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051 Scott PDF
051 Scott PDF
APCOM 87. Proceedings of the Twentieth International Symposium on the Application of Computers and
Mathematics in the Mineral Industries. Volume 2: Metallurgy. Johannesburg, SAIMM, 1987. pp. 51- 62.
Introduction
2H + + 2e- + ~'O 2
Equations have been developed to
( g )
model the effects of the 7 major
E~ -1.229V (3 ) species present in the electrolyte of
the EZ refinery at Risdon. These are
model. As each of these is in turn term defines any reactions where on2
many equations. The effect of each of reaction (2). The consumption term
the major variables has been describes any reactions which consume
investigated in a series of one of the chemical species. Zn 2 +,
experiments undertaken in order to H+, H20 and Mn2+ are all consumed.
obtain electrochemical data for use Zn 2 + and H20 are consumed by reaction
in model development 14 . (5) while H+ and Mn2+ are consumed by
side reactions (2) and (4). The
Additives and impurities (apart
OUTPUT term acpounts for the amount
from magnesium, manganese and
of each species leaving the system.
ammonium ions) were not modelled. The
There are two outputs, the overflow
effects of these could be included at
of the spent solution and loss due to
a later stage in the model
evaporation. It is assumed that water
development consistent with an
is lost through evaporat~on, and this
experimental program to validate
is modelled using a modified Antoine
necessary equations.
equation for acidic solutions.
ACCUMULATION is the time derivative
system with the exit stream. The ,;"here 'I activity coefficient of
CONSUMPTION term defines any component j
endothermic processes. This includes The driving force or overpotential
the overall heat of reaction and the for each species can then be
heat of evaporation. The GENERATION described as the difference between
term is not required for the zinc the working electrode potential E,
cell since no exothermic reactions and the equilibrium potential.
occur. Equation (6) can now be 7)(j) E - Ee(j) (11 )
Hl accounts for the heat lost to the number of equations have been
"'~illrlll!lll-n
this assumption to be correct for the
Spent
range of c~ncentrations encountered
in a zinc electrolytic cell.
C* 65.4(Zn+Mn+Mg+0.5(NH 4 )) (23)
L ___________________ _
where concentrations are in mol/l
Bottom cstr
Density correlation
Mnd;'mud
Density was included in the model
primarily to study its value as a
variable that can be used for cell Spent
control. Correlations were obtained F eed J
for both acidic and neutral
solutions. Top cstr
Po(f) = 1000+2.25(Zn)+4.36(Mg)
+2.41(Mn)+3.22(NH 4 ) (24)
~~ R
Pots) = 1000+2.18(Zn)+0.56(H 2 S0 4 )
+ 4 . 3 6 ( Mg ) + 2 . 4 1 (Mn ) + 3 . 22 ( NH 4) (25)
'---+ Bottom cstr
Both correlations have been tested
over a wide range of conditions as
might be found at EZ, Risdon. FIGURE 1. (Top) Diagram of a zinc electrowinning cell
(Bottom) Model representation
Cell mixing characteristics
Accurate full-scale modelling of a at the bottom of the tank).
zinc electrowinning cell required a The best fit was obtained when
description of the cell 1) All the feed went to the bottom
hydrodynamics. Rawling and Costello 17 tank.
conducted a detailed study of a 2) No electrolyte from the
copper refinery cell and proposed a bottom tank by-passed the top
model consisting of four volume tank. This indicated that the
elements. Brysonll used a simpler feed entering the region under
model which consisted of a well mixed the electrodes was drawn up into
region with a bypass fraction of 0.1. the electrode region and did not
Tracer tests carried out on three pass straight through the cell.
industrial cells at Risdon indicated 3) A moderate value of R, the
that a model consisting of two well recirculation between top and
mixed tanks was appropriate (figure bottom tanks was used. The
1). In line with physical values that gave best fit are
considerations the volume of the top given in table (1).
tank, vt, was taken as the volume of The internal recirculation pattern
the electrolyte in the electrode of a cell was not only driven by feed
region. The volume of the bottom flow rate but also by the large
tank, Vb, was that between the bottom amount of rising bubbles between the
of the electrodes and the top of the electrodes. (If the current density
manganese dioxide mud (which settles was reduced, the amount of bubbling
97 3200 70 .
96 3100 60
Q
"-
~
;>-.
u
'2
3000 :;:
~
~ -
vu
5 95 C 94 50.
S
'0 "- !':::
S '"....
..c:: '0
Cl)
!':::
;.;:::: .9
~
Cl)
"'" ~ i'i
c c-.... Cl)
........!':::
Cl)
....
.... C 92 Cl)
40 g
Cl) Cl)
;::: 94 2900 ~
....
....
U 0 ;::: 0
0.. U u
u
.S
90 N
2800 30
88
~~--~----~----~----~----~~2700 ~~--~--~--~--~--~~~--~~20
200 400 600 o 20 40 60
Current density, A/m2 Time (hours)