Oxidation Kinetics of Molten Copper Sulphide

Oxidation Kinetics of Molten Copper Sulphide
By
Abdelmonem Hussein Alyaser
B.Sc. (Metallurgical Engineering), Laurentian University, 1990
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF APPLIED SCIENCE
in
THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES
(Department of Metals and Materials Engineering)
We accept this thesis as conforming

to the required standard
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

July 1993
© Abdelmonem Hussein Alyaser, 1993

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced
degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it
freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive
copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my
department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or
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(Signature)
Department of Metals and Materials Engineering
The University of British Columbia

Vancouver, Canada
Date July 12 1993
DE-6 (2/88)
ii
ABSTRACT
The oxidation kinetics of molten copper sulphide were investigated by quantitative

measurements and qualitative observations. Off-gas analyses for SO2 and 02 were
conducted to determine the oxidation rates of approximately 200-gram samples, of
molten 99.5% Cu2S. The molten sulphide was held in alumina crucibles (approximately
44 mm diameter and 75 mm height), and top-lanced with Ar-02 gas mixtures in the hot
zone of a vertical tube furnace. During the oxidation reaction, gravimetric measurements
of the copper sulphide baths were also conducted to further support the results of the gas
analysis measurements. A series of laboratory tests, involving reaction gas ranging in
composition from 20-78% 02, was conducted to determine the effect of oxygen
concentration on the kinetics of the oxidation reaction. To determine the influence of
volumetric gas flow rate on the kinetics of the oxidation reaction and to study the gas
phase mass transfer, a series of laboratory tests was carried out utilizing a gas flow rate
range of 1-4 liters/min. The effects of other operating conditions, on the oxidation rates,
such as bath mixing, and reaction temperature (1200-1300 °C), were also determined.
The effect of surface-tension driven flow (the Marangoni effect) on the reaction kinetics
was also investigated via surface observation and photography. The overall surface
behavior was monitored for spontaneous motion, and the eruption of gas bubbles from the
melt.
The quantitative analysis of reaction rates was also aided by the micro-examination of
quenched bath samples via optical microscopy. Approximately 4-gram samples were
extracted at specific reaction times, using U-shaped quartz tubes. The samples were
examined microscopically to determine the reaction progress based on the characteristics
of gas bubbles, copper droplets and the phases present.
iii
The oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide was found to take place in two distinct
kinetic stages. During the primary stage, simultaneous partial desulphurization and
oxygen saturation of the melt, via liquid-gas reaction at the melt surface, takes place.
Upon saturation of the melt with oxygen, the secondary stage immediately commences.
Throughout the secondary stage, the sulphide phase remains at a constant composition
(approximately 80.83 wt% Cu, 17.7 wt% S and 1.47 wt% 0 at 1200 °C and 1 atm), due to
simultaneous surface and melt reactions, until the overall reaction is complete. Three
simultaneous melt reactions occur within the sulphide phase which are responsible for the
formation of the metal phase (approximately 98.89 wt% Cu, 0.95 wt% S and 0.16 wt% 0
at 1200 °C and 1 atm). As a result of settling oxygen- and sulphur-saturated copper
droplets, the metal phase accumulates at the bottom of the bath.
The experimental results revealed that the rate of reaction is controlled by the gas phase
mass transfer of oxygen to the melt surface; the liquid phase mass transfer resistance and
chemical reaction resistance are negligible. The bath was found to be vigorously mixed,
primarily due to the effect of the Marangoni effect although the degree of mixing is
slightly enhanced during the secondary stage as a result of rising SO2 gas bubbles and
falling copper droplets.
Based on the electrochemical behavior of the sulphide melt and the experimental
revelations, a mathematical model was constructed to carry out a fundamental study of
the problem and provide an overall analysis extending beyond the experimental
conditions. The model predictions were found to be in good agreement with the observed
results.
The practical implications of this work are: the copper-making reaction in copper
converting is limited by gas phase mass transfer; in the Peirce-Smith converter, one of the
factors for the high degree of mass transfer in the bath is the effect of surface-tension
iv
driven flows. It is also suggested that the ionic nature of the sulphide bath is another
factor for the low liquid phase mass transfer resistance.
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ^
Table of Contents ^
List of Figures ^ viii
List of Tables ^ xv
List of Symbols ^ xix
Acknowledgments ^ xxiii
1. Introduction ^ 1
2. Literature Review ^ 4
2.1. Copper Converting ^ 4
2.1.1. History of the Copper Converter ^ 4
2.1.2. Metallurgy of Copper Converting ^ 5
2.1.2.1. The Slag-Forming Stage: ^ 7
2.1.2.2. The Copper-Making Stage: ^ 7
2.2. Thermodynamics of Copper Sulphide Oxidation ^ 8
2.2.1. Cu-S System ^ 9
2.2.2. Cu-S-0 System ^ 10
2.3. Gas-Liquid Interactions ^ 13
2.3.1. Superficial Gas-Liquid Contact ^ 16
2.3.2. Convective Gas-Liquid Contact ^ 17
2.3.2.1. Gas Jets Impinging on Liquid Surfaces ^ 17
2.3.2.1.1. High Momentum Jetting Systems ^ 19
2.3.2.1.2. Low Momentum Jetting Systems ^ 21
2.4. Oxidation Kinetic Studies ^ 23
2.5. Interfacial Phenomena ^ 26
2.5.1. Generation of Spontaneous Interfacial Motion ^ 27
2.5.1.1. Driving Force ^ 27
2.5.1.2. Mechanism ^ 29
3. Objectives and Scope ^ 32
3.1. Experimental Objectives ^ 34
3.2. Theoretical Objectives ^ 35
4. Experimental ^ 36
4.1. Experimental Apparatus ^ 36
4.1.1. Reactor ^ 36
4.1.2. Gas Drying And Control System ^ 41
4.1.3. Gas Analysis System ^ 41
4.1.3.1. SO2 Absorber ^ 42
4.1.3.2. Final Off-Gas Flow Rate Measurement ^ 48
4.1.4. Gravimetric Measurement System ^ 49
4.1.5. Optical Photography System^ 52
4.2. Material ^ 54
4.2.1. Copper Sulphide ^ 54
4.2.1.1. Supplied Copper Sulphide ^ 54
4.2.1.2. Prepared Copper Sulphide ^ 54
vi
4.2.2. Gases ^ 55
4.2.3. Hydrogen Peroxide Solution ^ 56
4.2.4. Titration Reagents ^ 57
4.3. Experimental Procedure ^ 58
4.3.1. Oxidation Rate Measurement ^ 58
4.3.1.1. Gas Analysis ^ 60
4.3.1.2. Gravimetric Measurement ^ 61
4.3.2. Microscopic-Examination of Frozen Melt Samples ^ 61
4.3.3. Surface Observation ^ 61
5. Experimental Results and Discussion ^ 62
5.1. Oxidation Rate Results ^ 62
5.1.1. Gas Analysis Data ^ 62
5.1.1.1. Sulphur and Sulphur Dioxide Analyses ^ 62
5.1.1.2. Oxygen Analysis ^ 65
5.1.1.3. Overall Reaction Rate ^ 68
5.1.2. Gravimetric Measurement Data ^ 70
5.1.3. Summary Of The Oxidation Rate Results ^ 71
5.1.3.1. Oxidation Rates ^ 71
5.1.3.1.1. Effect of Admitted Gas Flow Rate ^ 72
5.1.3.1.2. Effect of Gas Composition ^ 75
5.1.3.1.3. Effect of Temperature ^ 78
5.1.3.1.4. Effect of Bath Mixing ^ 81
5.1.3.2. Reaction Transition Characteristics ^ 82
5.2. Micro-Examination Of The Melt Samples ^ 85
5.3. Observations of the Bath Surface ^ 95
6. Gas Phase Mass Transfer ^ 103
6.1. Mathematical Analysis for Mass-Transfer Coefficient ^ 103
6.1.1. Material Balance ^ 103
6.1.2. Flux Equation: ^ 103
6.1.3. Equilibrium At Phase Boundaries: ^ 103
6.1.4. Stoichiometry.^ 104
6.1.5. Solution.^ 104
6.2. Experimental Gas Phase Mass-Transfer Coefficient ^ 105
6.3. Gas Phase Mass-Transfer Correlation ^ 109
6.4. Sensitivity Analysis of the Effect of the Interfacial Area on Gas
Phase Mass-Transfer Coefficient ^ 113
6.5. Sensitivity Analysis of the Effect of Temperature on Gas Phase
Mass-Transfer Coefficient ^ 116
7. Mathematical Modeling and Theoretical Predictions ^ 122
7.1. Mathematical Model ^ 122
7.1.1. Assumptions ^ 122
7.1.2. Reaction Mechanism and Flux Equations ^ 124
7.1.2.1. Primary Stage ^ 124
7.1.2.2. Secondary Stage ^ 125
7.1.3. Equilibrium at Phase boundaries ^ 128
vii
7.1.4. Stoichiometry ^ 130

7.1.5. Material Balance ^ 132
7.1.5.1.1. Sulphur Balance ^ 132
7.1.5.1.2. Oxygen Balance ^ 133
7.1.5.2.1. Sulphide Phase ^ 133
7.1.5.2.1.1. Sulphur Ion Balance ^ 133
7.1.5.2.1.2. Oxygen Ion Balance ^ 134
7.1.5.2.1.3. Copper Ion Balance ^ 135
7.1.5.2.2. Metal Phase ^ 135
7.1.5.2.2.1. Sulphur Balance ^ 135
7.1.5.2.2.2. Oxygen Balance ^ 136
7.1.5.2.2.3. Copper Balance ^ 136
7.1.6. Mathematical Solution ^ 137
7.2. Model Validation ^ 147
7.3. Model Sensitivity ^ 150
7.3.1. Temperature ^ 150
7.3.2. Pressure ^ 151
7.3.3. Reaction Gas Flow Rate ^ 153
7.3.4. Reaction Gas composition ^ 154
7.3.5. Reaction Interfacial Area ^ 155
7.4. Theoretical Predictions ^ 156
7.4.1. Oxidation Path ^ 156
7.4.2. Oxidation Rates ^ 160
7.4.2.1. Oxidation Rate as a Function of Gas Flow Rate ^ 160
7.4.2.2. Oxidation Rate as a Function of Gas Composition ^ 164
7.4.2.3. Oxidation Rate as a Function of Temperature ^ 170
7.4.3. Oxygen Utilization ^ 173
8. Summary and Conclusions ^ 175
References ^ 178
Appendix A Experimental ^ 187
1. Reactor Insulating Materials ^ 187
2. Reactor Power Supply ^ 189
3. Load Cell Components ^ 190
Appendix B Gas Analysis Raw Data ^ 191
Appendix C Reaction gas Transport Properties ^ 210
1. Viscosity ^ 210
2. Diffusion Coefficient ^ 212
3. Density ^ 214
Appendix D Temperature Measurements ^ 215
viii
List of Figures
Figure 2.1. (a) Cutaway of a horizontal side-blown Pierce-Smith converter, (b).

Positions of the Pierce-Smith converter for charging, blowing, and skimming (slag
or blister copper) ^ 6
Figure 2.2. The Cu-S system; high temperature portion only, not to scale (after
Kellogg [15]). ^ 10
Figure 2.3. The 1300 °C isotherm of the Cu-O-S system, at 1 atm, (after Elliott
[20]) ^ 11
Figure 2.4. Schematic diagram of a hypothetical case of oxygen dissolution in a
liquid metal bath, Rg and R1 are the gas phase resistance and the liquid phase
resistance respectively ^ 14
Figure 2.5. Comparative geometry of flow modes in top-blown systems ^ 18
Figure 2.6. Model of impinging gas jet used by Wakelin (after Themelis and
Szekely [52]) ^ 19
Figure 2.7. (a) Mass-transfer coefficient in gas phase at room temperature, (b)
Mass-transfer coefficient in gas phase at elevated temperatures, (after Kikuchi et
al [48]) ^ 22
Figure 2.8. Type of adsorption at liquid-metal interfaces: (a), positive adsorption;
(b) negative adsorption; (c), electrocapillary behaviour (after Brimacombe [83]) ^ 27
Figure 2.9. Effect of oxygen on the surface tension of liquid copper, (after Monma
[87]) ^ 28
Figure 2.10. Effect of sulphur on the surface tension of liquid copper, (after
Monma [87]) ^ 29
Figure 2.11. Interfacial motion generated on micro-scale due to eddy penetration
(after Brimacombe [83]) ^ 30
Figure 2.12 Interfacial motion generated on macro-scale by presence of partially
immersed piece of Cu2S in molten copper ^ 30
Figure 2.13. Mechanism of copper oxide patch spreading on the liquid copper
surface ^ 31
Figure 4.1. Cross-sectional view of the reactor ^ 37
Figure 4.2. Sectional view of the bottom of the reaction tube, including the
crucible supporting system ^ 38
Figure 4.3. Schematic diagram of the top of the reaction tube ^ 40
Figure 4.4. Schematic diagram of the gas train ^ 41
Figure 4.5. Schematic diagram of the off-gas analysis system, not including the
soap bubble-meter ^ 42
ix
Figure 4.6. Schematic diagram of the absorber rubber stopper ^ 43

