NOUFERROUS METALLURGICAL EQUIPMENT

The gas-particle mixing and reaction characteristics in a copper flash smelting furnace are significantly influenced by the feed rate, but the mechanism by which feed rate variations affect the dispersion of the two-phase system and heterogeneous reactions remains unclear. Based on the CFD-DEM coupling method, a multi-physics coupling simulation model for the copper flash smelting process was established in this study. Through simulations of four typical feed conditions, the influence of feed rate changes on the two-phase flow, dispersion, and chemical reaction characteristics in the furnace was systematically studied. The results show that the average residence time of particles on the melt surface of the settling is less than 1s, and it decreases as the feed rate increases. At a lower feed rate (161t/h), the enhanced circumferential non-uniformity of particle distribution at the nozzle outlet leads to significant distortion of the conical distribution of the gas-particle two-phase flow in the reaction shaft, resulting in a notably lower reaction rate within the 3.0-meter range below the shaft roof compared to other conditions. This research reveals the mechanism by which the feed rate affects the reaction efficiency by changing the spatial distribution of gas-particle, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing process parameters in flash smelting.