greatly benefit from the grain refinement and dynamic precipitation of fine MgZn2 during hot rolling. Due to solution heat treatment, vast majority of the Mg-Zn phases dissolved into the matrix, and precipitated out again as fine dispersoid during the subsequent aging, resulting in an enhanced aging-hardening effect.IntroductionWith high specific strength and low density, magnesium alloy has stimulated significant interest for the applications in microelectronics, aerospace and automobile industries. Due to its HCP structure, magnesium alloys exhibit relatively poor strength and ductility. Great efforts have been made to improve the properties of magnesium alloys.Thermo-mechanical processing which combined with subsequent heat treatment can strengthen magnesium alloys due to the strain-hardening mechanism, homogeneous distribution of second particles and grain refinement [1, 2]. However, commercial wrought magnesium alloys have high tendency of grain growth at high temperature due to lack of effective solutions to stabilize the microstructure [3, 4, and 6]. But Magnesium-RE alloys containing high rare earth were reported to have remarkable thermal-stability, Rare earth (RE), such as Y, Nd, Yb, Gd, Ce, were known to form second-phase particles that have higher thermal stability combining with Zn and matrix in Mg[12-17]."

Jan 1, 2012

By S. N. Monteiro, C. M. F. Vieira, M. M. Ribeiro

"This work has as its objective to evaluate the effect of incorporation of the powder waste retained in the eletrostatic precipitator of the sintering stage from an integrated steel making plant on the physical and mechanical properties of a red ceramic. Formulations were prepared with incorporation of the waste in amounts up to 20 wt.% into a kaolinitic clay. Rectangular specimens were prepared by uniaxial mold-press at 20 MPa and then fired at 750, 900 and 1050°C. The evaluated physical and mechanical properties were: linear shrinkage, water absorption and flexural rupture strength. The results showed that the waste has a potential to be used into red ceramics. The incorporation of the waste enhanced the properties of the ceramic, decreasing the water absorption and increasing the mechanical strength at all investigated temperatures.IntroductionThe sintering stage of an integrated steel-making plant is dedicated to the agglomeration of a mixture of iron ore, coke or coal, fluxes and water [1]. It is a common practice in this stage to use of solid wastes with great amounts of iron in the form of sludge and powder. One of the atmospheric pollutants generated during the sintering process is the particulate material, which is normally retained in an equipment denote as electrostatic precipitator. This equipment retains very small particulates, present in the gaseous emissions by application of an electrical potential difference in between the plates that the fluid is forced to go through. [2]."

Jan 1, 2011

By Joerg Hammerschmidt, Marcus Runkel, Andreas Wirtz, Kent Pope

"Fluidized bed reactor systems in the minerals industry have been progressively developed and widely implemented over a period of more than sixty years for a multitude of process applications. Their versatility is manifested in calcining, roasting and combustion treatment of minerals including solid fuels. Experiences from metallurgical processes have expanded to new applications in the oil shale processing, biomass combustion and renewable energy sector. This paper focuses on the most important aspects of fluidized bed technology for a variety of Outotec processes. Energy recovery is a major topic for all applications and will be addressed, as well as environmental aspects, particularly regarding the off-gas treatment. Outotec is one of the pioneers of roasting and the fluidized bed process including gas cleaning and sulphuric acid production where applicable. Process development is strongly supported by significant investment in R&D, thus enabling process adaptation and scale-up to meet specific customer/market requirements.Introduction to Fluidized Bed TechnologyThe early days of fluidized bed technology were characterized by the use of bubbling fluidized bed reactors (BFB). This technology was popular for roasting zinc and copper ores. The introduction of circulating fluidized bed technology led to increased plant capacities and improved process control for the traditional processes. Furthermore, the technology has been applied in many other industries, including the renewable energy industry, which will be part of this design and process comparison. The paper starts out with the fundamentals on particle fluidization as the main common design parameter, leading to the importance of heat recovery and offgas treatment.In fluidized reactor systems, the particle concentrations can reach several hundred kilograms per cubic meter of fluidization gas. This high solid concentration leads to large surface areas and enables direct contact of gas molecules with particle surface molecules. Excellent conditions for enhanced heat and mass transfer thus provide nearly ""ideal"" heat exchange conditions and better reaction kinetics. The bubbling bed exhibits a better heat transfer coefficient within the bed in comparison to the circulating fluidized bed (CFB). The different conditions of gas velocities and solid concentrations allowing the classification of fluidization reaction regimes are shown in the Reh diagram in Figure 1."

