No abstract

The internal phenomena of a concentrate dryer were studied to significantly improve the modeling and design of a melting process. The present study coupled computational fluid dynamics and the differentiated elements method to obtain detailed information about complex phenomena in the simulated obtention of copper metal while keeping fluids physically stable. It was possible to understand the behavior from the point of view of the fluid and dynamics with acceptable margins of error. The study is part of the critical process line at Caletones Smelter in Chile, which produces ca. 450 000 tons of fine copper per annum, representing 2 % of total annual global copper demand and making the subject of this study highly relevant.

In copper sulfide concentrates smelting, the off-gases from the Pierce Smith converter (PSC) furnace must be treated to prevent environmental impacts as they are highly corrosive and toxic. The purpose of this research project is to present a methodology for the simulation of a capture and cooling system of the smelting off-gases from a Pierce Smith copper converter, using computational fluid dynamics. Through this methodology, it is possible to obtain a simulation model of the smelting off-gases behavior with an average error of 9.88%. Basically, it demonstrates that the simulated tendencies of the metallurgical off-gases on the cooling hood and chamber can be reliable to predict the thermo-fluid dynamic behavior of the off-gases inside the studied off-gases handling system.

The current study is based on the DEM computer simulation of three experimental test devices with different dimensions to determine the difference in the results of the formation of shear and repose angles that the particles experience when grouped under the action of the gravitational force. In this respect, the experimental test devices with different height, width, and depth were geometrically modeled with iron pellet particles using morphology and a granulometric variation from 6 mm to 9 mm of equivalent diameter in its spherical shape. Depending on the results obtained, a reliable size of the experimental test device will be available to obtain the necessary data for a correct adjustment of the calibration parameters for the DEM simulation of mining-metallurgical processes that use granulated material of iron pellet.