Figure 4.7. Plot of the amount of SO2 absorbed as a function of time for a test of 2
1/min of 13 % SO2 and 87% Ar at 23 °C ^ 45
Figure 4.8. Photograph of the SO2 absorber with a gas flow rate of 2 1/min, 13 %
SO2 and 87 % Ar ^ 46
Figure 4.9. Photograph of the SO2 absorber with a gas flow rate of 260 ml/min
pure SO2 ^ 47
Figure 4.10. Schematic diagram of the soap bubble-meter ^ 48
Figure 4.11. Schematic diagram of the load cell ^ 49
Figure 4.12. Load cell calibration plot obtained with standard weights ^ 51
Figure 4.13. Schematic diagram of the optical system used in the photography of
the melt surface ^ 53
Figure 5.1. Gas flows in the oxidation experiments ^ 62
Figure 5.2. The reaction gas and off-gas as function of time, for the experimental
conditions of: 200 grams of Cu2S, 2 1/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar, at 1200 °C ^ 63
Figure 5.3. The final volumetric off-gas flow rate as a function of time for the
experimental conditions of : 200-grams of Cu2S, 21/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar,
at 1200 °C ^ 64
Figure 5.4. The molar sulphur and oxygen contents in the bath as a function of
time, for the experimental conditions of: 200-grams of Cu2S, 21/min of 35% 02
and 65% Ar, at 1200 °C ^ 68
Figure 5.5. Change of bath weight with time for the experimental conditions of:
200-grams of Cu2S, 2 1/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar, at 1200°C ^ 69
Figure 5.6. A gravimetric plot for the experimental conditions of : 200-grams of
Cu2S, 2 1/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar, at 1200°C ^ 71
Figure 5.7. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow
rate; for the experimental conditions of 200-gram samples, 1200 °C, average
pressure of 1.08 atm and 23 % 02 72
Figure 5.8. Sulphur removal rate as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow
Figure 5.10. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of oxygen pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min ^ 75
x
Figure 5.11. Sulphur removal rate as a function of oxygen pressure for the
Figure 5.12. Rate of weight loss as a function of oxygen pressure for the
Figure 5.13. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of temperature for the
experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23% 02 and average pressure of
1.08 atm ^ 79
Figure 5.14. Sulphur removal rate as a function of temperature for the
experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23% 02 and average pressure of
1.08 atm ^ 80
Figure 5.15. Bath weight as a function of time for the experimental conditions of:
1200 C, average pressure of 1.08 atm and 22 % 02 ^ 81
Figure 5.17. Photomicrograph of polished section of frozen melt sample, at 7 min
of reaction time (during the primary stage) ^ 86
of reaction time (during the primary stage) ^ 87
Figure 5.18. Photomicrograph of polished section of frozen melt sample, at 15
min of reaction time (1 min after the copper droplets and SO2 gas bubbles start to
form in the melt) ^ 87
min of reaction time ^ 88
min reaction time (final reaction time is 70 min) ^ 92
min reaction time (final reaction time is 70 min) ^ 94
Figure 5.26. Photomicrograph of polished section of a 99.99% Cu standard
sample ^ 94
Figure 5.27. Bath surface, at 1200 °C with top-lancing at 2 1/min of Ar ^ 95
Figure 5.28. Photograph of the bath surface at the same time of the admittance of
the reaction gas ^ 96
xi
Figure 5.29. Photograph of the surface of the bath at approximately 60 s, after the
initiation of the reaction ^ 97
Figure 5.30. Photograph of the surface at approximately 3.5 min ^ 97
Figure 5.31. Photograph of the surface of the bath at approximately 5 min ^ 98
Figure 5.32. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 21 min ^ 99
Figure 5.33. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 20 min for the
experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S, at 1200 °C, and under the top-
lancing of 21/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar ^ 99
Figure 5.34. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 10 min after
the end of reaction ^ 100
Figure 5.35. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 14.5 min,
under the top-lancing of 2 1/min of 80% 02 and 20% Ar ^ 101
Figure 5.36. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 14.5 min,
under the top-lancing of 2 1/min of 80% 02 and 20% Ar ^ 101
Figure 6.1. The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient as a function of gas flow rate
for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 1.084 atm, 3
mm inside diameter lance and 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area ^ 106
Figure 6.2. The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient vs. the partial pressure of
oxygen ^ 107
Figure 6.3. The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient vs. the inverse of temperature
for the experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23% 02 and average
pressure of 1.08 ^ 108
Figure 6.4. The Sherwood number as a function of the Reynolds number for the
top-blown conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 1.084 atm, 3 mm inside
diameter lance and 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area 110
Figure 6.5. Sh(rs I dr SC° 5 plotted against the Reynolds number for top-blown
conditions of 02-Ar/N2 onto molten Cu2S bath, at 1200-1300 °C, 1.084 atm, 0.5
Sc 0.63, 7 rsld 11, 2-3 mm inside diameter lance and 44 mm diameter of
the interfacial reaction ^ 111
Figure 6.6. Computed streamline patterns and concentration profiles at u = 200
m/sec (laminar flow) (after Taniguchi et al [48]) ^ 114
Figure 6.7. The sensitivity of the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient to the
reaction interfacial area, for the experimental conditions of 200-grams of Cu2S at
1200 °C, 3 mm inside diameter lance and 44 mm diameter of the interfacial
reaction area ^ 115
Figure 6.8. The temperature change, due to the heat of reaction, as a function of
the reaction gas flow rate ^ 117
xii
Figure 6.9. The temperature change, due to the heat of reaction, as a function of
the reaction gas oxygen content ^ 118
Figure 6.10. The sensitivity of the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient to
temperature, for the experimental conditions of 200-grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C,
20-26% 02, 3 mm inside diameter lance and 44 mm diameter of the interfacial
reaction area 120
Figure 6.11. The effect of reaction gas composition on the gas phase mass-transfer
coefficient, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S, average system
pressure of 1.09 atm, 3 mm inside diameter lance and 44 mm diameter of
interfacial reaction area ^ 121
Figure 7.1. Schematic diagram of the primary stage reaction system ^ 125
Figure 7.2. Schematic diagram of the secondary stage reaction system ^ 127
Figure 7.3. Secondary stage reaction rates ^ 127
Figure 7.4. Comparison of model predictions to measurements of the sulphur and
oxygen contents in the bath as a function of time at a constant reaction gas
composition and for the range of reaction gas flow rate of 1480-4055 ml/min ^ 148
Figure 7.5. Comparison of model predictions to measurements of sulphur and
oxygen contents in the bath as a function of time at a constant reaction gas flow
rate and for the range of reaction gas composition of 22-78% 02 ^ 149
Figure 7.6. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to bath
temperature ^ 151
Figure 7.7. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to total pressure ^ 152
Figure 7.8. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to flow rate of
admitted gas ^ 153
Figure 7.9. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to composition of
admitted gas ^ 154
Figure 7.10. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to bath surface
area ^ 155
Figure 7.11. The sulphur content as a function of the oxygen content in the bath,
showing the oxidation path of molten copper sulphide ^ 157
Figure 7.12. Selected portions of the Cu-S-0 isothermal section, showing the
oxidation path of molten Cu2S at 1200 °C and 1 atm ^ 158
Figure 7.13. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow
rate for the experimental conditions of: 200-gram samples, 1200 °C, 23 % 02 and
average pressure of 1.08 atm ^ 161
rate for the experimental conditions of: 200-gram samples, 1200 °C, 23 % 02 and
Figure 7.15. Rate of weight loss as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate
for the experimental conditions of: 200-gram samples, 1200 °C, 23 % 02 and
Figure 7.17. Percent increase in gas phase mass transfer as a function of oxygen
pressure for the experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min ^ 165
Figure 7.18. Sulphur removal rate as a function of oxygen pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1500 grams of Cu2S under the top-lancing of high
velocity jets of 02-N2 gas mixtures at 1250 °C, nozzle pressure of 5.4105 N/m2,
nozzle diameter of 1 mm, ^ 168
Figure 7.20. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of temperature for the
experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23 % 02 and average pressure of
1.08 atm ^ 171
Figure 7.21. Sulphur removal rate (dNsIdt) as a function of temperature for the
experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23 % 02 and average pressure of
1.08 atm ^ 172
Figure 7.22. Oxygen utilization as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate;
for the top-blown conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 1.08 atm, 23%
02, reaction interfacial diameter of 44 mm and lance nozzle diameter of 3 mm ^ 173
Figure A.1. Electrical circuit for the furnace power supply ^ 189
Figure A.2. Circuit design of the load cell ^ 190
Figure C.1. The viscosity of Ar-02 gas mixtures as a function of temperature, at 1
atm ^ 211
Figure C.2. The diffusion coefficients of some selected binary gas mixtures as a
function of temperature, at 1 atm ^ 213
Figure C.3. The density of Ar-02 gas mixtures as a function of temperature ^ 214
Figure D.1. The manual temperature measurement of the center of the melt; 200-
grams Cu2S, at 1200 °C ^ 215
Figure D.2. The manual temperature measurement of the gas at the same height of
the lance nozzle; 200-grams Cu2S, at 1200 °C ^ 216
Figure D.3. The gas temperature measurement at the same height of the lance
nozzle for Run No. 27, the experimental conditions of 200-grams Cu2S, at 1200
°C, 1998 ml/min of 27% 02 and 73% Ar^ 217
xiv
Figure D.4. The temperature measurement at the center of the melt for Run No.
29, the experimental conditions of 200 grams Cu2S, at 1275 °C, 1994 ml/min of
23% 02 and 77% Ar ^ 217
nozzle for Run No. 30, the experimental conditions of 200 grams Cu2S, at 1300
°C, 2000 ml/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar ^ 218
°C, 3500 ml/min of 29% 02 and 71% Ar ^ 218
°C, 2000 rnl/min of 79% 02 and 21% Ar ^ 219
nozzle for Run No. 37, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at
1200 °C, 2000 ml/min of 21% 02 and 79% N2 ^ 219
nozzle for Run No. 41, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at
1200 °C, 3500 ml/min of 24% 02 and 76% Ar ^ 220
XV
List of Tables
Table 1.1. Copper and copper-nickel smelters in Canada, 1991 ^ 3
Table 4.1. Trace analysis (wt%) of supplied copper sulphide ^ 54
Table 4.2. Impurity specification of gases in ppm ^ 56
Table 4.3. Maximum limits of impurities for the 29.0-32.0 % hydrogen peroxide
solution (supplied by BDH) ^ 56
Table 4.4. Maximum limits of impurities for the 98.0 % sodium hydroxide pellets
(supplied by BDH) ^ 57
Table A.1. Physical properties of the insulating alumina brick ^ 187
Table A.2. Chemical analysis of the insulating alumina brick ^ 187
Table A.3. Thermal conductivity as a function of mean temperature for refractory
fibrous material ^ 188
Table A.4. Approximate chemical analysis ( wt %-binder removed) for refractory
fibrous material ^ 188
Table A.5. Strain gauges manufacturer (HBM ELEKRISCHES MESSEN
MECHANISCHER GROSSEN) specifications ^ 190
Table B.1. Run No. 4, the data for the experimental conditions of: 922 ml/min of
26% 02 and 74% Ar, at 1200 °C, 1.05 atm pressure, ambient temperature of 23
°C and average final gas temperature of 23 °C ^ 191
Table B.7. Run No. 10, the data for the experimental conditions of: 2078 ml/min
of 20% 02 and 80% Ar, at 1200 °C, 1.07 atm pressure, ambient temperature of 23
xvi
Table B.9. Run No 12, the data for the experimental conditions of: 1580 ml/min
°C and average final gas temperature of 25 °C 195
xvii
of 21% 02 and 79% N2, at 1200 °C, 1.08 atm pressure, ambient temperature of
21 °C and average final gas temperature of 22 °C 205
Table B.32. The effect of volumetric flow rate of reaction gas on the reaction
rates; sample weight of 200-grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.08 atm; 22% 02
and 78% Ar; lance inside diameter of 3 mm ^ 207
Table B.33. The effect of volumetric flow rate of reaction gas on the reaction
rates; sample weight of 200-grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.08 atm; 24% 02
and 76% Ar; lance inside diameter of 3 mm ^ 207
xviii
Table B.34. The effect of reaction gas composition on the reaction rates; sample
weight of 200-grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.10 atm, 2000 ml/min; lance
inside diameter of 3 mm ^ 208
Table B.35. The effect of temperature on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200-
grams of Cu2S; at 1200°C and 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar;
lance inside diameter of 3 mm ^ 208
Table B.36. The effect of temperature on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200
grams of Cu2S; at 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 23% 02 and 77% Ar; lance inside
diameter of 3 mm ^ 209
Table B.37. The effect of bath mixing on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200-
grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar;
lance inside diameter of 3 mm (approximately 77 ml/min Ar was used to invoke
artificial mixing) ^ 209
Table B.38. The effect of carrier gas type on the reaction rates; sample weight of
200-grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 21% 02 and 79%
Ar 209
Table C.1. The critical properties of some selected gases ^ 212
xix
List of Symbols
A^cross-sectional area (m2)

a^constant
b^constant
Cs^concentration of reactants (moles/m3)
DA-B^diffusion coefficient of species A in B (m2/s)

d diameter (m)
c/c.^diameter of cavity (m)
do^diameter of orifice (m)
ds^degree of desulphurization of the melt (%) (percent sulphur removed)
Fr'^modified Froude number
G°^standard Gibbs free energy (kJ/mole)
gâcceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)