Jan 1, 2014

By Ashish D. Patel, Ramesh S. Minisandram

"Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) is the final and, hence, critical melting step for the production of a sound, segregation-free ingot for the manufacture of alloys used in rotating components in aircraft engines. A mathematical model for this process has been developed by the Specialty Metal Processing Consortium (SMPC). The model predicts temperature distribution in the solidifying ingot, flow in the molten metal pool, and the electromagnetic field in the ingot. These predictions may be used to estimate the effect of melting parameters on the pool profile in the ingot. In this paper, typical pool shapes and flow fields during VAR of Alloy 718 and Ti-6Al-4V are presented. The differences in the pool profile are primarily due to vastly different melting conditions. The model predictions are compared to the observed pool shapes from industrial-size VAR ingots.1. IntroductionVacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) is a process in which an electrode is melted in vacuum by the heat from a DC electric arc. Metal droplets from the electrode fall into the molten metal pool, which solidifies in a water-cooled copper crucible to form the ingot, as shown in Figure I. The ingot obtained from VAR is sound, and has superior cleanliness and chemical homogeneity. Hence, the process is the final melting process for most nickel-base superalloys and titanium alloys used in the manufacture of critical rotating components (discs & blades) of aircraft engines. Modeling of this process provides an insight into the effect of melting parameters on the molten metal pool in the solidifying ingot, which is a key first step in process optimization and defect prevention. In this paper, typical pool shapes, both measured and predicted, for VAR of Alloy 718 and Ti-6Al-4Vare presented. Alloy 718 is the most common VAR-processed nickel-base superalloy; whereas Ti-6Al-4V is the ''workhorse"" alloy for titanium-based alloys."

Jan 1, 2004

By Versiane A. Leão

The adsorption of oleic acid and amine, by Expanded Hydrophobized Vermiculite (EHV) was studied. In appropriate conditions EHV is a good adsorbent for these flotation re-agents and the best results are obtained at situations where the chemicals are at non-dissociated form. The adsorbent shows good chemical stability and may been used in many adsorption-desorption cycles.

Jan 1, 1996

By P. A. Treasure

The EMEW® cell has been developed to overcome a number of inherent limitations in conventional electrowinning technology, particularly the high cost and restricted process windows characteristic of conventional hardware. The technology has been widely demonstrated to achieve high performance for various metals under chemical conditions well outside the limits required for efficient operation of conventional cells. This process flexibility offers significant opportunities for cost savings. in recovery of zinc from primary and secondary sources. The EMEW® technology is now available on a fully engineered basis, as a versatile commercial alternative to conventional electrowinning hardware. Application of the EMEW® cell for recovery of secondary zinc material offers significant advantages to the recycling industry. For example, a selective caustic leach can be used where there are high levels of iron or other contaminants in the target material. The reagent requirement is minimal as most of the caustic is regenerated in the bell and zinc dust that may be required for electrolyte purification is produced in the cell. A high purity zinc powder or cathode is produced in the cell. In the case of acidic zinc electrolytes, the cell is capable of operating over a much wider range of operating conditions than a conventional cell.

Jan 1, 2000

By Lucas L. da Costa, Sergio N. Monteiro, Romulo L. Loiola, Tammy G. Rodrigues Portela

