NOUFERROUS METALLURGICAL EQUIPMENT

Abstract:High-entropy Alloys (HEAs), as a new class of materials, have garnered significant attention in the scientific community due to their exceptional mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability. In recent years, researchers have discovered that HEAs not only excel in traditional material applications but also exhibit remarkable magnetocaloric effects, opening up new possibilities for their use in energy conversion and storage. This paper reviews the research advancements in the magnetocaloric effects of high-entropy alloys, including their fundamental principles, preparation methods, and evaluation of magnetocaloric performance at varying temperatures. Furthermore, it explores the key mechanisms related to microstructural factors and element selection that influence the magnetocaloric effects of HEAs. By analyzing existing research findings, this study identifies the current shortcomings and outlines future directions for development, aiming to lay a foundation for further applications of high-entropy alloys in the magnetocaloric field.

Abstract:Crystalline carbonates, characterized by their distinctive morphologies and narrow particle size distributions, hold significant applications in fields such as ink manufacturing, electronics, and military technologies. Carbonation methods have emerged as a critical process for synthesizing crystalline carbonates due to their simplicity, controllability, low cost, and ability to produce metal compounds with tailored physical properties. This review systematically outlines existing carbonation technologies, categorizing them into direct bubbling and microbubble-enhanced methods based on CO₂ introduction strategies. Key factors influencing the carbonation process are elaborated, including carbonation temperature, CO₂ flow rate and concentration, solution concentration, additives, stirring speed, and pH values. Furthermore, the review highlights typical applications of carbonation techniques, such as the preparation of calcium carbonate, nano-silica, basic magnesium carbonate, and rare-earth carbonates. Finally, future prospects and trends in carbonation-based synthesis of crystalline carbonates are discussed.

Abstract:To address the pollution problem in solar cell manufacturing, this paper introduces the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, aiming to comprehensively quantify its environmental impacts. Focusing on the application of LCA in solar cell production, this paper reviews the results of domestic and international LCA studies on various types of solar cells (including polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon and emerging perovskite cells). These studies not only reveal the environmental costs of solar cell production, but also provide a scientific basis for promoting green manufacturing and achieving sustainable development.

Abstract:During the process of industrial and agricultural production, mineral mining and urbanization, a large amount of wastewater containing a variety of naturally non-degradable heavy metal ions will be produced. If such persistent toxic environmental pollutants are discharged directly without any treatment, they will pose a serious threat to biodiversity, including humans.Heavy metal wastewater can be treated by a variety of purification and separation technologies. As an emerging treatment method, electrochemical technology has significant advantages and development potential in the treatment of heavy metal wastewater.Based on the importance and urgency of purifying heavy metal ions in wastewater, this paper introduces the latest progress of electrochemical treatment methods based on different action mechanisms, and deeply analyzes the research status of different electrode materials used in different electrochemical treatment methods to treat heavy metal ions, in order to provide theoretical reference for the further development of heavy metal ion wastewater treatment.

Abstract:Aluminum-manganese (Al-Mn) alloy possesses good plasticity, weldability and corrosion resistance, thus showing broad application prospects for corrosion protection of steel. Herein, the electrodeposition behavior of Al-Mn is investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry in the ionic liquid electrolyte composed by 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, aluminum chloride and manganese chloride. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques are employed to compare the surface morphology, elemental composition, and crystal structure of Al-Mn coatings electrodeposited at different current densities. The corrosion resistance of Al-Mn coatings in the simulated seawater is evaluated using open circuit potential and potentiodynamic polarization curves. Meanwhile, the effects of annealing temperature and time on the surface morphology and anti-corrosion ability of Al-Mn coatings are also studied, systematically. The results demonstrate that Al-Mn coating undergoes a structural transformation from amorphous state to crystalline state with the increase of current density. Among them, the amorphous coating displays a better corrosion resistance than the crystalline counterpart, while appropriate heat treatment can further improve its anti-corrosion property.