H distance from the lance nozzle to the reaction interfacial area (m)
Tic^depth of cavity (m)
initial height of the sulphide melt (m)
ll'cu2s
Kj,u^jet constant for momentum transfer

K'êquilibrium constant
k^mass transfer-coefficient (m/s)
MA^molecular weight of species A (kg/kg mole)

M.J^jet momentum (kg.m/s2), (1 g/cm.s2 = 1 dyne = 1 xl 0-5 kg.m/s2 (Newton))
m^constant in the gas phase mass transfer corelation
NA^molar quantity of substance A
° molar transfer rate of specie A (moles/s)
NA
nReêxponent of the Reynolds number

nscêxponent of the Schmidt number
nsêxponent of (dIrs)
° molar flux of species A (moles/m2.^)
nA
PA^pressure of species A (Pa), (1 atm = 101325 Pa)

XX
Ps^system pressure (Pa)

Pst^pressure due to static head (Pa)
QA^volumetric flow rate of substance A (m3/s)
Qoifôff-gas volumetric flow rate (m3/s)
Qr^reaction gas volumetric flow rate (the same as Q) (m3 Is)
Rûniversal gas constant (8.3144 YK.mole), (82.06 cm3.attn/°K.mole)
Re^Reynolds number
Rg^gas phase mass transfer resistance (s/m)

R1^liquid phase mass transfer resistance (s/m)
Rs^load cell response
r.J^radius of impacted surface (m)
r^
0 radius of orifice (m)
rs^radius of reaction surface (m)
Sc^Schmidt number
Sh^Sherwood number
T^temperature (°K)
Tg^final off-gas temperature (°K), measured at the entrance to the bubble meter
Tgas^gas temperature inside the reaction chamber (°K)
Tmelt^melt temperature inside the reaction chamber (°K)

t^time (s)
u mean velocity inside nozzle of the lance (m/s)
uc jet velocity at axis (m/s)
u0^jet velocity at orifice (m/s)
^ volume of the bath (m3)
Va^volume of absorbing solution (m3)
VNaOH^volume of NaOH titrated (m3)
Vs^volume of the sample obtained from the absorber (m3)
W^sample weight (kg)
Wga^sample weight obtained from gas analysis (kg)
Wt% A^weight percent of specie s A
Ww^sample weight obtained from gravimetric measurement (kg)
xxi
rate of weight change (kg/s)
XA^mole fraction of species A

distance from orifice (m)
Greek Symbols
the molar ratio of reacted oxygen to removed sulphur
Fs surface excess of solute s (mole/m2)
YAâctivity coefficient of species A

Ax^finite change in variable x
8 x^variation in variable x
percent increase in mass transfer (likely due to the Marangoni effect)
A^ interaction parameter of A on B
EB
Jig
^ gas viscosity (kg/m.^), (1 g/cm.s = 1 poise = 0.1 kg/m.^)
the density of the metal phase and the sulphide phase (kg/m3)
P Cu ' P CU2S
gas density (mole/m3)
Pg^
^liquid density (mole/m3)
P1
^
6 interfacial tension (Newton/m), (1 dyne/cm = lx10-7 Newton/m)
interfacial tension at the interface
^bulk interfacial tension
cri
interfacial tension at maximum of zero charge
Other Symbols
concentration of species A (moles/m3)
weight percent of species A in B
solid substance
liquid substance
gaseous substance
în liquid or ionic solution
[ 1
Superscripts
aâdmitted (for the total admitted substance such as oxygen or argon)
^
b bulk (property of the material in the bulk)
f^final (designation for the variables at the end of the secondary stage)
iînterfacial (property of the material at the interface) or initial (designation
for the variables at the beginning of reaction , t = 0)
P^primary (primary stage variables)
^ reacted (for the total reacted substance such as oxygen)
s^secondary (secondary stage variables)
u unreacted (for the total unreacted substance such as oxygen)
* transition (designation for the variables at transition from the primary stage
to the secondary stage)
Acknowledgments
For his patience, understanding and guidance, I would like to express my utmost gratitude
to my supervisor, Professor J. Keith. Brimacombe.
For their valuable discussions with me on the thermodynamics of copper sulphide melts, I
would like to thank Professor E. Peters and Dr. G. G. Richards. My gratitude is also
extended to Dr. S. Taniguchi, of Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, for the helpful
discussions I have had with him in the area of gas phase mass transfer during the early
period of this research project, and for the translations of some of the relevant issues of
his Japanese written papers that were used in the literature review.
I am indebted to Mr. P. R. Musil for his voluntary assistance in machining some parts of
the experimental apparatus and with the setup of the optical system used in the surface
photography. I would also like to thank Mr. S. Milaire, of the departmental electronic
shop, for his assistance in the setup of the electrical systems of the experimental
apparatus. The assistance of Mr. R. McLeod, of the departmental machine shop, is also
appreciated. I am also glad to acknowledge the assistance of Mrs. J. Kitchen, Mrs. M.
Jansepar, Mr. R. Bennett, Mr. E. R. Armstrong and Mr. B. N. Walker, of the Metals and
Materials Engineering Department staff.
I am greatly indebted to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of

Canada for financial support in the form of a research assistantship.
1
1. Introduction
Since ancient times copper has been the back-bone of human civilization. The word
copper originates from the Greek word "Kyprios" - the island of Cyprus, where much of
copper of ancient Mediterranean was found. The Romans called copper aes Cvprium -
"metal of Cyprus". Gradually the Roman name was changed to Cuprum. In the English
language, the word became "Copper". Today the chemical symbol for this valuable metal
is Cu, the first two letters of the Roman word. Because it occurs in the native state, much
like gold, copper was known to early man as far ago as 8000 B.C. It was about 4000 B.C.
that man learned to produce copper and bronze by the smelting of copper and tin ores in a
charcoal fire. History of the ancient civilizations indicates that copper played an
important role in shaping the past as well as the present of our world. Due to its nobility,
the ancient Egyptians gave copper their symbol for everlasting life - a circle above a cross
For the modern world, copper is still as important as ever. It was the development of
the electrical industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that caused a
dramatic increase in the demand for copper.
Although it is a classic of extractive metallurgy, the extraction of copper from its ores
remains a subject that has to be further unravelled. Because approximately 90% of the
world's primary copper originates in sulphide ores, most of the copper today is produced
by pyrometallurgical techniques. In general, the extraction of copper is carried out as
follows: concentration by froth flotation; roasting (an optional step); matte smelting (in
blast, reverberatory, electric or flash furnaces); and converting to blister copper. One of
the relatively recent advances in the extractive metallurgy of copper is the continuous
production of blister copper by combining the smelting, roasting and converting
operations in a single unit process, such as in the Worcra, Noranda, Mitsubishi and
Isasmelt processes. Most of the copper producing companies convert copper mattes, in
2
which blister copper is the ultimate product. In Canada, for example, there are a variety
of copper extraction processes employed by several companies, most of which involve
the copper converting process, as shown in Table 1.1.
In copper converting, blister copper is produced by several cycles of matte oxidation in

which the metallurgical phenomena are complex, such as heat transfer and accretion
growth at the tuyeres. These have been studied in depth but many other important aspects
of copper converting are not fully comprehended. Perhaps some of the most important
fundamental aspects of copper converting to be further understood are the
thermodynamics and kinetics of the copper-making reactions. In such fundamental
studies, the methods of studying the problem, as well as the solution to the problem itself,
are of relevance to the process of knowledge accumulation.
Aiming to explain the kinetics of the oxidation of molten copper sulphide and to explore
some fundamental principles of gas-liquid reactions, this work was launched. Mass
transfer and the effect of interfacial phenomena on the gas-liquid reactions are important
examples of these fundamental principles.
3
Table 1.1. Copper and copper-nickel smelters in Canada, 1991 (rated annual capacity is in
tonnes of concentrates); Taken from the Canadian Minerals Yearbook.
Company and Product Rated Remarks
Location Annual
Capacity
Falconbridge Copper-nickel 600,000 Fluid bed roasters and electric furnaces;
Limited, matte 1800 t/d sulphuric acid plant treats roaster
Falconbridge, gases. Matte from the smelter is refined in
Ontario Norway.
Inco Limited, Molten "blister" 500,000 Oxygen flash-smelting of copper
Sudbury, Ontario copper, nickel concentrate; converters for production of
sulphide and nickel blister copper. Roasters, reverberatory
sinter for the furnaces for smelting of nickel-copper
company's concentrate, converters for production of
refineries; nickel nickel-copper Bessemer matte.
oxide sinter for Production of matte followed by matte
market, soluble treatment, flotation, separation of copper
nickel oxide for and nickel sulphides, then by sintering to
market make sintered nickel products for copper
sulphide and conversion to blister copper
Falconbridge Molten "blister" 440,000 Mitsubishi-type smelting, separation and
Limited, Timmins, copper converting furnaces, acid plant and oxygen
Ontario plant to treat continuous copper
concentrate feed stream to yield molten
99% pure copper.
Noranda Inc. Horne Copper anodes 770,000a One continuous Noranda process reactor
smelter, Noranda, and five converters. Acid plant became
Quebec operational at end of 1989. Treats
concentrates from Noranda's mining
operations in Quebec and Ontario as well
as custom concentrates and scrap.
Noranda Inc. Gaspe Copper anodes 221,500a Green charge reverberatory furnace, two
smelter, converters, rotary anode furnace and on
Murdochville, acid plant. Treats Gaspe and custom
Quebec concentrates.
Hudson Bay Copper anodes 320,000 Five roasting furnaces, one reverberatory
Mining and furnace and three converters. Company
Smelting Co., treats its own copper concentrate as well
Limited (HBMS), as custom copper concentrates: zinc plant
Flin Flon, Manitoba residues and stockpiled zinc-plant residues
fed to reverberatory furnace. Project
under way to replace concentrate roasting
and calcine smelting with Noranda
continuous converter technology.
Source: Data provided by each company. a Concentrate and copper scrap.
4
2. Literature Review
2.1. Copper Converting
2.1.1.^History of the Copper Converter

As is the case with most metallurgical processes, implementation of new ideas for the
production of copper initially produced disappointing results. Rittinger conducted the
first experiments on the converting of copper matte in 1867, in Hungary, at the
Schmollnitz works. Others such as Kupelweisse in 1868, and Jossa and Lalitin in 1871,
used a Bessemer steel converter. The early experiments were halted as a result of tuyere
blockage due to freezing of copper as it formed. It was the success of the Bessemer
converter in steel-making that kept the work on bessmerizing the copper matte going. In
1880, Pierre Manhes and Paul David conducted their first experiments of copper
converting, in Vaucluse, France. They encountered their first success when they adopted
horizontal tuyeres instead of bottom blown tuyeres that caused the copper to freeze
among other difficulties [1]. The cylindrical shape of the converter was adopted after
realizing that in order to be able to treat different matte grades, the relative position of the
tuyeres had to be varied with respect to the bottom of the bath. The need for tuyere
punching was soon realized to be a condition for the success of the operation, when the
copper converter was put to work at the Parrot Smelter (USA). The other major problem
was the refractory lining which was consumed by the slagging process that required silica
flux for the removal of iron from the matte phase. The use of neutral refractory lining
was implemented by Peirce and Smith in 1909, in Baltimore.
The other significant developments in the Peirce-Smith converter, after 1909, were the
increase of its capacity, the improvement of its refractory lining life time and the addition
of automatic tuyere punching. Further understanding of the metallurgy of copper
converting has been gained as a result of several fundamental studies [6,8,41,45,58-67].
5
Despite the many new developments in the production of copper, such as chalcocite flash
converting and the Isasmelt process, "the case of the Peirce-Smith converter is
particularly outstanding" [61].
2.1.2.^Metallurgy of Copper Converting

Due to its energy efficiency, the definition of copper converting is simply the autogenous
process of iron and sulphur transfer from the matte to the slag and gas phases
respectively.
Depending on the matte grade, the feed to the copper converter might contain up to 40%
Fe, 25% S and 3% dissolved 0 [2]. The matte also contains minor amounts of impurity
metals (e.g. As, Bi, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn and precious metals). The whole purpose of the
converting process is the production of blister copper, that is about 98.5-99.5% Cu.
The commonly used Peirce-Smith converter is shown in Figure 2.11. Iron is removed
from matte as liquid fayalite (2FeO.Si02) slag as a result of silica fluxing during the slag
formation stage. The slag and blister copper are formed at different stages of the
converting process and they are poured separately from the converter mouth by rotating
the converter about its axis, as shown in Figure 2.1(b). The sulphur is removed as SO2
which normally is recovered and processed to by-products such as H2SO4, liquid SO2
and elemental sulphur.
lAn industrial Peirce-Smith converter is typically 4 m in diameter and 9 m long (inside shell). It
is constructed of a steel shell 40-50 mm thick, lined with 250-750 cm of burned magnesite or
chrome-magnesite brick. There are forty to fifty tuyeres, which consist of steel pipes imbedded
in the refractory and they are connected to a bustle pipe running along the vessel. The matte is
charged to the converter through a large opening (mouth), which is covered with a loose-fitting
hood during the blow to collect the resulting off-gas [2-5].
6
Ott-gas
(b)
^ ^
Charging Blowing Skimming
Figure 2.1. (a) Cutaway of a horizontal side-blown Peirce-Smith converter (Boldt and
Queneau, 1967), (b). Positions of the Pierce-Smith converter for charging, blowing, and
skimming (slag or blister copper) (Boldt and Queneau, 1967).
^
^
2.1.2.1.^The Slag-Forming Stage:

