Experimental investigation and three-dimensional computational fluid-dynamics modeling of the flash-converting furnace s
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INTRODUCTION
IN Part I of this series,[1] an overall strategy to characterize the main features of the flash-converting process from a fundamental standpoint was presented. In the present article, a comprehensive three-dimensional mathematical model of the flash-converting furnace shaft is presented. The goal of the mathematical formulation is to represent the major subprocesses occurring in the shaft of the flash-converting furnace based on basic principles. Few studies on the mathematical modeling of the flashconverting furnace are reported in the literature. Jiao et al.[2] applied a two-dimensional mathematical model to describe an industrial flash-converting operation. They assumed Cu2O, CuO, Fe3O4, and SO2 to be the oxidation products throughout the reaction shaft. However, these authors did not report on experimental data, and no assessment regarding the validity of the model was made. Shook et al.[3] proposed a kinetic model for the flash converting of ‘MK’ concentrate particles, the composition of which resembles that of high-grade copper matte particles. Shook[4] developed a two-dimensional combustion flame model for the oxidation of MK concentrate particles. The MANUEL PEREZ-TELLO, formerly Graduate Student, Department of Chemical and Fuels Engineering, University of Utah, is Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, University of Sonora, Sonora, Mexico 83000. HONG YONG SOHN, Professor, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, and PHILIP JOHN SMITH, Professor, Department of Chemical and Fuels Engineering, are with the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112. Manuscript submitted May 26, 2000. METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS B
predictions of this model agreed well with the experimental data collected in a pilot-scale facility in terms of particle distribution, oxygen concentration, particle composition at different positions in the reaction shaft, and dust generation.[5] The first validated model on flash converting of copper matte particles was developed in this laboratory by Sohn et al.[6] The model was an adaptation of the flash-smelting model developed by Hahn and Sohn[7] and was two-dimensional and axisymmetric in cylindrical coordinates. Matte particles were assumed to oxidize to Cu2O, Fe3O4, and SO2. Predictions of the mathematical model were compared with the experimental data collected in a laboratory furnace. Reasonable agreement between the model predictions and the experimental values for the fractional conversion of the particles was obtained. However, the fraction of sulfur remaining in the particles was underpredicted. The results of the axisymmetric model developed by Sohn et al.[6] suggested that improvements in the formulation had to be made in order to represent the processes occurring in the shaft of the flash-converting furnace in a more realistic manner. This included a more detailed kinetic model to consider the oxidation of Cu2O to CuO, the inclusion of a volatilization model to represent the vaporization of the copper volatile species, a
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