Objectives

On completion of this Lesson you would be able to know

• Distillation of Zinc.

• Distillation in horizontal retorts.

• Distillation in vertical retorts.

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 Recap

• Zinc extraction methods and techniques.

• Pyrometallurgical extraction.

• Roasting and purpose of roasting.

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 Zinc Distillation

• Zinc oxide obtained in roasting is reduced by carbon in

the temperature range of 12000C-14000C.
• Reductant used is carbon.

• External heat is essential.

• Reactions taking place during distillation are endothermic.

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 Fig-1 Distillation Furnace

1,2: gas and air flues

3: retort
4: condenser
5: cast iron condenser
shelves
6: discharge chutes for
retort residue
7: prolong

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 Furnace Description

• The furnace is narrow and vertical arched furnace.

• Top part of the furnace consists of two chambers in
which retorts for distillation are kept in rows and in a
slightly standing position.
• Closed ends of the retorts rest on shelves inside the
furnace.
• Open ends of the retorts or stick out the furnace through
openings.
• Retorts are inclined towards their noses.

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 Fig-2 Retort and Condenser
• Condensers and especially
retorts must be fire resistant,
strong and impervious to Zinc
vapours.
• retorts and condensers cannot
be slipped over great
distances because of fragility.
• Maintaining a pottery with a
Zinc smelter is essential.

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• Retorts and condensers are extruded from a damped

mixture of fire clay, grog and coke.

• Green retorts and condensers are dried and fired to

make them strong and fire resistant.

• retorts are preheated in checker work pre-heaters

• The fuel used is furnace oil or gas.

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 Charge in Retorts

• The charge consists of roasted concentrate, and

reducing agent i.e. powdered coke or Anthracite coal.

• Roasted concentrate contains Lead and Iron, not more

than 10% and 8% respectively.

• Reducing agent should contain low Ash and ‘S’ content.

• Theoretical amount of reducing agent required is 15%,

but practically 45% is charged to keep the atmosphere
in retort highly reducing.

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 Charge preparation

• Charges are thoroughly mixed in mixing trays and

moistened before charging into retorts.
• The capacity of each retort is 36kg.
• The retorts are initially cleaned off all the residues
before a fresh charge is put in.
• After the retorts are put in place, condensers are fixed at
the exit and made air tight by sealing with wet and
plastic fire clay.

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 Distillation process

• Fire is now put on and the temperature of the retort is

gradually raised.
• Preliminary reduction begins with the expulsion of
moisture and hydro carbons.
• First, the oxides that get reduced are iron and lead.
• As the temperature raises the amount of gas expelled
also increases.
• Finally, a stage is reached with raising temperature at
which carbon monoxide gas burns with blue flame.

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 Beginning of Distillation

• Blue flame indicates that ZnO is getting rapidly

reduced and the distillation of Zinc has begun.
• At this stage nozzles and prolongs are put on.

• To reach this stage,3hrs time is necessary,

temperature necessary to maintain the reactions is
13000C.
• Whole process of reduction and distillation takes
nearly 12hrs.
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 Final stage of Distillation

• Final stage takes about 4 to 6 hrs,

• During this stage the pace of Zinc reduction and

distillation subsides gradually.

• At this stage the temperature should be maintained

around14000C in order to distill as much as possible of

residual Zinc from retorts.

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 Final stage of Distillation contd…

• Appearance of purple flame at the mouth of the

condensers indicates the end of Zinc distillation.

• The whole cycle roughly takes about 24 hrs, the retorts

are removed cleaned and the furnace is ready for next

charge.

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 Chemistry of Distillation

• ZnO + C ----------Zn + CO

• 2 ZnO + C---------2 Zn+ CO2

• ZnO + CO -------Zn CO2

• CO2 + C ---------2CO

• All the reactions are strongly endothermic.

• External application of heat is essential.

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 Fig-3 Vertical Retort furnace

1. Retort

2. Gas combustion
chamber

3. Charging device

4. Discharging device

5. Condenser

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 Vertical retort

• This can be handled mechanically.

• It is made of carborundum or silicon carbide with a

melting point of over 27000C.

• A vertical retort is a shaft, rectangular in cross section.

• The retort is fired with producer gas which is burned in

chambers on either side of the retort.

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 Retort dimensions

• The height of the heated zone is 7.5 m and inside

dimensions are 300 x 150 mm.

• The charge is introduced from the top as briquettes.

• The retort is fitted at the top with a refractory

chamber for feeding the charge and removing Zinc

vapours.

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 Charge of Retort

• Charge consists of Zinc concentrate, coking coal and

binder.
• The charge is thoroughly mixed and passed through
a briquetting press.
• Briquettes are heated to 750 – 9000C.
• Coal and tar are coked to strengthen the briquettes
and make them adequately porous.

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 Horizontal retort Process Vs Vertical Retort
Process
Horizontal Retort Process
Retorts are made from the mixture of
fire clay, grog and coke
Horizontal in position
Heat conductivity of clay walls is low
so fuel requirement is high
Zinc cannot be removed completely,
Zinc content in retort slag is
comparatively high
The Capacity of each retort is only 36
kg and life of retort is low compared to
vertical retorts
Vertical Retort Process
Retorts made of carborundum or
silicon carbide
Vertical in Position
Heat conductivity of silicon carbide
walls is more so fuel requirement is
low
Zinc is removed more completely, Zinc
content in retort slag is low
Service life of a vertical retort is 3 to 5
years and capacity about 7 tones of
Zinc per 24 hrs.
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 Summary

• Zinc oxide obtained in roasting is reduced by carbon

in the temperature range of 12000C – 14000C is

called distillation.

• Zinc distillation is carried out in two ways:

1.horizontal retort process and

2.vertical retort process

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•In horizontal retort process retorts are placed in rows
and in a slightly slanting position.
•Closed ends of the retorts rest on shelves inside the
furnace.

• Open ends of the retorts or noses stick out the

furnace through openings.

• Charge in the retorts consists of Zinc concentrate

reducing agent powdered coke or Anthracite coal.

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• Reducing agent should contain low ash and ‘S’ content

• In vertical process retorts placed vertically and the charge

is ( Zinc concentrate, + reducing agent and binder ) in

briquette shape.

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 Quiz

1.Position of retort in horizontal retort process is

a) horizontal

b) slanting

c) vertical

d) more steep

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 Quiz

2.Retorts in horizontal process are made of

a) silica

b) carbon

c) magnesite

d) fire clay

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 Quiz

3.Iron content in roasted concentrate is restricted to

a) 10%

b) 14%

c) 8%

d) 15%

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 Quiz

4.Lead content in roasted concentrate is restricted to

a) 10%

b) 7%

c) 9%

d) 12%

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 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Explain distillation of Zinc by horizontal retort process

2. Explain distillation of Zinc by vertical retort process

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Thank you

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