In the slag-forming stage, FeS is oxidized mainly to FeO and some Fe304 according to
Reaction (2.1).
2((FeS))maue +3(02)Air + 2(Si02)Flux = 2((Fe0 .Si02 ))slag 2(S02 )0ff_Gas^(2.1)
The silica flux is added by means of a flux gun to combine with the FeO and some of the
Fe304 as liquid slag (Figure 2.1 (a)). The slag forming-stage ends when the FeS matte
content is reduced to about 1 wt%. Due to its relatively large volume, and for the purpose
of matte addition, the slag is skimmed at various times during the slag - forming stage.
2.1.2.2.^The Copper-Making Stage:

The copper-making stage is characterized by the removal of sulfur and remaining iron,
resulting in the formation of blister copper. The literature was found to be unclear in
explaining the metallurgy of this stage. Biswas and Davenport [2] presented different and
inconsistent explanations of the metallurgical chemistry of the copper-making stage and
failed to support or reject either of the claims of King et al., 1973 [9] and Peretti, 1948
[10]. King et al. suggested that the copper formation takes place by a combination of
Reactions (2.2) and (2.3) according to the overall Reaction (2.4).
( (cu 2 s ) ) +^( ID2) = ( c u 2 0)1- ( s02 ) (2.2)
((Cu2S))+ 2(Cu20) = 6((Cu))+ (S02) (2.3)
((Cu25))+ (02) = 2((Cu))+ (SO2) (2.4)
However, Peretti indicated that the copper making-stage proceeds in two steps. The melt
is partially desulphurized until the sulphur content is lowered to about 19.4%, according
to Reaction (2.5).
8
^
( (cu,^))+ x(02). ((cu,s,_ x))+x(so,) (2.5)
During the second step, the sulphur deficient (white metal) phase is oxidized to form the
metal phase (blister copper) according to Reaction (2.4).
Rosenquist [11] indicated that the copper-making step proceeds in one distinct stage
according to Reaction (2.4). Habashi [12] suggested that the copper-making stage
proceeds according to Reactions (2.2) and (2.3) with the overall reaction being (2.4).
In view of the disagreement in the literature about the actual chemistry of the copper-
making stage, further investigation of this process is warranted.
2.2. Thermodynamics of Copper Sulphide Oxidation
Thermodynamic knowledge of the Cu-S-0 system is paramount to the understanding of

the metallurgy of copper converting and of vital importance to any related kinetic studies.
Since the birth of extractive metallurgy, the practical and fundamental aspects of the Cu-
Fe-S-0 have always been of tremendous interest to the pyrometallurgist. The literature is
apparently rich in thermodynamic studies of the Cu-Fe-S-0 system [13-26,116].
However, most of the knowledge accumulated fails to deal with the ionic nature of such a
system. The paucity of knowledge in this field is attributed to the complexity of molten
salt thermodynamics and the lack of pure fundamental research in this area.
As just stated, most thermodynamic studies on mattes, have failed to address mattes as
ionic substances and rather have dealt with them as neutral compounds that can only be
characterized as hypothetical species having no real physical existence. Very few studies
have attempted to tackle this problem in depth [24-25,116]. The literature survey on this
topic yielded no important data. For example, there has never been a high temperature
spectroscopic identification of the ionic species of molten Cu-S-0 mixtures or
measurements of their ionic activities.
9
2.2.1.^Cu-S System
The high temperature portion of the Cu-S binary, in which the composition limits are
purposely distorted to show the phase relations more clearly, is shown in Figure 2.2. The
liquid state region of this phase diagram clearly indicates the existence of only two
distinct phases with a wide miscibility gap. Liquid I (metal phase) has a finite but limited
solubility for sulphur of 0.95-1.0 wt% at the monotectic temperature of 1105°C (1378°K).
Liquid II (sulphide phase) is often called liquid Cu2S, but its composition can deviate
from exact stoichiometry. Copper sulphide melts of 20-22.19 wt% S are within the range
of single phase Cu2S. The gas phase over the Cu-S system contains (Cu), (S2) and (S).
Species such as (CuS) and (Cu2S) are negligible. The partial pressure of (Cu) is very
small over the sulphide phase and is maximum over the metal phase (1.2 x10-6 atm at
1127°C). The partial pressures of (S2) and (S) are also very small for the Cu2S exact
stoichiometry and slightly richer in copper. It is important to note that, based on this
discussion, the partial pressures of all of these species over the melt under study were
assumed to be negligible, for simplicity, in the kinetic analysis applied in the present
study.
Lumsden [24] reported one of the very few studies on the electrochemical
thermodynamics of the Fe-Cu-S-0 system. He suggested that in melts on the sulphur-rich
side of Cu25, it can be assumed that Cut, Cu2+ and Cu° are present together with S2-
anions. The calculated standard free energy of Reaction (2.6) is given by Equation (2.7).
_^
^[Cut] ^= [Cu2+1((cu,^)) + e (2.6)
^
AG° =87.7+0.012T (2.7)
Based on the Flood model [24], the free energy of the dissociation reaction of ((Cu2S)) to
Cu+ and S2- has been also calculated as given by Equation (2.8).
10
AG° =1.8-0.0015T (2.8)
Liq II
Liq I + Liq II
Liq II + Cu S (y)
(1129 °C)
(1105 °C)
(1083.4 °C)
Liq I + Cu 2S (y)
(1067 °C)
CU S (y)
2
Atom % S = 33.33
Cu(c) + Cu2S (y)
Atom % Sulphur
Figure 2.2. The Cu-S system; high temperature portion only, not to scale (after Kellogg
[15]).
2.2.2.^Cu-S-0 System
The Cu-S-0 ternary system is of great importance to the current investigation of the
oxidation kinetics of molten copper sulphide. An isothermal section at 1300°C, provided
by Elliott [20], is shown in Figure 2.3. Another isothermal section at 1200°C, appeared
in the literature [17], but it was found to be in disagreement with other equilibrium
measurements of this system [19,20]. It is very important to note that thermodynamically
11
the formation of the Cu20 phase is not possible under the conditions of copper
converting until all of the Cu2S phase is reacted completely. The other important point to
note is that the sulphide phase, as well as the metal phase, have finite solubilities of
oxygen.
Figure 2.3. The 1300 °C isotherm of the Cu-O-S system, at 1 atm, (after Elliott [20]).
12
The Cu-S-0 system can be divided into two distinct sub-systems: the copper sulphide
system (ionic melt) and the copper system (neutral metallic melt). Due to the complexity
of the thermodynamics of ionic melts, the thermodynamic behaviour of the sulphide
system has not yet been fundamentally described. For example, it is not yet possible to
carry out calculations of the equilibrium pressures of 02 and SO2 over the sulphide melt,
based on the activities of Cut, 02- and S2-.
The thermodynamic behaviour of the metallic phase has been described by Alcock [26].
The S and 0 dissolution in copper is described by Reaction (2.9) and the free energy of
formation of this reaction is given by Equation (2.10).
(S02). [S]((co) + 2[0]((co) ^ (2.9)
AG° = 68367 —37T^ (2.10)
In order to correct for the interaction of sulphur and oxygen in copper, the free energy of
mixing (given by Equation (2.11)) is subtracted from the free energy of formation of
Reaction (2.9).
^
SAG° = RT ln[yEsi((c)) •^ = 2RT(X0es°)= 4RT(XsEso) (2.11)
The oxygen and sulfur contents of the metal and sulphide phases, as functions of SO2
pressure and system temperature, have been measured by Schmiedl [19]. The
measurements have also been expressed in mathematical form, by Schmiedl, and are as
follows;
Metal Phase:
(-1.38-(1278/T))^y,
Wt 0 = 10 P so2 (2.12)
^
Wt % Cu = 10
(1098+(24IT))
(2.13)
13
Wt%S =100 — Wt%0 — Wt%Cu^ (2.14)
Sulphide Phase:
Wt 0 = 10
(-I96+(1013,7))
x P y2 so2
Wt %Cu = 79.61+0.26x1e2x T4
WaS =100— Wt%0— Wt%Cu
2.3. Gas Liquid Interactions

-
A majority of the processes relevant to the extraction and refining of metals depend on
mass transfer of the reacting species across an interface. Gas-liquid reactions can take
place in many ways, e.g. superficial contact of a gas with a liquid surface via diffusion
across a stagnant gas film, gas jets impinging on a liquid surface and gas bubbles rising
through a liquid. In order to determine the rate of reaction, the mass transfer of species
across the reaction interface must be considered. To illustrate some basic principles of
mass transfer encountered in the analysis of metallurgical systems, consider the following
hypothetical case in which an oxygen-inert gas mixture is in contact with a liquid metal
Me (e.g. Fe, Cu, Mn,..) bath.
As the gas mixture comes in contact with the liquid metal surface, the oxygen dissolves in
Me according to Reaction (2.18).
(02 ) = 2[0]ue^ (2.18)
This process proceeds according to the following steps:
1. The gas phase mass transfer of the oxygen species to the liquid metal surface.
2. The chemical reaction at the interface which can be considered to be very fast,
in most pyrometallurgical reactions.
14
3. The mass transfer of oxygen in the liquid metal phase.
Depending on the relative resistances to mass transfer in the gas and liquid phases, the
rate of oxygen dissolution in the metal is, therefore, controlled by either mass transfer in
one of the phases or simultaneously in both phases.
In order to determine the rate controlling step of the dissolution reaction, the following
analysis can be carried out:
Figure 2.4. Schematic diagram of a hypothetical case of oxygen dissolution in a liquid

metal bath Rg and R1 are the gas phase resistance and the liquid phase resistance
,
respectively.
Equilibrium at Phase Boundaries:

Because the chemical reaction is very fast and does not offer any resistance to the overall
reaction rate, equilibrium conditions must prevail at the gas-liquid interface. This implies
that the interfacial concentrations can be considered to be dictated by the thermodynamics
of Reaction (2.18). Therefore, the relationship between the interfacial partial pressure of
oxygen in the gas phase and the interfacial concentration of oxygen in the liquid phase
can be derived from the equilibrium constant of the interface reaction, as follows:
15
(2.23)
Stoichiometry:
The interface reaction dictates that the relationship between no, and no is as follows:
no = 2flo,^ (2.24)
Flux Equations:
The molar flux of 02 (n° 02) in the gas phase is given by Equation (2.19) and the molar
flux of 0 (no)in the liquid phase is given by Equation (2.21).
If the gas phase mass transfer resistance is negligible then the reaction rate is the molar
transport rate of 0 in the liquid phase, as given by the following equation:
^
= ko A [ rpt [ (2.25)
If the liquid phase mass transfer resistance is negligible, the reaction rate can be described
by the molar transport rate of 02 in the gas phase, as follows:
No =2A--
k^
. [69b2] (2.26)
RT -2^K'
In most cases of gas phase mass transfer control, the interfacial partial pressure of 02 is
negligible with respect to the bulk partial pressure of 02, and can be ignored. Therefore,
the rate expression can be described by Equation (2.27).
k0 (2.27)
o = 2 A--2- Pob
RT 2
To determine the general rate equation for mass transfer control in both phases, the
stoichiometry of the reaction is invoked as follows:
16
k0 {[O] _ [O]" =2 191- [P(b) [o]2]

]
(2.28)
RT 2 K'
Equation (2.28) can be solved for [O]i:
—RTrIc0+.11[RTKIc0]2 +8k02[RTK'ko[O]" +2K'ko,Pcb)2]

[O] = (2.29)
4k0,
Material Balance:
A molar balance on the bath yields the following:
[rate of 0 input] [rate of 0 output = 0]

[rate of 0 generation =^[rate of 0 consumption = 0] (2.30)
= rate of 0 accumulation
° d[Or
n o• A =V (2.31)
dt
Depending on the transport conditions, gas-liquid interactions can take place in different
regimes. Although the mass transfer analysis is generally similar in most processes, as
outlined above, it is the mass transfer coefficient2 that determines the transport
characteristics of the regime.
2.3.1.^Superficial Gas-Liquid Contact

Diffusion of solutes in a gas mixture through a stagnant gas film to a liquid surface is the
most obvious type of superficial gas-liquid contact. Thus the reacting species transfer to
the reaction interface driven by the concentration gradient, established by the interfacial
reaction. Diffusion through a stagnant gas film in capillary tubes and around levitated
2Depending on the transport conditions, the mass transfer coefficient can be determined from: the
film model, the surface renewal model, from empirical mass transfer correlations and/or from
measurements, (refer to J. Szekely and N. J. Themelis, Rate Phenomena in Process Metallurgy
[52]).
17
droplets, to study the kinetics of gas-liquid reactions has been adopted by several
investigators [27-33]. In cases of heterogeneous reactions involving interfacial
phenomena, e.g. interfacial turbulence or interfacial blockage, due to surface active
solutes, however, diffusion tests are difficult to interpret. Furthermore, in systems with
very fast liquid phase mass transfer, diffusion methods may create conditions of
starvation in the gas phase.
2.3.2.^Convective Gas Liquid Contact

-
Top-blown and bottom-blown jets in bath smelting are the most common metallurgical
examples of gas-liquid convective transport. A very high degree of bath mixing and high
reaction gas utilization are some of the advantages gained by adopting bottom-blown
jetting methods. On the other hand, top-blown jetting systems are advantageous with
respect to refractory wear and ease of maintenance. Due to its relevancy to the
improvement of the current bath smelting processes and to the development of new bath
smelting processes, several studies have been conducted to understand the fundamental
and practical aspects of gas injection including top-blown jets [62-67].
2.3.2.1.^Gas Jets Impinging on Liquid Surfaces

Owing to numerous advantages of top blown methods in metallurgical systems, the
principle of lancing is employed in a variety of processes such as oxygen steel making,
Worcra and Mitsubishi processes. Gas jet impingement techniques can be categorized
into three main types [41], according to their flow behaviour, as follows:
1. With low jet momentum, a classical wall jet pattern is formed including a
slight surface depression (Figure 2.5a).
2. With increased jet momentum, a shallow depression forms in the liquid

(Figure 2.5b); a splashing pattern develops.
18
3. With further increased jet momentum, much deeper penetration of the bath
takes place. Thus the penetration or re-entrant mode (Figure 2.5c) is
established.
Figure 2.5. Comparative geometry of flow modes; (1) nozzle body; (2) entrainment
region of the original jet; (3) entrainment region of the wall jet across the phase interface;
(4) stagnation point of the original jet; (5) separation point of the wall jet; (6) two-phase
exit flow, (after Molloy [411).
There have been numerous studies on the behaviour of impinging gas jets [35-43,45-
48,51-53], as a result of their high degree of relevancy to metallurgical processes.

