Advances in Pyrometallurgy: Furnace Containment: Panel Discussion: On No! What Went Wrong. Furnace Design Lesson Learnt
Sponsored by: TMS Extraction and Processing Division, TMS: Pyrometallurgy Committee, TMS: Process Technology and Modeling Committee, TMS: Materials Characterization Committee, TMS: Industrial Advisory Committee
Program Organizers: Gerardo Alvear Flores, CaEng Associates; Camille Fleuriault, Eramet Norway; Dean Gregurek, RHI Magnesita; Quinn Reynolds, Mintek; Hugo Joubert, Tenova Pyromet; Stuart Nicol, Glencore Technology; Phillip Mackey, P.J. Mackey Technology, Inc.; Jesse White, Kanthal AB; Isabelle Nolet, Hatch
Monday 2:00 PM
March 4, 2024
Room: Celebration 5
Location: Hyatt
Session Chair: Isabelle Nolet, Hatch; Gerardo Alvear Flores, Canadian Engineering Associate Ltd
2:00 PM Introductory Comments
2:10 PM Keynote
Electric Furnace Integrity Practices and Design Improvements Over 45 Years of Operation - Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations, A Glencore Company: Laura Shultz1; 1Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations
The smelter operates a single 6-in-line electric AC furnace. This furnace treats nickel sulphide concentrates produced by Glencore and third-party feeds and as such its performance is key to the company’s nickel supply chain. The furnace was constructed in 1978, and upgraded in 1994 to double the power density. The sprung arch roof was rebuilt in 2004, and the walls were rebuilt in 2004 and 2015. The hearth, however, remains the original installation. Work is underway to replace the entire furnace including the hearth in 2026. Since 1994, the smelter has successfully operated with a single furnace. Importance has been placed on the development of furnace integrity practices and equipment improvements. Another key focus has been robust practices on matte and slag tapping operations and maintenance. This paper will review the design considerations of the upcoming rebuild and approach taken to ensure its safe and reliable operation.
2:35 PM Keynote
Reflections on the Design of Cooling Systems for Furnace Containment: Hugo Joubert1; 1Tenova Pyromet
The use of cooling to improve furnace containment is well established in most smelting industries. The author explores the importance of furnace cooling systems and its role in improving furnace containment. An overview is provided of the freeze lining concept and how to design a lining/cooling system to form and maintain such a freeze lining. Different cooling designs are compared regarding their relative effectiveness in forming a freeze lining and improving the furnace containment. Key design aspects of copper coolers are explored using real world examples. The use of simulation tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) combined with actual operating data to optimise designs is described. Finally, the use of alternative cooling mediums is discussed.
3:00 PM
Improving Maintenance Safety and Campaign Life of Tuyere Lines in Bath Smelting and Converting Using Punchless Tuyeres: Maria de Campos1; Joel Kapusta1; 1BBA Inc.
Since the Peirce-Smith converter advent in 1909, converting campaign lengths are limited by the tuyere line lifespan, a burden that remains today despite great advances in refractory design. The need for mechanical punching further exacerbates tuyere line wear rate while forcing frequent operator interventions behind blowing converters to operate or maintain punching machines, or replace damaged punching bars. Continuous bath smelting technologies developed in the 70s faced the same hindrance to campaign life span. However, Codelco’s engineers’ ingenuity led them to modify their new Teniente Converter shell and divide the tuyere line in sections, or tuyere panels that could be removed and replaced without cooling the furnace. In this paper, we provide historical perspectives on the development of the hot panel repair technology and discuss how implementing punchless tuyeres can further extend the life span of tuyere line panels in bath smelting and converting vessels.
3:20 PM Break
3:35 PM Panel Discussion: Panelists will include Lloyd Nelson, LR Nelson Consulting; Allan MacRae, MacRae Technologies; Avi Nanda, Freeport-McMoran; and Harman Oterdoom, Butterbridge.