Abstract:The flue gas particle deposition characteristics in the flue gas recovery process of submerged arc furnace flue in ferronickel smelting was investigated by numerical simulation method. The particle deposition was modeled using Grant and Tabakoff particle bounce model and critical velocity model. The gas flow field was simulated using the RNG k-ε turbulence model. The particle deposition characteristics of water-cooled flue and insulated flue were investigated, as well as the effect of flue gas flow velocity on the particle deposition in the flue. It was found that the deposition rate of the water-cooled flue was significantly lower than that of the insulated flue, and the use of the water-cooled flue could effectively reduce the particle deposition in the flue; with the increase of the flue gas flow velocity, the particle deposition rate was reduced and the optimal flow velocity of the flue gas was 7m/s.

Abstract:This paper aiming at the working conditions of large ore blocks and easy jamming in the automatic loading process of unmanned rail transportation, constructs an ore block size recognition system based on the application design of machine vision library OpenCV and YOLO training model. The system can realize the functions of ore block size calculation, ore block size quantity and time distribution statistics, real-time alarm and query of super large blocks, etc., realize the detection and management of ore block size in the chute, ensure the safety of ore discharge equipment under the working conditions of unmanned rail transportation, and reduce the labor intensity of manual monitoring, providing reference for the implementation of unmanned mine system and digital transformation.

Abstract:This paper conducts a numerical simulation study on the melting process of a dual-electrode DC nickel-iron electric furnace, aiming to explore the coupling laws of multiphysical fields inside the furnace and provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the production of nickel-iron electric furnaces. The study employs a three-dimensional transient multiphysical field model and uses the finite volume method to simulate the distribution of electric field, thermal field, and Joule heat during the melting process of the electric furnace. User-defined functions (UDF) are utilized to incorporate source terms such as electromagnetic force and Joule heat into the momentum conservation equation and energy conservation equation. Additionally, complex physical phenomena in the arc zone and molten pool zone, such as electrothermal conversion, electromagnetic induction, and magnetic field disturbance, are taken into account.The simulation results show that the current flows from the electrodes, forming distinct current paths between the electrodes and the furnace bottom, between the electrodes themselves, and between the electrodes and the furnace side walls. As the melting time increases, Joule heat accumulates near the arc, causing the furnace temperature to rise continuously and resulting in a pronounced proximity effect. After 40 minutes of melting, the maximum value of Joule heat is 3.07×108W/m3, and the highest temperature is 5182K; by 50 minutes, the maximum value of Joule heat increases to 3.45×108W/m3, and the highest temperature rises to 5379K. Furthermore, as the applied voltage increases, a crucible zone with higher temperature gradually forms below the electrodes. The highest temperature in the arc zone increases from 4853K to 5833K, and the peak temperature of the molten pool rises from 1891K to 2026K. This indicates that increasing the applied voltage helps to raise the overall temperature of the ore zone, thereby enhancing the melting efficiency.

Abstract:This paper addresses the issues of large occupation and the susceptibility of the lead cathode to deformation during secondary transportation in the large-plate lead cathode manufacturing machine currently used in industrial production, which often lead to short circuits between the anode and cathode after the cathodes are placed in the cells. A novel layout and rapid transportation method for the lead cathode manufacturing unit is proposed. After the lead sheets are cut and conductive rods are inserted in a horizontal state, a flipping device is used to rotate the formed lead cathodes from a horizontal position to a vertical position. An industrial robot then transports the vertically oriented cathodes to an embossing device. Once embossing is completed, the cathodes are inserted between the anodes of an automatic anode-cathode spacing machine. By optimizing the relative positions of the flipping device, embossing device, and automatic anode-cathode spacing machine within the robotic workspace, the transportation distance is minimized. Additionally, the robots motion trajectory is carefully planned to reduce vertical movements relative to the sheet plane, thereby mitigating collision-induced deformation during secondary transportation. Industrial production practices demonstrate that this compact unit layout reduces the required occupation, saves investment costs, and minimizes deformation of lead cathodes during secondary transportation.

Abstract:The anode sludge produced during the copper electrolytic refining process, in which precious and rare metals can be extracted, has important economic value. Based on the problems existing in the copper anode sludge roasting process of a smelting enterprise, such as insufficient pretreatment, uneven feeding, large fluctuation of negative pressure at the end of the kiln, easy deformation of the kiln body, and excessive pressure in the jet pump, combined with the EMERSON-DeltaV DCS control system, optimization measures were proposed, such as adjusting the dense pressure filtration method, increasing DCS interlock control of the anode slime tanks liquid level, establishing liquid level interlock between the anode slime tank and the feed tank, adding negative pressure delay protection, improving fuel usage in the heating system, and adding vacuum pump sensors. After these improvements, the daily processing capacity of the rotary kiln for copper anode slime had been increased, the working environment had been improved, energy consumption had been reduced, the labor intensity of workers had been reduced, production costs had been effectively lowered, and equipment lifespan had been extended.