Laboratory experiments that are carried out to study the kinetics of gas-liquid reactions,
under top-blown conditions, often employ low momentum jets, which do not stir the bath
19
appreciably or penetrate the liquid surface. Due to its relevancy to the current work, the
low momentum type of gas jetting will be the main focus of this discussion. Owing to the
difficulties encountered in the kinetic measurements of metallurgical systems under
actual operating conditions, room temperature models have been adopted by several
investigators [35-36,38,40-42,44-45,49-50,54].
2.3.2.1.1.^High Momentum Jetting Systems

One of the early models for the gas-liquid jetting systems is that of Wakelin and Lohe
[38]. The geometry of the impingement area observed by Wakelin is shown in Figure
2.5. Using air-water, CO2-water, air-mercury and CO2-mercury systems, Wakelin
investigated the effect of the jet characteristics on the size and shape of the depression
formed in the liquid, the bath circulation, and the rate of mass transfer.
Lance
Orifice
-
----",
__-- , -,_..,_
----,^
.----■ 1,-'
z---'^ z---"-
..."-"^
r—
--- \^ .„---, ------■
>^
,..—..
--.^ ---,..^ ..---
---,^,
-----.^ ,---
Figure 2.6. Model of impinging gas jet used by Wakelin (after Themelis and Szekely
[52]).
20
Wakelin correlated the measured Sherwood number to the Reynolds number as follows:
Sh= a[Re(1+ Fr')]n^ (2.32)
where the gas phase mass coefficient can be calculated as follows:
^2aDA_B d,Ki[ûudpg^p gu2^dc

kg = ^'^1+ 1 (2.33)
d,^4Hp,g^gkpi —pg)d 21-1,
The ratio of the depth to the diameter of the cavity can be determined from the following
correlation:
H, H + H2 = lquMi
(2.34)
d t d ) Ingp1d3
where 1‘1,,, is the jet constant for momentum transfer, defined as:
KJ,. = 14eY (2.35)

ur
Experimental measurements using the above models yielded K1 ^15 [52] and 12.5 [35].
Mass transfer correlations for an air jet impinging on water gave 6.57 and 0.43 for a and n
respectively3.
This model provided a basis for experimentally obtaining empirical correlations that can
be used to estimate the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient for high momentum jetting
systems. The correlation obtained from the air-water system measurements which were
conducted using high momentum jets of 8000 dynes, cannot be used in the calculation of
the gas phase mass transfer coefficients of the system under study. In the present work,
low momentum jets of approximately 3-25 dynes were applied. The extrapolation of this
correlation, to calculate the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient for the conditions of jet
3A plot of Sh Vs Re(1+ K Fr) was provided for the mass transfer correlation for an air jet
impinging on water [52]. The data were extracted from the graph and were used in the
calculation of a and n, via regression analysis.
21
momentum of one to two orders of magnitude below its range would result in
considerable error.
2.3.2.1.2.^Low Momentum Jetting Systems

In order to obtain valid kinetic measurements of gas-liquid reactions, starvation
conditions of both reactants must be avoided. In the case of crucible-type laboratory
tests, for the investigation of process kinetics, a sufficient amount of reactant gas must be
delivered to the reaction interface, in order for the measurements to be valid. For a
certain bath volume, the limiting gas flow rate of non-starvation conditions must be
determined from preliminary tests4. In studying the kinetics of gas-liquid reactions, for
experimental simplicity and higher accuracy of measurement, the use of low momentum
jetting in such experiments has been adopted by several investigators [45-49,55-57].
Kikuchi et al. conducted several studies on top-blown lancing systems [45-48]. Their
studies included room temperature and high temperature measurements of mass transfer
as well as numerical simulations of crucible-type top lancing systems. Room temperature
measurements of reaction rates of systems under conditions of gas phase mass transfer
control yielded the formulation of several empirical correlations for the gas phase mass
transfer coefficient. Room temperature experiments included: sublimation of naphthalene
into a nitrogen stream; evaporation of pure liquid (toluene, water, and acetic acid were
used respectively) into a nitrogen stream; absorption of ammonia from an ammonia-
nitrogen stream into water. For the latter system the gas phase mass transfer coefficient
(kg ) was evaluated by eliminating the liquid phase mass transfer resistance. Figure (2.7)
shows a summary of the experimental results. The reaction rate measurements permitted
the correlation of the Sherwood number to the ratio of the radius of the reaction area and
4The limiting gas flow rate of non-starvation conditions in the gas phase is the gas flow rate at
which the reaction gas utilization is 100%.
22
3 I
40 Experimental (a)
correlation
Sh=m(rs/d)1 ReQ-66Scas
1 m=0401-013
Re=13-1500
I-, = 1 -6- 5, H/d =0.4-30_,4(
c1,(0.47-1-26)xl0-2^--
m
Key System
• naphthalene -N2
o toluene ---N 2
• acetic acid -N2
- 0 Calculated values o water- N2
at Re= 133, rs/d =1-5 ED water- N2' NH3
I Hid =015
Q05 01 0-5^1 5 10
Sc
50
(b)
@ Graphite -0O2-00 system(•)
Sh=(0-32±0_06)(.icrs'e-.Rr
rs/d=1-4-3-1, 1-1/d =1-5-63
Sc = 057-0-93, d =(0_6-1-3)x10-2rn
0 Liquid iron -0O2-00

system0)
Sh=(0-27-0.05)(1ci) -^Re°6
1 rs/d =1-4-2-9 , Hid =0-8-1-5-
Sc =057-0-9,c1,(0.66-1-3)x10-2m
0-5 - I
1 5 10 50 100 500 1000
Re
Figure 2.7. (a) Mass-transfer coefficient in gas phase at room temperature, (b) Mass-
transfer coefficient in gas phase at elevated temperatures, (after Kikuchi et al. [481).
23
the inside diameter of the lance, the Reynolds number, and the Schmidt number, as
follows:
Sh = (0.40 ± 0.1 3)(r /d)'Re"6 Scm^ (2.36)
Elevated temperature experiments included: the oxidation of graphite by CO2-CO gas

mixtures and the decarburization of liquid iron by a CO2-CO gas mixture. The
measurements yielded the following correlations:
15 Re 0.66sc0.5 ^
Sh = (0.32 ± 0.06)(r; /d) (2.37)
Sh = (0.27 ± 0.05)(rs/d) 5 Re°36SC"^ (2.38)
In determining the rate controlling mechanism of a gas-liquid reaction, the above

correlations can be used as a tool in the analysis of rate measurements. The above
correlations indicate that for a gas-liquid reaction rate to be controlled by gas phase mass
transfer, the relationship between the reaction rate and the gas flow rate (or Re), must
yield an exponent of the gas flow rate (or Re) of approximately 0.66-0.76.
2.4. Oxidation Kinetic Studies
In the past twenty-five years, fundamental research involving experimental measurements

of the oxidation kinetics of metals and mattes has gained attention from metallurgical
investigators [7,27-32,34,51,53,56-57,69-77]. Because the understanding of the
oxidation kinetics of copper sulphide is paramount to the overall comprehension of the
metallurgy of copper converting, many studies have been conducted [7,27,30-31,57,68-
77].
In order to study the kinetics of copper converting, Ashman et al. [7] constructed a
mathematical model of the bubble formation at the tuyeres of a copper converter. Their
kinetic studies suggested that the copper converter operation is gas-phase mass transfer
limited.
24
Toguri and Ajersch [27] measured the weight change of molten samples of copper
sulphide, during oxidation by Ar-02 gas mixtures, in capillary tubes. Their results
indicated that the oxidation reaction of copper sulphide proceeds in two stages. The first
stage is an unsteady state period in which the loss of sulphur from the melt, in the form of
SO2, takes place. This loss of sulphur continues until the composition of the melt reaches
the miscibility gap after which the melt loses weight at a constant rate (according to
Reaction (2.4)) until the sulphide phase disappears. Their conclusion was that the rate of
reaction is limited by gas diffusion.
Rottmann and Wuth [71] studied the kinetics of copper matte conversion, under top-
blown conditions involving a subsonic N2-02 gas jet. Their experimental approach
consisted of the measurement of the bath weight as well as off-gas analysis. Their results
confirmed that the oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide proceeds in two kinetic
stages. In the first stage, the bath is desulphurized and oxygen saturated (at about 0.6
wt%); In the second stage, the bath is oxidized by both the dissolved oxygen and
incoming oxygen, according to Reaction (2.4). Their conclusion was that the reaction is
driven by the gas diffusion through the gas boundary layer adjacent to the melt surface.
However, according to the results of numerical analysis of the gas phase mass transfer of
top-blown systems [47], the existence of a boundary layer is highly questionable. The
analysis of Rottmann and Wuth, however, did not explain the different reactions that take
place in the two stages.
The experiments of Jalkanen [57] consisted of the gravimetric measurement of 3- to 7-

gram samples of copper sulphide under top-blown conditions of N2-02 gas mixtures.
The experimental results confirm that the oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide
takes place in two stages. Jalkanen claims that the first stage corresponds to the
saturation of the melt by oxygen and copper according to Reactions (2.39) and (2.40)
respectively.
25
^
[s] + 3/2(02 ) = [ 0]+ (s02) (2.39)
^
[ 5]+ ( 02 ) = ( s02 ) (2.40)
When the copper sulphide melt is saturated by both oxygen and copper, the conversion of
copper sulphide into metallic copper (the second stage) takes place according to Reaction
(2.41).
[Cu2„5]-1-(02)= (2 + A)(Cu))+ (SA) (2.41)
Jalkanen suggested that Reaction (2.41) may take place in several steps:
• oxygen adsorption into the melt surface according to following reaction:
(02) = 2[0] ads (2.42)
• formation of an intermediate activated complex as follows:
[S]+[0] = [50]^ (2.43)
• formation and desorption of sulphur dioxide as follows:

^
[0] +[so] = (so2) (2.44)
Jalkanen concluded that both mass transfer in the gas phase and the kinetics of Reaction
(2.44) control the overall rate of copper sulphide oxidation.
Thus all of the above studies agree that the rate controlling mechanism of the oxidation
reaction of molten copper sulphide is gas phase mass transfer but they did not underpin
their findings with a mathematical analysis. Nor did they explain the mechanism by
which blister copper is made.
In studying the kinetics of gas-liquid reactions, the effects of reaction gas flow rate and
reaction gas composition on the reaction rates must be determined. In order for the
reaction rate to be controlled by the gas phase mass transfer of oxygen to the melt surface,
the following principal conditions must be satisfied:
26
1. The rate of oxygen reaction must be proportional to the oxygen bulk partial
pressure, as described by the following equation:
.^ko A
N o, = 2 Pob (2.45)
RT 2
2. The gas phase mass transfer coefficient and the reaction gas flow rate must
have a relationship as follows:
^
ko, = aQn (2.46)
, where a and n are constants. For top-blown jetting systems, n should have a
value of approximately 0.6-0.8.
3. The reaction rate must not have a strong dependence on the reaction
temperature
4. The rate of oxygen reaction must be independent of the concentrations of
oxygen and any other reacting species in the bath.
2.5. Interfacial Phenomena
In describing the physical and chemical properties of a given phase, it must be recognized
that the surface properties differ from those of the bulk. The interface between two
interacting phases is not to be regarded as a simple geometrical plane, upon either side of
which extend the interacting phases, but rather a complex part of the whole arrangement.
In studying heterogeneous reaction systems, the consideration of interfacial effects is
paramount to ensure the validity of the established results [55-56,80-104]. Depending on
the reaction system, interfacial phenomena can have negative or positive effects on
reaction rates [99]. Non-reacting surface-active solutes may cause a decrease of reaction
rates by preventing the reactant species from transferring to the interface [56,84,99-102].
On the other hand, in some systems, surface tension-driven flows may enhance mass
transfer by orders of magnitude [56].
27
2.5.1.^Generation of Spontaneous Interfacial Motion

