CFD modelling of copper flash smelting furnace – reaction shaft

Abstract

Flash smelting furnace (FSF) technology by Outokumpu is one of the most widely employed methods for copper smelting. Developing an understanding of the impact of the process parameters on smelting operation through modelling is the key to improve the smelting efficiency. Though several numerical approaches for modelling the FSF have been reported, this paper focuses on a detailed approach of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling which overcomes the limitations of the earlier models by incorporating feed mineralogy and smelting reaction kinetics. The FSF based at Birla Copper, Dahej was modelled considering the reaction shaft and settler freeboard as the domain, where most of the gas-solid phase reactions occur. This model provides an exhaustive information on the FSF operation which aids in visualizing the phenomena occurring inside the furnace. A parametric study was done to validate and demonstrate the impact of various process parameters on smelting.