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Oxidation kinetics of molten copper sulfide

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Abstract

The oxidation kinetics of molten Cu2S baths, during top lancing with oxygen/nitrogen (argon) mixtures, have been investigated as a function of oxygen partial pressure (0.2 to 0.78), bath temperature (1200 °C to 1300 °C), gas flow rate (1 to 4 L/min), and bath mixing. Surface-tension-driven flows (the Marangoni effect) were observed both visually and photographically. Thus, the oxidation of molten Cu2S was found to progress in two distinct stages, the kinetics of which are limited by the mass transfer of oxygen in the gas phase to the melt surface. During the primary stage, the melt is partially desulfurized while oxygen dissolves in the liquid sulfide. Upon saturation of the melt with oxygen, the secondary stage commences in which surface and bath reactions proceed to generate copper and SO2 electrochemically. A mathematical model of the reaction kinetics has been formulated and tested against the measurements. The results of this study shed light on the process kinetics of the copper blow in a Peirce-Smith converter or Mitsubishi reactor.

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Abbreviations

A :

cross-sectional area (m2)

D A-B :

diffusion coefficient of speciesA inB (m2/s)

d :

inside diameter of the lance (m)

H :

height of the lance above the bath surface (m)

k :

mass-transfer coefficient (m/s)

M A :

molecular weight of speciesA (kg/kg mole)

m :

constant in the gas-phase mass-transfer correlation

N A :

molar quantity of speciesA

N A :

molar transfer rate of speciesA (mole/s)

n Re :

exponent on the Reynolds number

n Sc :

exponent on the Schmidt number

n s :

exponent on (d/rs)

n A :

molar flux of species A (mole/m2 · s)

O Cu :

coefficient relating the molar rate of oxygen dissolution in the metal phase to the rate of generation of the metal phase

R:

universal gas constant (8.3144 J/K · mole) (82.06 cm1 · atm/K · mole)

Re:

Reynolds number, Re=uρxd/μg

r s :

radius of reaction surface (m)

S Cu :

coefficient relating the molar rate of sulfur dissolution in the metal phase to the rate of generation of the metal phase

Sc:

Schmidt number, Sc = μg/ρg D A-B

Sh:

Sherwood number, Sh = kgd/DA -B

T :

temperature (K)

T* :

reduced temperature (K)

t :

time (s)

u :

mean velocity inside nozzle of the lance (m/s)

W :

sample weight (kg)

W :

rate of weight change (kg/s)

x A :

mole fraction of species A

α :

the molar ratio of reacted oxygen to removed sulfur

ΔT :

change in temperature due to the exothermic reaction (°C)

ζ :

percent increase in mass transfer (likely due to the Marangoni effect)

μ g :

gas viscosity (kg/m · s) (1 g/cm · s = 1 poise = 0.1 kg/m · s)

σ :

collision diameter (Å)

Ω (2,2)* :

Lennard-Jones potential

< >:

solid substance

(()):

liquid substance

():

gaseous substance

[ ]:

in liquid or ionic solution

a :

admitted

b :

bulk (property of the material in the bulk)

f :

final (designation for the variables at the end of the secondary stage)

i :

interfacial (property of the material at the interface) or initial (designation for the variables at the beginning of reaction,t = 0)

p :

primary (primary stage variables)

s :

secondary (secondary stage variables)

*:

transition (designation for the variables at transition from the primary stage to the secondary stage)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Centre for Metallurgical Process Engineering, The University of British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    A. H. Alyaser (Graduate Student) & J. K. Brimacombe (Alcan Chair in Materials Process Engineering and Director)

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  1. A. H. Alyaser
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  2. J. K. Brimacombe
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Alyaser, A.H., Brimacombe, J.K. Oxidation kinetics of molten copper sulfide. Metall Mater Trans B 26, 25–40 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02648974

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