Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study

Pyro-metallurgical processes are multiphase in nature involving gas-liquid-solid interactions. In the Peirce-Smith converter operation, the additions of cold solids in liquid matte in the form of fluxing agents (silica sands) for slag liquidity, process scrap and reverts for temperature control is a...

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Main Authors: Chibwe, D., Akdogan, G., Eksteen, Jacques
Format: Journal Article
Published: Nauchno-Issledovatel'skii Institut Ukrmetallurginform 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.metaljournal.com.ua/assets/Uploads/attachments/202Chibwe.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/5533
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author Chibwe, D.
Akdogan, G.
Eksteen, Jacques
author_facet Chibwe, D.
Akdogan, G.
Eksteen, Jacques
author_sort Chibwe, D.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Pyro-metallurgical processes are multiphase in nature involving gas-liquid-solid interactions. In the Peirce-Smith converter operation, the additions of cold solids in liquid matte in the form of fluxing agents (silica sands) for slag liquidity, process scrap and reverts for temperature control is a common practice. It is reasonable to postulate that with such practice, solid-liquid mass transfer step may play an important role in the performance and attainment of liquid bath homogeneity of the process. In this work, solid additions were simulated with sintered benzoic acid compacts spatially positioned in a 1:5 water model of a Peirce-Smith converter. Water and kerosene were used to simulate matte and slag respectively. Solid-liquid mass transfer was characterized by experimentally determined mass transfer coefficient, K (ms-1) values of benzoic acid sintered compacts and calculated dimensionless turbulence characteristic, Tc values. The mass transfer coefficients and dimensionless turbulence characteristic values were highest at the bath surface and near plume region. The values decreased in identified dead zones in the regions close to the circular side walls of the model. The results revealed that the mass transfer coefficients and turbulence characteristics were different with respect to different submergence levels of the compacts. These findings lead to the conclusion that the fluid flow was stratified within the vessel.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2011
publisher Nauchno-Issledovatel'skii Institut Ukrmetallurginform
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-55332017-01-30T10:46:49Z Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study Chibwe, D. Akdogan, G. Eksteen, Jacques Peirce-Smith converter Physical modelling mass transfer Pyro-metallurgical processes are multiphase in nature involving gas-liquid-solid interactions. In the Peirce-Smith converter operation, the additions of cold solids in liquid matte in the form of fluxing agents (silica sands) for slag liquidity, process scrap and reverts for temperature control is a common practice. It is reasonable to postulate that with such practice, solid-liquid mass transfer step may play an important role in the performance and attainment of liquid bath homogeneity of the process. In this work, solid additions were simulated with sintered benzoic acid compacts spatially positioned in a 1:5 water model of a Peirce-Smith converter. Water and kerosene were used to simulate matte and slag respectively. Solid-liquid mass transfer was characterized by experimentally determined mass transfer coefficient, K (ms-1) values of benzoic acid sintered compacts and calculated dimensionless turbulence characteristic, Tc values. The mass transfer coefficients and dimensionless turbulence characteristic values were highest at the bath surface and near plume region. The values decreased in identified dead zones in the regions close to the circular side walls of the model. The results revealed that the mass transfer coefficients and turbulence characteristics were different with respect to different submergence levels of the compacts. These findings lead to the conclusion that the fluid flow was stratified within the vessel. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/5533 http://www.metaljournal.com.ua/assets/Uploads/attachments/202Chibwe.pdf Nauchno-Issledovatel'skii Institut Ukrmetallurginform fulltext
spellingShingle Peirce-Smith converter
Physical modelling
mass transfer
Chibwe, D.
Akdogan, G.
Eksteen, Jacques
Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study
title Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study
title_full Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study
title_fullStr Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study
title_full_unstemmed Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study
title_short Solid-liquid mass transfer in a Peirce-Smith converter: A physical modelling study
title_sort solid-liquid mass transfer in a peirce-smith converter: a physical modelling study
topic Peirce-Smith converter
Physical modelling
mass transfer
url http://www.metaljournal.com.ua/assets/Uploads/attachments/202Chibwe.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/5533