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Turbine mixer fundamentals and scale-up method at the Port Nickel Refinery

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Abstract

The Port Nickel Refinery at Braithwaite, Louisiana is being rehabilitated and expanded to achieve a capacity of 80 million pounds per year of nickel. The atmospheric leaching of granulated and ground matte with recirculated and aerated electrolyte from the copper tankhouse is one of the first steps in the Port Nickel flowsheet. An investigation was undertaken to develop the design parameters necessary for the commercial scale-up of this leach circuit. Mechanical factors to be specified include tank geometry, impeller type, and froth handling capability. Also needed for scale-up was quantitative data showing the effect of mixer power and gas input rate on the rate of oxygen transfer. During the leaching period, the rate mechanism changed from oxygen diffusion control to chemical rate control which necessitated careful correlation of the kinetic data with mixer scale-up parameters. The scaled up system calls for a co-current five stage leaching train. Use of a single turbine impeller on a vertical central shaft provides sufficient power for off-bottom solids suspension while providing the required oxygen mass transfer rate. Radial impellers are provided for the first three tanks in which oxygen transfer is rate controlling, and axial impellers for the last two tanks where hydrolysis of basic copper sulfate is the rate controlling factor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AMAX Extractive Metallurgy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado

    P. B. Queneau (Section Chief (Hydrometallurgy) & R. S. Rickard (Technical Assistant to the Director)

  2. Denver University, Denver, USA

    R. J. Jan (Chemical Engineering Doctoral Candidate)

  3. Extractive Metallurgy at Exomet Incorporated, Conneaut, Ohio

    D. F. Lowe (Manager)

Authors
  1. P. B. Queneau
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  2. R. J. Jan
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  3. R. S. Rickard
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  4. D. F. Lowe
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Queneau, P.B., Jan, R.J., Rickard, R.S. et al. Turbine mixer fundamentals and scale-up method at the Port Nickel Refinery. Metall Trans B 6, 149–157 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02825689

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