"The fibers extracted from the petiole of the buriti palm tree are relatively strong as compared to other lignocelluloses fibers, with a potential for composite reinforcement. In this work, polyester matrix composites incorporated with these fibers were investigated for their flexural behavior. Specimens with up to 40% in volume of continuous and aligned buriti petiole fibers were bendtested until rupture. The results showed an increase in both the composite mechanical strength and the stiffness with incorporation of these fibers. A fractograph analysis by SEM disclosed a moderate adhesion mechanism between the buriti petiole fiber and the polyester matrix. This mechanism is apparently responsible for the improved performance of the composites.IntroductionIn recent years, the substitution of energy-intensive synthetic materials for natural ones is being considered in many industrial sectors including automobile, packing and textile [1]. A typical case is that of natural fibers, mainly those obtained from cellulose-based plants also known as lignocelluloses fibers. They have being investigated in the past two decades, aiming to replace synthetic fibers, particularly the glass fiber, commonly used as polymer composite reinforcement [2-8]. From the engineering point of view, lignocellulosic fibers present today important environmental, economical, societal and technological advantages already discussed [7-8]. Moreover, several lignocellulosic fibers are known since the beginning of our civilization and still cultivated or naturally extracted all over temperate and tropical regions of the world. According to Kalia et al [1 ], these fibers can be classified by their origin, as shown in Table 1."

Jan 1, 2011

By Sen-xiang Yang, Xin-teng Liang, Gui-jun Li, Jian-hua Zeng, Yong Chen

"This research is based on PANSTEEL 120t steelmaking converter technology to have the quantitative description of the time needed in uniform mixing of molten steel in the converter with the computer. In present work, the numerical simulation approach is used to analyze oxygen lance nozzle, the flow condition of oxygen and flow status of molten steel in the converter. The various oxygen jet flows that come out from different angles and the flow status of all kinds of jet flows in the converter have also been simulated. All of the simulation parameters are based on the specifically practical conditions according to the physical conditions of PANSTEEL 120 t steelmaking converter. Through numerical simulation, the angle parameter of the oxygen lance nozzle is 16 °. The optimized oxygen lance 536-16 has a good performance in industrial application. This kind of phenomenon shows that the ways and processes of numerical simulation in this research are right.IntroductionThe oxygen lance system is the significant process in semi-steel making converter. It's related to whether the converter or even the whole system can function well. While in actual production, many problems emerge in the process of using the former oxygen lance, such as re-drying, slopping, high lance position, dead burning and even blowing out. In continuous fast-paced process, the unstableness of oxygen lance will lead to speed droop or even stop pouring. Analysis shows that all these problems are not only related to the raw materials but also the design of oxygen lance. Bad oxygen lance's scorification kinetics condition and low content of FeOn in early slag are the direct factors that we cannot easily control in steelmaking at present [l]. Therefore, the good scorification kinetics condition which is related to nozzle has good influence on BOF steel making."

Jan 1, 2013

By G. Johnston, J. Greenly, R. G. Buchheit, D. C. McIntyre, R. Muenchausen, D. J. Rej, R W. Stinnett

"Rapid thermal treatment of materials using high energy, high flux, pulsed ion beams can produce modified surface layers with unique microstrutures and properties. High energy ions loose their energy during the slowing down process in the workpiece and thus deposit their energy continuously over a depth of a few microns. The deposition of energy can lead to melting and in some causes ablation of the heated layer. Because the pulse duration of the ion beams is typically only 50-200 ns, steep thermal gradients generated during heating facilitate rapid cooling (107K/sec-108K/sec) of the treated layer by thermal diffusion into the underlying material. Rapid heating and cooling of materials can generate surface layers with non-equilibrium amorphous or nano-crystalline microstructures that exhibit increased hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. Pulsed ion beam treatment can also lead to surface smoothening or can be used to mix thin « 1 11m thick) coatings into underlying substrates. Pulsed ion beams can be generated using existing ""flashover"" ion source technology which is capable of producing single shot, mixed C, H, and O ion beams with beam cross sections of approximately 100 cm2 and energy fluxes up to 100 J/ cm2. Recent advances in repetitive high energy pulsed power technology and development of magnetically confined anode plasma ion sources have facilitated the development of ion beam systems that generate single species beams that pulse continuously at 120 shots/second. These capabilities will allow rapid treatment of large surface area workpieces at low cost.IntroductionThe rapid solidification of liquid materials can create unique materials and material microstructures that often have properties that can lead to enhanced performance. Rapid solidification processing of the surfaces of materials using continuous and pulsed laser beams (laser glazing) has been explored for over 20 years (1-5). Advances in high energy, pulsed electron and ion beam technologies over the past decade have provided rapid thermal treatment techniques that may be less expensive to impliment than laser surface treatment for many surface modification applications (6). High energy pulsed ion beams have recently been used to harden aluminum(7), copper(8) and tool steel surfaces (6,9), increase corrosion resistance of Al alloys (6), mix coatings into underlying substrates (10), and create amorphous films (11,12)."

