Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental study of splash generation in a flash smelting furnace

  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A survey of previous studies of splash formation in metallurgical vessels revealed that little information is available to characterize and describe the processes involved in splash formation. An experimental study of splash formation by top submerged gas injection was carried out in the settler region of the nickel flash smelting furnace at the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter (KNS) both to obtain some visualization of the splash mechanisms that occur on a plant scale and to measure the amount of splash being formed. Video images taken of the splashing showed that large sheets of melt were formed by the escaping gas and subsequently thinned into ligaments which then broke up into large splash drops. The video could only resolve a minimum size of 2 cm. The large splash drops visible on video have an initial velocity between 1 and 2 m/s, are unstable, and fall back into the bath after traveling a short distance. The analysis identified two major splash forming mechanisms. First, the gas injected resulted in the bulk movement of the melt to form a cavity and large sheets of melts being thrown around the point of injection. The area affected by this splash mechanism can be predicted successfully by using an energy balance between the removal of the melt in the cavity and the energy of the gas being injected. Second, the slag free surface within the cavity is highly unstable, and through the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mechanism, small splash droplets are generated which are carried into the furnace’s top space. A model proposed for the formation of the smaller splash droplets predicted that the splash collected decreases exponentially with increasing height above the slag free surface from the point of splashing, and this is in agreement with the experimental results obtained.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J.-L. Liow, and N.B. Gray:Present and Future of Steel Industries in the Asian-Pacific Countries Regional Conf., Bangkok, Thailand. Published by Departmentof Metallurgical Engineering, Chula-longkorn University. Bangkok. 1992, pp. 6.1–6.5.

    Google Scholar 

  2. P.T.L. Koh and R.J. Batterham:Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 1989, vol. 67, pp. 211–15.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. J.-L. Liow and N.B. Gray:1st Int. Conf. on Processing Materials for Properties, TMS, Honolulu, HI. Nov. 7–10, 1993, H. Henein and T. Oki, eds., TMS, Warrendale, PA, pp. 341–44.

    Google Scholar 

  4. A.M. Worthington:Proc. R. Soc. London, 1882, vol. 34, pp. 217–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. V. Cullinan, D.E. Morton, J.-L. Liow, and N.B. Gray:Chemeca ’93, Melbourne, Sept. 26–29, 1993, pp. 43.2–48.2.

  6. A. Etienne:Centre Rech. Metall. Rep., 1975, vol. 43, pp. 13–21.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Li Kun:J. Iron Steel Inst., 1960, vol. 196, pp. 275–80.

    Google Scholar 

  8. A.P. Meshalkin, K.S. Prosvirin, V.B. Okhotskii, and G.S. Kilganov:Steel USSR, 1985, vol. 15, pp. 369–71.

    Google Scholar 

  9. J.-L. Liow, W.H.R. Dickinson. M.J. Allan, and N.B. Gray:Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 1995, vol. 26B, pp. 887–89.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R.K. Hanna and M.A. Warner:Trans. IMM, 1991, vol. C100, pp. C69-C78.

    Google Scholar 

  11. A. Chatterjee and A.V. Bradshaw:J. Iron Steel Inst., 1972, vol. 210, pp. 179–87.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. V.V. Mechev, M.M. Chedzhemov, V.D. Shutstitskii, M.G. Vasil’ev, V.D. Romanov, V.D. Gordeev, and V.A. Belousov:Tsu. Metall., 1969, vol. 42 (1), pp. 24–26.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. R.D. Nielsen, M.R. Tek, and J.L. York:Symp. on Two Phase Flow, Devon, England, June 21–23, 1965. Published by University of Exeter, Exeter, England, 1965, pp. F201-F225.

    Google Scholar 

  14. T.R.A. Davey, E.R. Segnit, and J. Boow:Aus. Jpn. Extractive Metallurgy Symp., Sydney, Australia, 1980, AusIMM, Parkville, 1980. pp. 115–20.

    Google Scholar 

  15. R. Clift, J.R. Grace, and M.E. Weber:Bubbles, Drops, and Particles, Academic Press, New York, NY, 1978, p. 341.

    Google Scholar 

  16. R.B. Banks and D.V. Chandrasekhara:J. Fluid Mech., 1973, vol. 75, pp. 13–34.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Lord Rayleigh:Phil. Mag., 1917, vol. 34, pp. 94–98.

    Google Scholar 

  18. L.M. Milne-Thompson:Theoretical Hydrodynamics, Macmillian, Riverside, NJ, 1960, p. 393.

    Google Scholar 

  19. S. Chandrasekhar:Hydrodynamics and Hydromagnetic Stability, Dover, New York. NY, 1981, p. 486.

    Google Scholar 

  20. J.O. Hinze:Appl. Sci. Res., 1948, vol. AI, pp. 273–80.

    Google Scholar 

  21. N.A. Molloy:J. Iron Steel Inst., 1970, vol. 208, p. 943.

    Google Scholar 

  22. S.B. Collins and J.G. Knudsen:AIChE J., 1970, vol. 16, pp. 1072–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. J.-L. Liow and N.B. Gray:Metall. Trans. B, 1990, vol. 21B, pp. 987–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. D.F. Hopkins and J.M. Robertson:J. Fluid Mech., 1967, vol. 29, pp. 273–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. G.K. Williams Cooperative Research Centre for Extractive Metallurgy, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, Australia

    Liow Jong-Leng & Neil B. Gray

Authors
  1. Liow Jong-Leng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Neil B. Gray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jong-Leng, L., Gray, N.B. Experimental study of splash generation in a flash smelting furnace. Metall Mater Trans B 27, 633–646 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02915661

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02915661

Keywords

Search

Navigation