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A thermodynamic model of nickel smelting and direct high-grade nickel matte smelting processes: Part I. Model development and validation

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Abstract

A thermodynamic model has been developed to predict the distribution behavior of Ni, Cu, Co, Fe, S, As, Sb, and Bi in the Outokumpu flash-smelting process, the Outokumpu direct high-grade matte smelting process, and the INCO flash-smelting process. In this model, as many as 16 elements (Ni, Cu, Co, Fe, As, Sb, Bi, S, O, Al, Ca, Mg, Si, N, C, and H) are considered, and two nickel sulfide species are used to allow for modeling of sulfur-deficient mattes. The compositions of the matte, slag, and gaseous phases in equilibrium are calculated using Gibbs free energies of formation and the activity coefficients of the components derived from the experimental data. The model predictions are compared with the known industrial data from the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter (Kalgoorlie, Australia), the Outokumpu Harjavalta Nickel Smelter (Harjavalta, Finland), the INCO Metals Company (Sudbury, Canada), and from a number of experimental data. An excellent agreement is obtained. It was found that the distribution behaviors of Ni, Co, Cu, Fe, S, As, Sb, and Bi in the nickel smelting furnace depend on process parameters such as the smelting temperature, matte grade, and partial pressure of oxygen in the process.

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Abbreviations

A i,k :

number of the kth constituent element in the ith independent component

B j,k :

number of the kth constituent element in the jth dependent component

ΔG o t , ΔG o j :

the standard Gibbs energy of formation of the ith independent component and the jth dependent component, respectively

K j :

equilibrium constant for the formation reaction of the jth dependent component from the set of independent components

L s/mX :

distribution coefficient, L s/mX = [pct x]Sl/[pct x]Mt

D x :

fractional distribution of x

[M]:

weight percentage of M

Q k :

total molar amount of the kth element in the system

R:

gas constant

m(i), m(j) :

phase number to the ith independent component and the jth dependent component belong, respectively

N :

molar fraction

γ :

the activity coefficient

a :

the activity

p :

pressure

T :

smelting temperature

V j,i :

coefficients of independent reactions

X i , X j :

molar amount of the ith independent component and the jth dependent component, respectively

Z m :

total amount of the compounds in the mth phase

γ i , γ j :

Raoultion activity coefficient of the ith independent component and the jth dependent component, respectively

g :

gaseous phase

Mt :

Matte phase

Sl :

slag phase

°:

value in standard state

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dr.-Ing, are with the Institute of Theoretical Process Metallurgy, Aachen University of Technology (RWTH Aachen), Kopernikusstr. 16, D-52056, Aachen, Germany

    Pengfu Tan Ph.D. (Research Fellow) & Dieter Neuschütz (Professor)

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  1. Pengfu Tan Ph.D.
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Tan, P., Neuschütz, D. A thermodynamic model of nickel smelting and direct high-grade nickel matte smelting processes: Part I. Model development and validation. Metall Mater Trans B 32, 341–351 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-001-0057-z

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