2.5.1.1.^Driving Force
In some systems, it is known, that the surface tension is a strong function of surface-
active solute concentration, electrical potential and/or temperature [83]. In liquid metal
systems, surface-active solutes can either lower or raise the interfacial tension, as shown
in Figure 2.8.
a
Cb
s
Solute Concentration
cs^Csb
Em
(-)Potential
(+)Potential
Figure 2.8. Type of adsorption at liquid-metal interfaces: (a), positive adsorption; (b)
negative adsorption; (c), electrocapillary behaviour (after Brimacombe [83]).
28
The dependence of surface tension on the solute concentration is described by Equation
(2.47), which is obtained from the Gibbs adsorption equation [83,86].
(a:5^RT (2.47)
= —Fs
acs.lp Cs
When two reacting phases are brought into contact, concentration gradients of surface-
active solutes, along their interface, are established. Resulting interfacial tension
gradients may cause the interface to move toward the region of high interfacial tension.
In the case of oxygen and sulphur in copper, it is clear that positive adsorption is
expected, as shown in Figures 2.9 and 2.10.
1300
-
E 1200 -0-- 1300•C
1230°C
115 0°C
1100
0
(I)
z 1 000
4-
< 900
(f)
800
1^fÎ
•^ X
0_04 0.08 0.12 0_16 020 0.3fi 0.38 0.40
[0] ( w 1 5)
Figure 2.9. Effect of oxygen on the surface tension of liquid copper, (after Monma [87]).
29
1•101.- FRACTIOt4 . OF C-u,S

0 2 4^6 8 10 t2 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 x10
1Z.'90 ^
1200
A--- 1340°C
A --- 1300°C
1000 ^ 1200°C
1114•C
900 ^ BASES AND KELLOGG,1120 C
;
)
800
700
< 600
500
(i)
400
0 OA a2 0_3 0.4 05 0.6 02 0.8 OS 10 1.2 1.3 17.6
S^(wt 94.)-
Figure 2.10. Effect of sulphur on the surface tension of liquid copper, (after Monma
[87]).
It is very clear that the sulphur and oxygen have strong effects on the surface tension of
molten copper. This is a strong indication that when investigating the oxidation kinetics
of molten copper sulphide, the interfacial effects must not be ignored.
2.5.1.2.^Mechanism
Due to non-uniform mass transfer, in real systems, gradients of a surface-active solute
along an interface are expected. In stirred systems these events can occur on a micro-
scale by the essentially random penetration of eddies from the bulk of a fluid phase to an
interface. Spontaneous motion may develop as a result of the concentration differences of
the penetrating eddy and its surroundings, as shown in Figure 2.11.

30
Figure 2.11. Interfacial motion generated on micro-scale due to eddy penetration (after
Brimacombe [83]).
Also macro-scale non-uniform mass transfer of surface-active solute can generate
interfacial turbulence at the mass transfer interface. A hypothetical example of macro-
scale interfacial motion is the case of a solid Cu2S piece partially immersed in molten
copper, as shown in Figure 2.12. In this case, surface motion away from the solid Cu2S
is spontaneously generated. The experiments of Barton and Brimacombe indicated that
interfacial turbulence is generated during the dissolution of solid Cu2S in molten copper
[85].
Figure 2.12. Interfacial motion generated on macro-scale by presence of partially

immersed piece of Cu2S in molten copper.
31
As show in Figure 2.13, the effect of oxygen is expected to be similar to that of sulphur.
The experiments of Barton and Brimacombe also indicated that interfacial turbulence can
enhance the liquid phase mass transfer coefficient by at least one order of magnitude
during the absorption of oxygen by liquid copper [56]. In those experiments Ar-02 gas
mixtures were top blown onto molten copper baths. Measurements of surface velocity
and of oxygen concentration in the bath were conducted to determine the effect of surface
tension-driven flows on the kinetics of oxygen absorption by liquid copper. A copper
oxide patch was observed beneath the oxygen lance, and the surface spreads rapidly
outward as shown in Figure 2.13. Spreading of the copper surface in the presence of
copper oxide can be described by the initial spreading coefficient, as follow:
S^ Cu - (a oxide ± a oxidelCu) (2.48)
0
2
V
Oxygen lance Copper oxide patch
Oxide
6 Cu^
^ Cu
6 Oxide/Cu
Liquid Copper
Figure 2.13. Mechanism of copper oxide patch spreading on the liquid copper surface,
(surface spreads if act, cFOxide ± CulOxtcle)•
Having reviewed the practical implications of the effects of oxygen and sulphur on the
surface tension of liquid copper, separately, it becomes very clear that their simultaneous
effect is of a very similar nature. Thus, when investigating the oxidation kinetics of
molten copper sulphide, the effect of surface-tension driven flows must be considered.
32
3. Objectives and Scope
The understanding of the oxidation kinetics of molten copper sulphide is highly important
to the overall understanding of copper converting. The high oxygen utilization of the
copper converter and the findings of earlier studies indicate that the rate controlling
mechanism of the oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide is gas phase mass
transfer. There are, however, fundamental discrepancies with respect to the chemistry of
the copper-making stage. Earlier studies indicated that the oxidation of molten copper
sulphide takes place in two stages. The measurements of Rottmann and Wuth [71]
indicated that the ratio of the moles of reacted oxygen to the moles of evolved sulphur
dioxide are greater than unity during the primary stage and less than unity (approximately
0.9) during the secondary stage. Therefore, it is clear that neither Reaction (2.4) nor
Reaction (2.5) can be the reactions during the primary stage. According to the
stoichiometry of Reaction (2.2), the ratio of oxygen to sulphur dioxide is 3/2. This may
suggest that Reaction (2.2) is the primary reaction; however; the thermodynamics of this
system indicates that the formation of Cu20 is not possible before the total oxidation of
Cu2S. Furthermore, the formation of solid Cu20 results in surface blockage and likely
cessation of the oxidation reaction. Therefore Reaction (2.2) is not the secondary copper-
making reaction, as claimed by all of the investigators. It also is clear that treating this
system as an aggregate of neutral compounds results in a fundamental dilemma in
characterizing the form of the dissolved oxygen5: it is well known that sulphide melts are
ionic in nature [24-25,115]. Therefore, in order to correctly deduce the chemical
reactions that take place during the copper-making stage, the electrochemical treatment of
this system must be adopted rather than the conventional (neutral compounds) treatment
adopted by previous investigators.
5Since the ratio of the moles of reacted 02 to the moles of evolved SO2 is greater than one, some
of the oxygen must dissolve in the melt.
33
Although all of the previous investigators have concluded that the rate controlling
mechanism of the oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide is gas phase mass
transfer, Jalkanen [57] has suggested that the rate of chemical reaction may be rate
limiting as well. None of the experimental studies provided any results of the reaction
gas flow rate effect on the reaction rates. Perhaps this has not been possible in
experiments involving small bath size (3-7 grams [57]) and in the case of diffusion testes
(0.1-0.15 grams [27]). As explained in Section 2.4, in studying the kinetics of gas-liquid
reactions, it is vital that the effect of reaction gas flow rate be determined.
Earlier studies revealed that the effect of interfacial phenomena in copper baths must be
considered when investigating gas-liquid or solid-liquid reaction kinetics. It has been
established that surface tension-driven flows have a profound effect on the kinetics of
oxygen absorption by molten copper. The effect of interfacial phenomena on the
oxidation kinetics of liquid mattes has not been investigated yet. In the light of this
discussion, the objectives of the present work can be outlined as follows:
1. To elucidate further the rate controlling mechanism of the oxidation reaction
of molten copper sulphide.
2. To investigate the role of spontaneous interfacial motion in the oxidation

reaction of molten copper sulphide.
3. To formulate a mathematical model that can provide the fundamental evidence

in support of the experimental findings.
4. To extend the understanding of the oxidation kinetics of molten copper

sulphide to the copper-making stage in the Peirce-Smith converter.
34
3.1. Experimental Objectives
In order to determine the rate controlling mechanism of the oxidation reaction of molten
copper sulphide, the following experimental objectives were pursued:
1. A series of laboratory tests was conducted to determine the rates of reactions

of molten copper sulphide baths.
2. With the reaction gas composition, the melt volume, and the reaction
temperature fixed, a series of tests was carried out for a gas flow rate range of
1-4 1/min.
3. Fixing all other variables, a series of tests was conducted for a reaction gas
composition in the range of 20-80% 02.
4. Similarly with respect to bath temperature, reaction rates at 1200-1300 °C

were determined.
5. To investigate the role of liquid phase mass transfer resistance in the oxidation
kinetics, an artificially invoked mixing test was conducted in which the
bubbling of argon gas in the bath during oxidation was adopted.
6. In order to determine the effect of surface tension-driven flows on the reaction

kinetics, photography and direct observations of the melt surface were carried
out.
7. Microscopic examinations of frozen melt samples, at pre-defined reaction

conditions, were undertaken to aid in the analysis of the reaction rate results.
35
3.2. Theoretical Objectives
In order to confirm the findings of this work, a mathematical model was formulated and
validated against the experimental results. Based exclusively on gas phase mass transfer
and the electrochemical behaviour of the melt, the model was constructed to achieve the
following objectives:
1. To predict, within an acceptable degree of error, the measured bath sulphur

and oxygen molar contents for the two stages and their time durations.
2. To predict, within a reasonable margin of error, the molar reaction rates of the
sulphur and oxygen as functions of reaction gas flow rate, reaction gas
composition and bath temperature.
Based on the model predictions, the reason for the existence of two stages rather than one
was determined, and the rate controlling mechanism of the oxidation reaction of molten
copper sulphide was confirmed. The electrochemical reactions that take place during the
two stages were inferred.
36
4. Experimental
4.1. Experimental Apparatus
In order to achieve the experimental objectives, the experimental equipment was designed
and built for use in all of the laboratory tests. The equipment consisted of: a reactor, gas
drying and control system, gas analysis system, gravimetric measurement system
equipped with a data acquisition system, and the melt surface photography system.
4.1.1.^Reactor
The reactor, shown in Figure 4.1, consisted of a vertical tube resistance furnace, with a
reaction tube, heating elements and layers of insulation contained in a steel frame. In the
core of the reactor, an alumina 6 reaction tube, with dimensions of 57 mm inside diameter,
64 mm outside diameter and 762 mm length, was located. Water-cooled brass couplings
were used for the support and mounting of the reaction tube to the steel frame. Vacuum
greased fluorocarbon 0-rings were used to seal the reaction tube to the brass couplings 7 .
Insulating alumina bricks were used for the inner portion of the insulation, immediate to
the heating elements, and firebricks were used for the outer portion, between the
insulating alumina brick layer and the steel frame 8 . Porcelain wool was used to fill the
gaps between the bricks.
Four 2-shank KANTHAL SUPER heating elements were carefully mounted around the
reaction tube and connected in series. The heating elements were connected to a 5 kW
power-supply 9 . Using this set-up, approximately 40 mm of ±0 °C hot zone was obtained.
6 99.7% recrystallized alumina was used in all of the reactor components that are within and
including the reaction tube.
7 To prevent the corrosion of the inside surface of the brass coupling, due to the long term
exposure to SO2, the inside surface of the brass coupling was vacuum greased.
8 Reactor insulating materials properties are provided in Appendix A.
9 For more details about the electrical circuit of the power-supply, refer to Figure A.1 in
Appendix A.
37
Figure 4.1. Cross-sectional view of the reactor.

38
To maintain constant electrical conductivity of the electrical connectors of the heating

elements, two electric fans were used to cool the exposed portions of the heating
elements.
Approximately 200-gram samples of molten copper sulphide were held in cylindrical, flat
bottom, alumina crucibles of approximately 44 mm inside diameter, 50 mm outside
diameter and 75 mm height. The crucible supporting post, shown in Figure 4.2, consisted
of a closed end alumina tube (6 mm I.D., 10 mm O.D. and 450 mm long) attached to an
alumina disc (40 mm in Dia and 3 mm thick), with high temperature ceramic cement.
Figure 4.2. Sectional view of the bottom of the reaction tube, including the crucible
supporting system. Note that the scale is offset to show the rubber diaphragm sealing
arrangement.
39
A thin sheet of porcelain wool was used as an insulator between the bottom of the
crucible and the alumina disci°.
The bottom of the reaction tube consisted of a brass plate with a port for the crucible
supporting post. For safety reasons and for the purpose of analyzing the off-gas, the
system had to be very tightly sealed. A neoprene diaphragm arrangement was used to
seal the bottom of the reactor, as shown in Figure 4.2.
The top of the reaction tube, shown in Figure 4.3, consisted of ports for the lance, the
auxiliary tube and the thermocouple sheet, the off-gas outlet pipe, and two viewing ports.
The alumina tubes were fitted and sealed in the ports by 0-rings. Due to the
condensation of water vapor on the lower surface of the viewing port, the ability to clean
the surface easily without allowing a large amount of gas to escape, required the viewing
ports to be equipped with shutters, as shown in Figure 4.3. The off-gas outlet pipe,
permanently attached to the top of the reaction tube, consisted of a copper pipe of 6 mm
inside diameter, 8 mm outside diameter, and 400 mm length.
10Due to the release of the heat of fusion of the solidifying bath, during the withdrawal of the
crucible, the alumina disc was susceptible to cracking as a result of its low thermal shock
resistance.
40
Plan View
Socket-Head
Set Screw
Polypropylene 0-Ring Viewing Port Shutter
Fluorocarbon
/
(^,^
I
Quartz Disc
0-Ring
I I^ I
1^ 103 mm
Top View Brass Plate

Thermocouple
Off-Gas Pipe Port
Lance
Viewing, Port
Photographing
and Sampling
Port
Auxiliary Tube
Port
Figure 4.3. Schematic diagram of the top of the reaction tube.

