innovative system solutions METTOP GmbH Peter-Tunner-Strasse 4 8700 Leoben AUSTRIA office@mettop.com
Leoben, Austria METTOP GmbH is an Austrian engineering company. The company focuses on providing metallurgical process improvements for the copper industry. The activities are arranged in METTOP FIS and METTOP ITT.
METTOP-BRX-Technology
Parallel Flow: METTOP-BRX-Technology
Current Density [A/m²] The next Step in Electrorefining More than 400 A/m² 450 400 350 300 250 200 420 A/m² 150 100 320 A/m² 50 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Furnace Integrity Cooling Solutions
Ionic Liquids Result: fixed lattice Consequence: solid anions cations Result: low order Consequence: liquid anions cations, non spherical
Ionic Liquids Melting point of below 100 C or even room temperature Decomposition temperature 450 C Long term stability between 50 to 200 C No vapour pressure below decomposition point Not flammable below thermal decomposition Non-toxic
Small leak leads to huge amounts Explosions and damage Explosion Copper Cooling element Copper/Steel Water Cooling medium Ionic liquid 7 to 15 C Temperature difference 150 C max 60 C Operation temperature 200 C
ILTEC System Hardware
Thermodynamic Process Modelling
Thermodynamic Simulation of Copper Scrap Refining Andreas Filzwieser Process model HSC Chemistry Excel based spreadsheets FactSage data Gibbs minimizing module Manual data Based on experience
Raw Materials Secondary raw materials are extremely different in respect of: Content and form of Cu and base metals Content of trace elements, e.g. precious metals Content and form of (hazardous) impurities Scrap Cu Fe Zn Pb Sn Ox. Org. PM Pure scrap 99 0 0 0 0 1 0 High grade scrap 85 2 3 1 0.5 2 2 Cu-Fe material 15 80 0.2 0.1 0.2 0 3 Cu-Zn alloy 60 5 25 2 1 0 2 Electronic scrap 15 5 2 2 2 36 33 ++ Shredder material 35 20 5 5 1 22 6 + Residues (20) (15) (5) (2) (2) 80 8 Reverts (20) (5) (10) (2) (1) 90 0
---------- Direct-To-Wire ---------- ------- Low quality scrap ------- Secondary raw material Smelting & Refining ------- High quality scrap ------ Smelting Refining Casting wheel Electrorefining Shaft furnace ------ Conventional route ------ FRHC copper (Fire Refined High Conductivity) ETP copper (Electrolytic Tough Pitch)
Example: Processing of Low Grade Scrap
Batchwise Process 1) 4) 11) TSL (2 stages) RDF 1) Secondary raw material 2) Discard slag TSL 3) Raw copper TSL 4) Converter slag TSL 5) Raw copper RDF 6) Alloy RDF 7) Discard slag RDF 8) Raw copper HF 9) High grade scrap 10) Anode copper AF 11) Refining slag AF 3) HF 2) 8) 9) AF 5) 6) 10) 7)
Batchwise Process Step 1: Smelting Charging of about 90 % of the input material Smelting under reducing conditions Autothermic (sufficient amount of organics) Products Black copper Discard slag (0.4 0.8 % Cu) Flue dust (1 2 % of the input) Off gas (contains CO and H 2 ) Post combustion in the upper furnace Discard slag Black copper
Batchwise Process Step 2: Tapping Discard Slag Major part of the discard slag is removed There must always be a certain amount of slag in the furnace Tapping time depends on the capacity of the granulation unit
Batchwise Process Step 3: Converting (+ Smelting) Residual 10 % of the input are charged Converter slag Raw copper Converting to raw copper Oxidizing conditions and high copper losses in the slag Products Raw copper (about 96 % Cu) Converter slag (about 25 % Cu) Flue dust Off gas (contains O 2 )
Batchwise Process Step 4: Tapping Raw Copper Raw copper is tapped completely through the bottom of the furnace to the holding furnace or directly to the tilting furnace
Batchwise Process Step 5: Tapping Converter Slag The converter slag is tapped and charged into the reduction furnace Again, there must remain a certain amount of slag in the furnace
Batchwise Process 1) 4) 11) TSL (2 stages) RDF 1) Secondary raw material 2) Discard slag TSL 3) Raw copper TSL 4) Converter slag TSL 5) Raw copper RDF 6) Alloy RDF 7) Discard slag RDF 8) Raw copper HF 9) High grade scrap 10) Anode copper AF 11) Refining slag AF 3) HF 2) 8) 9) AF 5) 6) 10) 7)
Slag carryover to the next process step Metal droplets in the slag phase Carryover of solid particles to the offgas treatment Post combustion in the upper furnace Defined Steam production Possibility of adding agents Energy balance must consider heat losses and heat transmission
Process model HSC Chemistry Excel based spreadsheets FactSage data Gibbs minimizing module Manual data Based on experience
Iteration Procedure First iteration concerns single process steps Second iteration calculates interrelations between single steps at least 50 iteration rounds
Example: Processing of High Grade Scrap 1) Secondary raw material 2) Slag 1 3) Slag 2 4) FRHC copper 1) Tilting furnace 4) 3) 2)
Inputs which can be optimized Secondary raw material (smelting and oxidation) Limestone an silica addition Air/nitrogen/reductant through the tuyeres Nitrogen for gas purging through porous plugs Natural gas and air for main burner False air Post combustions air and cooling air for offgas
Process Modeling Prediction of pyrometallurgical processes with thermodynamic calculations Difference real ideal: kinetics and insufficient thermodynamic data Calculation of mass and energy balances as well as material flows Easier tailor made basic and detail engineering Optimized charging (point and quantity) Parameter study (e.g. for steam production) Slag composition (Fe/SiO 2 ratio, CaO content) Single process steps whole facilities Based on empiric data completely calculated
Process Modelling Possibilities Designing pyrometallurgical processes with foresight Examples: Operation mode Batchwise Continuous Parameter study Raw material Steam generation Slag chemistry Silica/limestone addition Ensuring a low viscosity slag
Thank you for your Attention METTOP GmbH Peter-Tunner-Straße 4 A-8700 Leoben Austria Tel.: +43 (0)3842 81 7 87 Fax: +43 (0)3842 82 0 23 E-Mail: cu@mettop.com Home: www.mettop.com