Jan 1, 1994

By Xun Hu, Jian Pan, Hongbin Yu, Deqing Zhu, Yanhong Luo

Lump ores are one kind of important burdens for blast furnace (BF), their metallurgical properties have significant influence on BF performance. In this paper, the relationships between the mineralogy of five natural lump ores and the metallurgical performance have been studied. The mineralogy study includes mineral compositions, microstructure and porosity, and the metallurgical performance covers reducibility index (RI), low-temperature reduction degradation index (RDI) and decrepitation index (DI). The results show that the complex lump containing hematite, and goethite has better overall metallurgical performance. For single lump, the RI of goetihte ores is higher, the RDI and the DI is strongly influenced by porosity. The hematite and magnetite ores have good anti-decrepitation and anti-RDI, but generally the RI is lower due to lower porosity, and the RI is related to the grain size, the smaller grain size is, the better reduction will be.

Jan 1, 2015

By Kuniaki Murase, Tetsuji Hirato, Yasuhiro Awakura

"Electrodeposition of CdTe was studied using aqueous ammonia-alkaline electrolytic baths in which Cd11-and Te1V-ions are dissolving as Cd11(NH3)/+ and Te1vol-ions, respectively. Ca-thodic polarization curves of the baths suggest the presence of strong interaction between the Cd11-and Te1V-ions; electrodeposition of tellurium is inhibited by the presence of Cd(NH3)/+ ions. The interaction makes it possible to electrodeposit CdTe films with stoichiometric composition. Polycrystalline CdTe thin film of about 1 µm thickness was electrodeposited at 343 K from ammonia-alkaline solutions (pH= 10.7) containing TeO32-(<20 mmol dm-3) and Cd(NH3)/+ ( < 60 mmol dm-3) ions. Increasing Cd(NH3)/42+/TeO32- mole ratio or decreasing total concentration of ammonia/ammonium-ion gave flat and smooth crystalline CdTe deposits at constant cathode potential-0.70 to -0.30 V vs SHE at 343 K.IntroductionCadmium telluride (CdTe) is well-known as a compound semiconductor whose band gap, i.e. 1.44 eV, is suitable for solar energy conversion with a photovoltaic cell. Various methods, such as CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and electrodeposition, of preparing CdTe thin films for solar cells have been investigated.Acidic sulfate solutions with a pH of 1-2 are usually employed for CdTe processing by electrodeposition.1-3) The electrodeposition of compound semiconductors is usually achieved (i) at a higher cathode potential than the redox potential of less-noble species, can in this case, and (ii) under the condition of diffusion-limiting current of a more noble species, Te1Y.4) There-fore, a suitable CdII/TeIV concentration ratio in the acidic electrolytic baths, resulting in the deposition of stoichiometric CdTe, is determined by the diffusion-limiting current density of TeIV- reduction, i.e. the concentration of HTeIVO2+ · Since the solubility ofTe1v species HTeIVO2+ in the acidic solutions is quite low, the rate at which CdTe is deposited from the acidic solutions is extremely slow."

Jan 1, 1998

By J. L. Bill

The capacity of the Mount Isa Mimes Limited Copper Smelter was expanded in 1998 from 180,000 tomes per year of anode copper to 265,000 tpy. It is based on the innovative Copper ISASMELT technology, which currently treats concentrate at up to 184 tph. Increasing lance-air oxygen enrichment increased the ISASMELT furnace feed rate from 102 to 184 tph. The increased feed rate was achieved without any modifications to the ISASMELT furnace. The first refractory campaign following the upgrade lasted for two years. Future campaign lives of four years or more--without water cooling-are possible. Other Copper ISASMELT furnaces are operating in the U.S.A., Belgium, and India, with additional smelters under construction in China and Germany. In addition, Lead ISASMELT furnaces are operating in the U.K. and Malaysia. The paper discusses the performance of the MIM Copper ISASMELT furnace and the Copper Smelter since the expansion, including operating data and refractory performance.

Jan 1, 2002