41
4.1.2.^Gas Drying And Control System
To control the gas flow rate and composition, and to reduce its moisture contentil, the gas
control and drying system, shown in Figure 4.4, consisted of gas drying columns,
rotameters, pressure gauge, mercury manometer and thermometer. Polyflow lines were
used to connect the components of the gas control and drying system.
35\ To Lance
-
To Auxiliary
Tube
gi9 Pressure
^ Gauge Calibration and
-
Exhaust Gas Line
Option
0 Optional
Rotameter Rotameters
SO Supply
2
Mercury
Manometer
Plexiglas Columns
Ar/O2
60 mm ID, 70 mm OD,
Supply 300 mm H
r'
Silica Gel^02 Supply Calcium Sulphate
Figure 4.4. Schematic diagram of the gas train (not to scale).
4.1.3.^Gas Analysis System
Manual measurements of the reaction rates were conducted by the use of an SO2 gas
absorber and a soap bubble meter. Due to its simplicity, the manual measurement system
was found to be very reliable and more accurate than gravimetric measurement.
However, gravimetric measurement was found to provide a general support to the manual
11Water vapor, in the reaction gas, condenses on the inner surface of the quartz discs and
prevents surface observations.
42
measurement. The gas analysis consisted of the determination of the amount of sulphur
removed from the bath by the use of the SO2 absorber and of the amount of unreacted
oxygen using a soap bubble meter.
4.1.3.1.^SO2 Absorber
The SO2 gas absorber consisted of approximately 3 liters of 5 % H202 solution
vigorously mixed in a Plexiglas column, as shown in Figure 4.5.
Figure 4.5. Schematic diagram of the off-gas analysis system, not including the soap
bubble meter.
43
In order to reduce the temperature of the off-gas before introducing it to the absorber, it
was passed through a 300 mm long water-cooled copper jacket, as shown in Figure 4.5.
To determine the amount of SO2 absorbed, a sampling port with a rubber stopper was
constructed in the master rubber stopper of the absorber. Using a 5-ml pipet, samples
were extracted through the sampling port, at specific intervals of reaction time. During
the time of the final gas flow rate measurement, using the soap bubble meter, the
sampling port was sealed to prevent escape of the final off-gas. Due to the high aspect
ratio of the absorber, vigorous mixing of the solution had to be ensured for the extraction
of representative samples. In order to achieve simultaneous mixing and sealing of the
absorber, the stirrer shaft had to be sealed to the rubber stopper port as shown in Figure
4.6.
Figure 4.6. Schematic diagram of the absorber rubber stopper (not to scale).
Once the bubbles come in contact with the hydrogen peroxide solution, the SO2 is
absorbed from the bulk gas according to the following reaction:
[H202] + (SO2) = [1-12SO41^ (4.1)

44
To ensure high SO2 absorption efficiency, vigorous mixing, a high aspect ratio of 6 and a
sufficient amount of the 5% H202 solution were adopted. It is well known that the rate
of Reaction (4.1) is very fast [44]. Hence, in such a system, the rate must be bubble
volume limited i.e. the smaller the average bubble size, the higher is the absorption
efficiency. Vigorous mixing of the solution and the introduction of the gas at the wall of
the absorber caused the gas bubbles to disintegrate to a small size and to be retained in
the region of the propeller, as shown in Figures 4.5 and 4.8, thereby increasing their
retention time and ensuring complete absorption of the SO2. The high aspect ratio was
also important in achieving the high absorption efficiency.
The total possible amount of SO2 that might be evolved from the oxidation of 200 grams
of Cu2S is approximately 1.257 moles. Therefore, according to Reaction (4.1), the
corresponding amount of H202 required is also 1.257 moles. However, to ensure
complete SO2 absorption, 3 liters of 5% H202 solution system was utilized i.e.
approximately 4.4 moles of H202.
To determine the amount of SO2 absorbed, the samples were titrated with 0.1 N NaOH
standard solution, according to Reaction (4.2). Thus the moles of SO2 were calculated,
accordingly, from Equation (4.3).
[H2SO41+ 2[Na011]=[Na2SO4]+2((H20)) (4.2)
AT =V
NaOH N NaOH v (4.3)
S02
217,
''
To test the absorber performance, an Ar-S02 gas mixture was admitted at a constant flow
rate and composition for approximately 60 minutes. Samples were obtained at pre-
defined intervals of time and the amount of SO2 absorbed was determined by acid-base
titration. The measured absorbed SO2 was found to be in agreement with the admitted
amount as shown by Figure 4.7.
45
Figure 4.7. Plot of the amount of SO2 absorbed as a function of time for a test of 2 1/min
of 13 % SO2 and 87% Ar at 23 °C.
The absorber performance was also tested by admitting approximately 260 ml/min of
pure SO2 The gas flow rate from the absorber was found to be approximately 0 ml/min.
The gas bubbles were observed to diminish in size as they traveled upward to the solution
surface, as shown in Figure 4.9.
46
11111111111114
Figure 4.8. Photograph of the SO2 absorber with a gas flow rate of 21/min, 13 % SO2
and 87 % Ar. Note the vigorous mixing attained by the design of the absorber.
47
Figure 4.9. Photograph of the SO2 absorber with a gas flow rate of 260 ml/min pure SO2.
To determine the validity of the kinetic measurements, the following calibration

procedure was performed both before and after each run:
1. An Ar-S02 gas mixture with a gas flow rate and composition close to that of
the expected off-gas (assuming 100 % oxygen utilization), was admitted for a
period of 10 min.
48
2. A sample was obtained and the amount of SO2 absorbed was determined by
titration and compared to the admitted amount.
3. The final off-gas flow rate was measured by the soap bubble meter and
compared to the above results.
4. The final off-gas was tested by smell to detect any residual SO2.
5. If the above results were found to be consistent and the absorber efficiency
was found to be very close to 100 %, the results of the respective run were
accepted12.
4.1.3.2. Final Off-Gas Flow Rate Measurement

In order to determine the final off-gas flow rate accurately, an appropriate size of the soap
bubble meter was selected, for the given reaction conditions. Using a stop watch, the
time that a soap bubble takes to travel over a certain height of the graduated cylinder was
determined. To determine the gas flow rate, the volume was divided by the measured
time.
Graduated Glass Tube

Final Off-Gas From Sulphur
Dioxide Absorber
Copper Pipe (heat exchanger)
6 4 mm inside diameter,
7.9 mm outside diameter
Digital Piercing Thermometer ^
and 1 m long
Rubber Bulb For

Rubber Hose
Injecting Soap Bubble;—\
Retort Stand
Figure 4.10. Schematic diagram of the soap bubble meter.
12Due to the low percentage of rejection, approximately 3% for the entire program, the SO2
absorber was considered to be very effective.
49
To ensure accurate measurements, graduated tubes that resulted in relatively low bubble
velocities, of approximately 20-50 mm/sec, were used. Depending on the expected final
off-gas flow rate, the size of the soap bubble meter was selected. For final off-gas flow
rates of 2 1/min, a 500-ml graduated tube was selected and for the measurement of final
off-gas flow rates of < 2 1/min, a 250-ml graduated tube was used.
4.1.4.^Gravimetric Measurement System

In order to obtain automatic measurement of the bath weight, a gravimetric measurement
system, consisting of weighing and recording devices, was custom assembled from a load
cell and a data acquisition system.
The load cell consisted of a cantilever beam that was made of a 3x19x120 mm steel bar,
four temperature compensated strain gauges and strain gauge signal conditioner,
assembled as shown below.
Crucible Supporting Post
Fixed End
Upper Strain To Data Acquisition
Gauges System
/1
Daytronic Strain
Gauge Signal
Pre-Marked Conditioner
Free End // Model 601B
Lower Strain
Steel Bar Fixed End
Gauges
Bracket
Figure 4.11. Schematic diagram of the load cell".
13For more details about the electric circuit and the components of the load cell, refer to
Appendix A.
50
The data acquisition system was comprised of a 286 IBM PC equipped with CIO-ADO8
data acquisition board with a total of 32 channels, data acquisition program and a
spreadsheet program.
The crucible supporting post was placed on the pre-marked free end of the cantilever
beam, as shown in Figure 4.11. The fixed end of the cantilever beam was attached to the
support frame by means of the fixed end brackets such that the beam could swing to the
side to permit removal of the crucible at the end of a run.
As mentioned earlier, the gravimetric measurement was found to be less reliable than the
manual gas analysis to characterize the reaction rate. This is due to the fact that when
placing the alumina post on the load cell, it was difficult to determine whether it was
completely free 14 . It was only after 10 minutes of the reaction time that the visual display
of the gravimetric measurement on the PC screen, indicated if the measurement was
successful. The gravimetric measurement, therefore, was used only as a general check on
the validity of the results of the manual gas analysis. The rate of bath weight change was
exclusively used in comparing the gas analysis results to the gravimetric measurement
results. The overall rate of bath weight change was obtained by performing linear
regression of the bath weight with time. Statistically, the validity of this regression was
dependent on the number of data collected over relatively long periods of time. This was
often possible during the secondary stage only. In most of the runs, during the primary
stage, it was not possible to obtain reliable results.
14 Success of the measurements was contingent upon the crucible being concentric with respect to
the reaction tube. On occasion, however this was difficult to accomplish because of the nature of
the crucible supporting post. Due to manufacturing defects, the alumina tubes, used in making
the crucible supporting posts were often warped at the bottom (in the vicinity of the bottom of
the reaction tube). Because the gravimetric measurement system was added to the apparatus at a
later stage of the experimental program, it was not possible to modify some key components of
the apparatus to eliminate all of the problems associated with the gravimetric measurement
system. For a newly designed apparatus, however, the elimination of these problems can be
achieved.
51
Standard weights were used in the calibration of the load cell before and after each run.
An average equation for the relationship of the weight and the load cell reading was
obtained to convert the load cell response to weight measurement. As the relationship
between the weight and load cell reading is linear, as shown by Figure 4.12, a typical
equation for the best line can be calculated as follows:
W= 87+82R, (4.4)
Line
o Initial
A
Final
^ ^ ^ ^
0 10 0 200^300 400 500
Weight (grams)
Figure 4.12. Load cell calibration plot obtained with standard weights.
The load cell response, during the reaction time, was recorded by the data acquisition
system and stored in a spreadsheet. The millivolt readings were converted by the
calibration equation of the respective run.
52
Constant load cell reading for a period of time or permanently until the end of a run was
observed to take place during some experiments. This indicated that due to some
mechanical interference in the weighing system, the load cell was not measuring the full
weight. Then depending on how long this interference took place, the measurement was
either completely discarded or the straight line segments were used to calculate an
average value for the rate of weight change. Due to the stabilization process that the
system undergoes, as a result of the internal pressure change '5 at the beginning of the
reaction, the measurements that were obtained during the first minute were discarded.
For the secondary stage, reading for at least 10 minutes was taken as a valid
measurement. To determine the validity of the measurement and its time domain the
sample weight was plotted against time and examined visually. Using the least squares
method [105], linear equations for weight as a function of time, were calculated for the
linear portions of the measurement. To determine the rate of weight change, the
equations were differentiated with respect to time as follows:
iil . dW =dLa+
,
bt]= b (4.5)
dt dt
4.1.5.Ôptical Photography System

In optimizing the furnace parameters, the volume of the reaction tube was kept to a
minimum in order to minimize the gas measurement time lag. This resulted in relatively
small view ports, of approximately 20 mm in diameter. In order to photograph the melt
surface, of approximately 44 mm, the need to design a specific optical system was
inevitable. The variable focal length optical system consisted of a 450 mirror to reflect
the image horizontally, a focusing macro-lens and a magnifying eyepiece, as shown in
15As a result of passing the off-gas through the SO2 absorber, the pressure head of the solution of
the absorber increased the internal pressure of the reactor in a non-steady state manner at the
beginning of the reaction.
53
Figure 4.13. This system of lenses was installed on a 35 mm camera with the use of a
bellows.
250 mm 70 mm 35 mm
1 1^1#
35 mm Film
Focal Point
45 ° Mirror
>^
>^ irla (4111

Focusing
Macro-Lens Magnifying Lens
1:2/50 Plan Corrected
Eyepiece
400 Alumina Reaction Tube

MM \TA,
Alumina Crucible
Melt Surface
# Variable dimensions
•01d,
^ 44 mm —I
Figure 4.13. Schematic diagram of the optical system used in the photography of the melt
surface. The lenses were mounted and enclosed within a system of bellows.
54
4.2. Material
4.2.1.^Copper Sulphide
4.2.1.1.^Supplied Copper Sulphide
Approximately 99.5% copper sulphide, monoclinic Cu2S (-200 mesh) supplied and
certified by Cerac Inc. was used for all of the runs except for the first 5 runs. The
chemical analysis given in Table 4.1 indicated that the impurities are negligible in
quantity.
Table 4.1. Trace analysis (wt%) of supplied copper sulphide.

