CuModel - A Thermodynamic Model and Computer Program of Copper Smelting and Converting Processes and Its Industrial Applications

摘要

A thermodynamic model and computer program, CuModel, has been developed to model the distribution behaviors of Cu, Fe, S, O, Ni, Co, Sn, Pb, Zn, As, Sb, Bi, Au and Ag, copper loss in the slag, and heat balance in copper smelting process, matte converting process and copper continuous smelting process. It can be predicted for any set of controllable process parameters such as feed composition, smelting temperature, degree of oxygen enrichment and volume of oxygen- enriched air. This model accounts for physical entrainment between matte and slag phases. It can be used in Isasmelt process, copper flash smelting process, Mitsubishi process, P-S converting process and Noranda process. The predictions by the present computer model are compared with the known commercial data from Guixi Smelter in China, PASAR Corporation in Philippines, Horne Smelter in Canada, MIM Limited in Australia and Naoshima Smelter in Japan. The agreements between the computer predictions and the commercial data are excellent. In this paper, the applications of CuModel in the copper metallurgical industries have been presented. CuModel has been used by Daye Smelter and Guixi Smelter in China, and by PASAR in Philippines as well.