Copper smelting mechanism in oxygen bottom-blown furnace

The SKS furnace is a horizontal cylindrical reactor similar to a Noranda furnace, however, the oxygen enriched air is blown into the furnace from the bottom. Mechanism model of the SKS process was developed by analyzing the smelting characteristics deeply. In our model, the furnace section from top to bottom is divided into seven functional layers, i. e., gas layer, mineral decomposition transitioning layer, slag layer, slag formation transitioning layer, matte formation transitioning layer, weak oxidizing layer and strong oxidizing layer. The furnace along the length direction is divided into three functional regions, that is, reaction region, separation transitioning region and liquid phase separation and settling region. These layers or regions play different roles in the model in describing the mechanism of the smelting process. The SKS smelting is at a multiphase non-steady equilibrium state, and the oxygen and sulfur potentials change gradually in the length and cross directions. The smelting capacity of the SKS process could be raised through reasonably controlling the potential values in different layers and regions.