Bath smelting

Two processes, developed for the direct processing of lead sulfide concentrates to metallic lead (qv), have reached commercial scale. The Kivcet process combines flash smelting features and carbon reduction. The QSL process is a bath-smelting reactor having an oxidation 2one and a reduction 2one. Both processes use industrial oxygen. The chemistry can be shown as follows ... 

Figure 2. Components and chemical reactions of an iron-bath smelting reduction1 furnace. (From Shinotake and Takamoto, 1993.)...

Figure 3. Key factors to achieve efficient post-combustion in an iron-bath smelting reduction furnace. (From Takahashi et al., 1992.)...

Hirata, T., Ishikawa, M., Mori, T., and Anezaki, S., Improvement of In-Bath Smelting Reduction Process Through Side and Bottom Blowing, AIME Ironmaking Conf. Proc., p. 761 (1991)... 

Ibaraki, T., Fundamentals of the Bath Smelting Reduction and Functions of the Slag on the Iron Bath, in Turkdogan Symp. Proc., p. 73 (1994)... 

Shinotake, A., and Takamoto, Y., Combustion and Heat Transfer Mechanism in Iron Bath Smelting Reduction Furnace, La Revue de Metallurgie - CIT, p. 965 (1993)... 

P. Arthur, A. Siegmimd and M. Schmidt, Operating Experience with QSL Submerged Bath Smelting for Production of Lead Bullion , Savard-Lee Symposium. Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, Montreal, Canada, 1993. 

THE LEAD BATH SMELTING PROCESS IN NORDENHAM, GERMANY... 

Figure 4 - Bath Smelting Furnace Plant in Nordenham, Germany...

The implementation of the bath-smelting technology instead of the sinter machine-blast furnace option has led to strong improvements in terms of environmental performance. 

The flexibility of the bath smelting furnace permits the operation to adapt quickly to the prevailing economic situation. A higher rate of treated battery paste, achieved by lowering the amount of concentrates processed, results in a lower tonnage of primary slag produced. The latter is either processed in a second stage operation or is sold. 

The implementation of the new bath smelting process in Nordenham has led to a reduction of 35 % of the specific energy consumed per tonne of lead. 

The lead plant in Nordenham used the conventional two-stage sinter machine-blast furnace process until the development of bath smelting technology in 19%. 

These studies, associated with pilot-plant trials, indicated that Sirosmelt technology, because of its flexibility, versatility and simplicity, was the most suitable process to replace the conventional sinter machine-blast furnace. The process has been optimized since the start-up of the furnace based on increased industrial experience and pilot plant trials at the Metaleurop Research Centre. Improved automation and expert systems are necessary to stabilize the process because of the short residence times involved. The bath smelting process operates with a large range of primary and secondary feed materials, and carries out different metallurgical operations in the same reactor.The exhaust gases produced are processed in a sulfuric acid plant, and final SO2 conversion efficiencies of more than 99.5 % are achieved. All the emissions have been drastically reduced CO2 emissions have decreased by 60 %. 

With the bath smelting technology, Metaleurop Weser Blei now owns and operates a modem lead smelter, which gives Metaleurop a competitive advance in terms of environmental protection and recycling capacity. Metaleurop Weser Blei now produces at design capacity. 

Figure 1 illustrates the main features of the direct zinc smelting process. The bath smelting process can be described as follows ... 

Bottom blown furnace is one of the bath smelting technologies. It has shown a lot of advantages such as suitability for a wide range of copper, gold and silver concentrates, minimal feed preparation and quiet operation environment In addition, many other advantages have been demonstrated due to its unique design and these are briefly described as follows. 

RESEARCH AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF OXYGEN-RICH SIDE-BLOW BATH SMELTING TECHNOLOGY... 

Key words Pyrometallurgy, Bath smelting. Oxygen side-blow Abstract... 

Principles of Oxygen Side Blow Bath Smelting Process... 

Comparing with other bath smelting technology, OSBS process shows some advantages as follows ... 

Gongmin Lin, Wanda Bin, Oxygen Side-blown Bath Smelting of Lead Sulfide Concentrate -... 

Wanda Bin, Vanyukov process and its application prospect in China, 1st Chinese bath smelting technology and equipment symposia, 2007. 

Hongjiu Ren, Noferrous metal bath smelting metallurgy (Beijing Metallurgical industry press,... 

Although China have ineplaceable advantages in antimony production all over the world, but there are more problems of back facilities and severe environment pollution. Referencing the successfully experience of lead smelting, it is feasible to smelt antimony mineral in molten-bath smelting furnace, and the environment problem will be disposed by sulfuric acid production. 

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