Computer model of copper smelting process and distribution behaviors of accessory elements

During the Bronze Age intensive mining and smelting activities for copper production took place in the Eastern Alps. To get information about the copper smelting process, the elemental compositions of slags are marked in equilibrium phase diagrams (e.g. FeO-CaO-SiO2) and so the melting properties can be estimated. Doing so you have to keep in mind that slags have complex compositions and phase diagrams are available for three compounds only. For the analytical measurements it has to be ensured that only molten parts of the slag are measured and not contamination of other ambient material. Spot and area measurements by SEM-EDX are useful to get realistic data. In this case a complete correlation between the image of the analyzed area, the microstructure and the chemical composition of the sample is necessary. For marking spots in the phase diagram the calculation method has to be described exactly. For our results we calculated the ratio FeO-SiO2-CaO(+MgO+Al2O3). From the morphology of the observed phases, their chemical composition and the data from the phase diagram a solidification sequence can be suggested. We recommend this method because measurements by e.g. XRF provide rather general composition values. If the slag samples are inhomogeneous, unrealistic melting points are read from the phase diagram. Inhomogeneities can be caused by soil contaminations, which are not part of the molten slag, or by corrosion, when some phases were attacked and changed during storage in soil.

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Online monitoring and assessment of energy efficiency for copper smelting process

Journal of Central South University ◽

10.1007/s11771-019-4162-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (8) ◽

pp. 2149-2159

Author(s):

Zhuo Chen ◽

Zhen-yu Zhu ◽

Xiao-na Wang ◽

Yan-po Song

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Online Monitoring ◽

Copper Smelting ◽

Smelting Process

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Control and Optimization of Negative Pressure in Scrap Copper Smelting

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.103.399 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 399-403

Author(s):

Ying Dao Li ◽

Wei Hong Zhong ◽

Hong Wei Guan ◽

Xiu Shui Ma

Keyword(s):

Pid Control ◽

Negative Pressure ◽

Control Method ◽

Control Variable ◽

Pressure Control ◽

Copper Smelting ◽

Smelting Process ◽

Adjustment Process ◽

Optimization Control

Negative pressure is the main control variable in scrap copper smelting process, the control of negative pressure is not only closely related with producing safely, but also produces a direct impact on the quality of the anode plate, it is also a key breakthrough in energy saving. This paper first analyses the characteristics of negative pressure control in scrap copper smelting process, aims to larger overshoot and longer regulation under conventional PID control method, and then utilizes fuzzy control to correct the PID parameters online, to achieve the optimization control of negative pressure. Simulation result shows that the adjustment process of optimized control of negative pressure is steady and rapid, usually no or slightly overshoot, and the settling time is also reduced significantly.

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