Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The effect of adding black copper, originating from treating waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), to a Peirce-Smith converter has been investigated by using a thermodynamic process model. The model was formulated, by the authors, in an earlier publication and expanded, in the present work, to include the minor elements antimony and bismuth. The results show that the model describes the distribution of Bi well, whereas the distribution of Sb is not described as well and should only be used for trends. Addition of black copper lowers the removal of Bi and Sb compared to a converter cycle without addition. To maintain a good removal of Bi and Sb, black copper should be added as early as possible during a converter cycle.

Keywords

Peirce-Smith Converter Thermodynamic simulation Minor elements Process modelling Black copper WEEE

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bale

, Chartrand

, Degterov

, Eriksson

, Hack

, Ben Mahfoud

, et al. 2002. FactSage thermochemical software and databases, Calphad, 26, (2), 189–228.

Björkman

. 1990. Unpublished work.

Chaubal

and Nagamori

. 1982. Volatilization of bismuth in copper matte converting – computer simulation, Metall. Trans. B, 13B, (3), 339–348.

Cui

and Zhang

. 2008. Metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste: a review, J. Hazard. Mater., 158, (2–3), 228–256.

Degterov

and Pelton

. 1999. A thermodynamic database for copper smelting and converting, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 30B, (4), 661–669.

Hoffmann

. 2004. The purification of copper refinery electrolyte, JOM, 56, (7), 30–33.

Johnson

, Sanker

, Oden

and See

. 1982. Copper losses and the distribution of impurity elements between matte and silica-saturated iron silicate slags at 1250 deg C, Report of Investigations 8655, Albany, Oregon, USA, U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Mines.

Kyllo

and Richards

. 1998. Kinetic modeling of minor element behavior in copper converting, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 29B, (1), 261.

Lennartsson

, Engström

, Björkman

and Samuelsson

. 2013. Development of a model for copper converting, Can. Metall. Q., 52, (4), 422–429.

10.

Lynch

, Akagi

and Davenport

. 1991. Thermochemical nature of minor elements in copper smelting mattes, Metall. Trans. B, 22B, (5), 677–688.

11.

Lynch

and Zhong

. 2005. Volatilization and activity coefficient of Sb in Cu-Fe mattes and white metal, Can. Metall. Q., 44, (3), 409–420.

12.

Mark

and Lehner

. 2000. Plastics recovery from waste electrical and electronic equipment in non-ferrous metal processes, in Technical paper published by the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APME), Brussels, Belgium, Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe.

13.

Nagamori

and Chaubal

. 1982. Thermodynamics of copper matte converting: part IV. A priori predictions of the behavior of Au, Ag, Pb, Zn, Ni, Se, Te, Bi, Sb, and As in the Noranda process reactor, Metall. Trans. B, 13B, (3), 331–338.

14.

Nagamori

and Mackey

. 1978. Thermodynamics of copper mattes converting: part II. Distribution of Au, Ag, Pb, Zn, Ni, Se, Te, Bi, Sb and As between copper, matte and slag in the Noranda process, Metall. Trans. B, 9B, (4), 567–579.

15.

Nagamori

, Mackey

and Tarassoff

. 1975. Copper solubility in FeO-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂-Al₂O₃ slag and distribution equilibria of Pb, Bi, Sb and As between slag and metallic copper, Metall. Trans. B, 6B, (2), 295–301.

16.

Oguchi

, Murakami

, Sakanakura

, Kida

and Kameya

. 2011. A preliminary categorization of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment as secondary metal resources, Waste Manag., 31, (9–10), 2150–2160.

17.

Yazawa

. 1980. Distribution of various elements between copper, matte and slag, Erzmetall., 33, (7–8), 377–382.

18.

Zhong

and Lynch

. 2000. Henrian activity coefficient of Bi in Cu-Fe mattes and white metal. Can. Metall. Q., 39, (1), 23–36.

Thermodynamic process modelling of black copper addition to a Peirce-Smith converter: effect on the distribution of antimony and bismuth

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References