Industrial use of a new ultrasound spray for coolin and wet gas treatment in the pyrometallurgical processes

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a new industrial use the ultrasonic spray for gas cooling from sulphide copper concentrate roasting in the fluo solid reactor and the results of wet gas treatment (washing) in the scrubber plant during treatment the secondary copper bearing raw materials in RTB Bor (Serbia). The use of a new ultrasonic nozzle for gas cooling from the fluo solid reactor resulted as a necessity because the efficiency of existing installed spray of foreign manufacture was very bad. The use of such spray has caused the formation of large deposits of wet dust on the walls of cooling tower, and their shaking caused the system blockage for dust transport of dust and stoppage the entire plant. Frequent blockage and inability of cleaning resulted into high consumption of nozzles. Construction of a new ultrasonic nozzle was based on the famous Hartman ultrasound generator and it is patented. The possibility of its dismantling (disassembly) has allowed a complete cleaning and reliable operation and the nozzles, currently used, are in a continuous operation over a decade. New ultrasonic spray has been also successfully applied in the scrubber plant for gas washing during the copper scrap treatment with high zinc content. Separation degree of ZnO in the scrubber from the process gas was 98.6%. The new design of ultrasonic spray and its successful use for cooling and cleaning the metallurgical gases will be applied in modernization the Copper Smelter in RTB Bor.