ch01 nikola anastasijevic

8/13/2019 Ch01 Nikola Anastasijevic

1/15

JuCaTecJUMBO ELECTRODE TECHNOLOGY

FOR COPPER ELECTROWINNING

N. Anastasijevic1, J.-P.Nepper2 and Michael H. Barker3

Outokumpu Technology GmbH, Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse 21, D-61440 Oberursel, Germany.1 Vice President. R & D, Telephone + 49 6171 96963 255

[email protected]

2 Senior Product Manager Copper, Telephone + 49 6171 96963 [email protected]

3 Senior Research Metallurgist - Electrochemistry

Outokumpu Research Oy, Kuparitie 10, FIN-28101 Pori, Finland.

[email protected]


2/15

JuCaTecAnastasijevic, Nepper, Barker

* approx. figures

METAL ELECTROWINNING

Production* t/y

7,900,000

2,800,000

Major ProcessesZinc

Copper


3/15

The cathode size currently used in copper electrowinning is

driven more by history and product marketing than bytechnological reasons.

Taken from the copper refinery process

at the time when SX-EW was introduced (acceptance).

EW and copper refinery share the same

development in terms of cell design, size

and cathode design (permanent cathode),

handling, stripping etc..



4/15

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Imm

ersedarea,

singlec

athode(m).


0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Cathod

esperCell Zinc

Copper

Increase of cathode size not yet

implemented in copper

electrowinning ( )

Increase in cell and cathode size

has been used successfully to

reduce production costs of

Zn electrowinning(Cathode/bar contact has been

a bottleneck for enlargement

of Zinc cathode)


5/15


Is the Jumbo size cathode feasible

for Copper electrowinning?

If yes, does it work?

Next Step?


6/15


FEASIBILITY / BASE CASE:

130 000 t/y copper EW tankhouse in Chile

Lead anodes and stainless steel cathodes.

Same electrolyte composition(40 to 37 g/l Copper and 180 to 185 g/l free acid).

Same assumptions for both plants:average crane velocity, current density (300 A/m) and 95% availability.

Use of biggest possible commercially available cell

84 cathodes for state-of-the-art technology and

114 cathodes/cell for JuCaTec

(biggest Jumbo cell used in Zinc electrolysis). Stripping machine capacities:

450 cathodes/hr for the state-of-the-art technology and

350 for JuCaTec size cathodes/h (conservative approach).


7/15


FEASIBILITY / BASE CASE (continuation):

4m vs. 2m immersed cathode area comparison.

Investment costs included

equipment (stripping machine(s), storage racks, crane(s)),

cell area, power supply, electrolyte piping, cell ventilation systems,engineering, transport to the site and packaging.

Operating costs included

power consumption, labour and others e.g. chemicals and consumables.

Impact of plant size consideredrange: 100,000 to 500,000 t/y electrowon copper


8/15


FEASIBILITY / RESULTS:

Savings potential with JuCaTec:

- lower investment costs, up to 20% savings

- lower operating costs (up to 10%).

Reasons:

- more compact tankhouse (smaller tankhouse footprint)

- shorter crane distances,

- less handling (means less labour),

- reduced number of stripping machines and cranes.


9/15


VERIFICATION:

Single Electrode Test

with artificial electrolyte (done)

Industrial size Prototype cell test

(pending)


10/15


Single Cathode Test Conditions:

Electrode sizes:

500 x 2105mm cathode (JuCaTec)500 x 1105mm cathode (state-of-the-art height)

Anode-to-anode

centre spacing 100 mm

Electrolyte at inlet:

40g/l Cu + 150g/l free acid @ 40C

C.D. 300 A/m

Manual stripping


11/15


19

8

65

3

4

2 7

6

10

9a

8a

K

A A A AA

K K

Electrically both cells connected in series.


12/15


easy stripping,

copper was removed as a single rigid panel


13/15


During the run monitoring of:

Cell voltage, TINLET/C & TOUTLET/C

Electrolyte analysisSampled manually from overflow of CuO enrichment tank

Cathode analysis

Cathode ID, map & numbering

Photos of whole cathode

After stripping, masses & length of 4 parts measured

Samples punched (2cm discs)Micrographs

Cathode Chemical analysis


14/15


MAIN RESULTS OF THE SINGLE ELECTRODE

VERIFICATION TEST

Tests with a single jumbo cathode and artificial electrolyte

successfully performed:

- Current Efficiencies > 90%

- Same Cathode Microstructure and impurity level, e.g.same cathode quality as with normal sized EW cathodes

- Practically same cell voltage


15/15


Next step:

Test of a Prototype industrial size cell

In-plant Verification (SX-EW)

ch01 nikola anastasijevic

Documents