Abstract:In the construction or renovation of copper smelting slag slow cooling plants, challenges include numerous equipments, high equipment coordination requirements, complex scheduling schemes, and diverse operational scenarios. Traditional drawing-based methods can design functional zones for static analysis but have difficulty in visualizing dynamic scheduling, tracking equipment utilization rates, or simulating faults. This paper combines the actual process conditions of a copper smelting slag slow cooling plant to simulate various scheduling strategies and fault scenarios. Results demonstrate that simulation technology not only addresses these limitations but also optimizes scheduling plans and enables comprehensive comparisons between different strategies. The simulation concludes that the optimal configuration for this plant is 3 cranes and 4 electric flat cars, providing data-driven support for plant construction.

Abstract:A comprehensive control strategy combining arc pressure and melting rate is proposed for the automatic control system of vacuum consuming arc furnace, based on the furnace structure, technical specifications, and melting process. The calculation methods for compensating weight and melting rate were explained, and program design ideas were provided for each control method to ensure the effective implementation and precise regulation of the control system. In addition, this paper deeply analyzes the reasons for the coupling phenomenon between arc voltage and current, and proposes solutions. The application results showed that the melt speed fluctuation was reduced by about 28.2%, and the melt speed was well controlled to reduce the voltage fluctuation. The implementation of this control strategy has shown important practical value and theoretical significance in improving the operational stability of vacuum consumable arc furnaces, optimizing the melting process, improving production efficiency and product quality, and other aspects.

Abstract:There are two identical processes of iron separation in an iron ore separation plant in Liaoning province. In this process, “twice magnetic separation +twice column washing” is used to carry out the concentration operation after twice grinding. The process uses more magnetic separation equipment, and the separation process is more complicated. With the increasingly prominent problem of “poor and fine” ore mined, the grade of iron concentrate produced by the existing process of the concentrator is reduced. In order to solve the above problems, the cleaning process was reformed, and a BKZ2000 electromagnetic washing and cleaning machine was used to replace the cleaning operation of the existing two iron sorting processes, and 66.19% concentrate grade was obtained, which was 0.85 percentages higher than before the transformation.The BKZ2000 electromagnetic washing and cleaning separator realizes the short process operation of refining in the sorting plant, and can save 1.2 million tons of water and 0.9 million kW of electricity per year, achieving better economic and environmental benefits.

Abstract:This paper investigates the change of vanadium content of trace elements in the production process of 500kA aluminum electrolyzer and its effect on current efficiency, aiming at optimizing the production process and improving current efficiency and product quality. Through theoretical calculations and plant experiments, it is found that the increase of vanadium content will significantly increase the resistivity of the electrolyte, and then reduce the current efficiency. Based on this, the study proposes the following optimization measures in conjunction with production practice: (1) strictly control the vanadium content of alumina raw materials; (2) improve the design of electrolytic cell and anode to reduce the influence of impurities; and (3) optimize the composition of the electrolyte to maintain a reasonable level of vanadium content. The results of the study show that the adoption of the above measures can effectively enhance the current efficiency and improve the economy and stability of aluminum electrolysis production.

Abstract:Based on the production process status and time schedule, a one-year production data tracking record will be conducted on the “triple furnace” system using oxygen-enriched bottom-blowing self heating melting. Through statistical analysis of the data, the distribution trends of impurity elements Pb, Zn, As, Sb, Bi, and Ni will be explored. The results showed that in the furnace feed mixture, the lead returned accounted for 45.57% of the total lead, mainly concentrated in the slag concentrate and blowing slag; the nickel returned accounted for 36.43% of the total nickel, also mainly concentrated in the slag concentrate and blowing slag; percentages of the rest of the impurity elements returned were little; bismuth was mainly enriched in the melting boiler ash returned to the system, antimony was mainly enriched in the slag concentrate returned to the system, and the content of the two impurity elements was only second to nickel in the anode plate.The above provides a reference basis for the subsequent optimization of ore allocation and slag beneficiation process.