Ag <0.01
Al <0.01
Ca < 0.01
Cr <0.01
Fe <0.01
Mg <0.01
Mn <0.01
Ni <0.01
Pb <0.01
Si <0.01
Sn <0.01
Ti <0.01
Zr <0.01
4.2.1.2.^Prepared Copper Sulphide
For the preliminary runs (the first 5 runs), prepared Cu2S was made of 99.9 % pure
copper powder and laboratory reagent grade elemental sulphur. Approximately 1590
grams of copper were well mixed with approximately 410 grams of sulphur16 in a
graphite-clay crucible. The crucible was then placed in a larger graphite crucible, to
161n order to compensate for the loss of sulphur during the Cu2S reaction, approximately 2 %
excess sulphur was used.
55
avoid damaging the furnace material in case of spillage. The crucible was then covered
with a graphite lid and placed in a preheated muffle furnace, at approximately 400°C, for
approximately 3.5 hours. To minimize sulphur evaporation prior to its reaction with
copper, the reaction was allowed to take place at a temperature of 50 °C below the boiling
point of elemental sulphur, according to Reaction (4.6). To prevent excessive reaction of
oxygen with the copper sulphide, argon gas at a flow rate of approximately 200 ml/min
was passed through the furnace.
2(C0+ ((s)) = (Cu2S)^ (4.6)
In order to homogenize the copper sulphide by melting according to Reaction (4.7), the
crucible was then placed in another preheated muffle furnace, at approximately 1200 °C,
with argon atmosphere, for approximately thirty minutes. The crucible was then carefully
removed from the furnace and placed on a steel plate, to slow cool. The copper sulphide
ingot then was removed from the crucible and crushed into small granules, for use.
However, due to the difficulties in repreparing the same composition and the cost of
chemical analysis, the use of prepared copper sulphide was terminated.
(Cu2S) = ((Cu2S))^ (4.7)
4.2.2.^Gases
Ar-02 mixtures were used for most of the runs, except for a run to investigate the effect
of reaction gas carrier type, where a N2-02 mixture was utilized. Ar-S02 gas mixtures
were employed for the calibration of the gas analysis system. The impurity specifications
of these gases are as given in Table 4.2. In order to reduce the moisture content of the
gases, they were passed through silica gel and CaSO4 columns before being admitted into
the reaction tube, as shown in Figure 4.4.
56
Table 4.2. Imnuritv s ecifications of gases in porn.

Gas Minimum N2 02 H20 CO2 THC Kr Ar
Purity
07 (U H P) 99.995% <40 <5 <1 <1 <15 <15
N7 (U H P) 99.999% <5 <5 <1 <1 <25
Ar (Pre-purified) 99.998% <3 <5
SO2 (Anhydrous) 99.98%
4.2.3.^Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

To prepare approximately 5% H202 solution for the absorption of SO2, approximately
2500 ml of de-ionized water was added to 500 ml of 30% H202 solution, for which the
chemical analysis is given in the Table 4.3. Due to their insignificant concentrations in
the supplied hydrogen peroxide solution, the impurities were ignored in the determination
of the amount of SO2 absorbed.
Table 4.3. Maximum limits of impurities for the 29.0-32.0 % hydrogen peroxide solution
suonlied by BDH .
Impurity Maximum Concentration
Residue after evaporation 0.002 %
Titratable acid 0.006 meq/g
Chloride (Cl) 3 Ppm
Nitrate (NO3) 2 ppm
Phosphate (PO4) 2 ppm
Sulphate (SO4) 5 Ppm
Ammonium (NH4) 5 PPIn
Heavy metals (Pb) 1 ppm
Iron (Fe) 0.5 ppm
57
4.2.4. Titration Reagents

Approximately 0.1 N NaOH standard solution was used in the acid-base titration of the
samples obtained from the gas absorber. The NaOH standard solution was prepared by
dissolving pre-weighed amounts of reagent grade solid sodium hydroxide in de-ionized
water and storing it in plastic bottles. The NaOH solution was then standardized by
potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHC811404) [106] and labeled for use. The chemical
analysis given in Table 4.4 indicated that after standardizing the prepared solution, the
effect of impurities in the solid hydroxide can be ignored.
Table 4.4. Maximum limits of impurities for the 98.0 % sodium hydroxide pellets
(supplied by BDH).
Impurity Maximum Concentration (%)
Water insoluble matter 0.01
Carbonate (Na7CO3) 1.0
Chloride (Cl) 0.005
Phosphate (PO4) 0.001
Silicate (Si07) 0.01
Sulphate (SO4) 0.005
Aluminum (Al) 0.001
Calcium (Ca) 0.002
Copper (Cu) 0.0005
Iron (Fe) 0.0005
Lead (Pb) 0.0005
Nickel (Ni) 0.0005
Potassium (K) 0.05
Nitrogen Compounds (N) 0.0005
Approximately 0.1 % phenolphthalein was used as an indicator for the acid-base titration.
The indicator was prepared by dissolving the solid in 80 % ethyl alcohol [106].
58
All glassware was cleaned with the use of laboratory glassware cleaning solution and
soap. The cleaning solution was prepared by mixing 10-15 grams of potassium
dichromate (K2Cr207) with about 15 ml water, in a 500 ml heat resistant conical flask.
Enough concentrated sulphuric acid was added slowly, until all of the forming solid was
dissolved. The solution was discarded when it acquired a green color [108].
4.3. Experimental Procedure
4.3.1.Ôxidation Rate Measurement

To measure the rate of oxidation of the molten copper sulphide bath, the following steps
were followed :
1. Before each run, a complete leak test was performed on all of the couplings,
polyflow fittings and valves. Leak tests were performed by pressurizing the
system and testing for leaks by the use of bubbling soap. The gas supplies
were also checked to ensure sufficient supply for the run.
2. Approximately 200 grams of the solid Cu2S were weighed in an alumina

crucible. The crucible was then carefully placed at the bottom of the reaction
tube, on the alumina supporting post. The bottom of the post was placed on a
laboratory jack, which was used to push up the post until the crucible was
located at a pre-defined position, in the hot zone. To avoid thermal shock, the
crucible was pushed at a rate of approximately 10 mm/min. During the
preheating and melting of the sulphide sample, approximately 50 ml/min of
argon was introduced through the preheating tube.
3. During the melting of the sulphide sample, the load cell and gas absorber were
calibrated, and the data acquisition system was activated.
59
4. After the calibration of the load cell, the jack was removed and the alumina
post was carefully placed on the marked end of the load cell as shown in
Figures 4.1 and 4.11.
5. After ensuring that the sample was completely molten, by surface observation
and from the temperature, the reaction gas flow rate and composition were
adjusted to the desired levels, and the thermocouple was lifted from the bath
to the vicinity of the lance nozzle17. The reaction gas was then admitted to the
reaction tube, through the lance, and the data collection proceeded
immediately.
6. The data collection was done via two independent sources: the gas analysis for
SO2 and 02, and the gravimetric measurement of the bath weight.
7. Due to the corrosive nature of copper oxide, the reaction was terminated just
before Cu20 began to form. As the oxidation reaction of molten copper
sulphide ended, the spontaneous motion of the surface was observed to cease.
8. The final calibration of the gas absorber and the load cell were carried out.
9. The temperature of the system was recorded throughout the run by the data
acquisition system and stored in a spread sheet. Using the mercury
manometer, the pressure of the system was monitored periodically throughout
the run and an average value was recorded.
10. The load cell was released and swung to the side for removal of the crucible.
11. The crucible supporting post was then placed on the laboratory jack. The jack
was then lowered at the rate of approximately 10 mm/min. This was
17Due to the intensity of the oxidation reaction, corrosion of the thermocouple sheath and the
platinum thermocouple was found to take place if the same thermocouple sheath was used in
more than one run, with its tip immersed in the melt.
60
important to avoid the rapid release of the heat of fusion, which started at
approximately mid-distance from the bottom of the reaction tube.
12. The crucible was removed after it reached the bottom of the reaction tube.
Once the temperature of the crucible reached room temperature, its weight
was determined and recorded.
13. All of the glassware was washed and prepared for the next run.
4.3.1.1.^Gas Analysis
In order to determine the amount of sulphur removed from the bath as a function of time,
samples were extracted from the gas absorber, at pre-defined time intervals, with a 5-ml
pipet. The samples were stored in pre-labeled 250-rn1 conical flasks, until the end of the
run. Due to the exothermic nature of the absorption reaction, the temperature of the
solution was observed to increase at a constant rate. This was used as another indicator
of the efficiency of the absorber in a particular run. For each sample obtained, the
temperature of the absorption solution was recorded. The amount of sulphur dioxide
absorbed was determined by the acid-base titration of the individual samples, using 0.1 N
NaOH standard solution [107]. Since the molar ratio of sulphur to sulphur dioxide is
unity, the number of moles of sulphur removed from the bath is the same as the moles of
sulphur dioxide absorbed.
To determine the amount of unreacted oxygen in the off-gas, the soap bubble meter was
used to measure the off-gas flow rate. For each absorber sample obtained, at least four
volumetric flow rate measurements were made. Due to the increase of the temperature of
the absorption solution, the temperature of the gas was expected to deviate from room
temperature, as it left the absorber. In order to avoid temperature effects, the temperature
of the gas inside the rubber hose, leading to the soap bubble meter, was recorded for each
set of measurements.
61
4.3.1.2.^Gravimetric Measurement
This measurement was used to verify and support the gas analysis measurement. The
reaction system weight was performed automatically, using the data acquisition system.
The numerical load cell response was converted to weight using the calibration equation.
4.3.2.^Microscopic Examination of Frozen Melt Samples
For further validation of the kinetic measurements, melt samples of known reaction were
obtained and microscopically examined. U-shaped quartz tubes with an approximate
inside diameter of 5 mm were used to obtain approximately 4- 7-gram samples at specific
intervals of reaction time. To minimize post sampling reaction, the samples were
immediately quenched in an ice bath. The samples were sectioned, hot-mounted and
polished using 5 gm and 1 gm alumina polishing powder. The samples were then
examined with an optical microscope to assess copper droplets, gas bubbles and the
phases present.
4.3.3.^Surface Observation
Surface observations were primarily undertaken to investigate the effect of surface-
tension driven flows on the reaction kinetics. The observations included the qualitative
measurement of surface movement, gas bubbles rising from the melt and surface velocity,
under different reaction conditions. The surface observations also served as an indication
of the state of reaction and its termination. Using a 35-mm camera and the optical system
presented above, some runs were conducted to obtain photographic evidence of the visual
observations. Photographs were taken of the melt surface under specific reaction
conditions.
62
5. Experimental Results and Discussion
5.1. Oxidation Rate Results
5.1.1.^Gas Analysis Data
5.1.1.1.^Sulphur and Sulphur Dioxide Analyses
The gas flows, which were characterized to determine the oxidation kinetics of molten
Cu2S, are shown schematically in Figure 5.1. Typical results of the gas analysis, for each
run, are plotted against time, in Figures 5.2-5.3. Because all of the SO2 is absorbed by
the 11202 solution, the moles of sulphur in the bath, N8 (t), can be calculated from the
moles of SO2, N80 (t), absorbed as follows:

^
N8(t)=N—N80(t) (5.1)
N^ (t), T(t)
SO2 A No2 (t)
Off-Gas
Q7. Reaction Absorber 4 (0 Soap
^> Chamber 5%H2 02 Bubble Meter
I W(t), T(t)
Figure 5.1. Gas flows in the oxidation experiments.
v Tg (t) ^Y
Figure 5.2 reveals that there are two distinct stages, primary and secondary, for the
formation of S02. In order to determine the rates of SO2 formation and the time domains
of the two stages, the following analysis was carried out:
1. The time domains of the two stages were determined, as a first approximation,
by visualization of the SO2 vs. time graphs.
2. Since the time dependence of the two stages appears to be linear, a linear
equation for each stage was calculated, via regression analysis; and the
transition time was calculated by equating the two equations. If the calculated
transition time was found to be within the time domain of the adjacent two
63
measured points, the equations were accepted. If the calculated transition time
was found to be closer to another measured value, the linear equations were
recalculated, based on the new designated values. This procedure was iterated
until the best agreement between the measured and calculated values was
achieved. Once the equations were accepted, the slopes of the equations were
regarded as the measured SO2 molar rates.
1.6
1.4
1.2
0.4
0.2 o
0.0
0 10^20^30 40^50
Time (min)
Figure 5.2. Moles of reaction gas and off-gas as a function of time, for the experimental
conditions of: 200 grams of Cu2S, 2 I/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar, at 1200 °C; ^
regression line for the absorbed SO2; 0 measured absorbed SO2; — — — regression line
for the dissolved 02; 0 dissolved oxygen by difference; — - - — reacted oxygen;
^ admitted 02.
^
64
1600
1•11
1400
,R 1200
a 1000
r:4
800
600 0
o
400
200
0
^
0 10^20^30^40^50
Time (min)
Figure 5.3. The final volumetric off-gas flow rate as a function of time for the
experimental conditions of : 200 grams of Cu2S, 21/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar, at 1200
°C; ^ measured final flow rate; - - ^- reacted oxygen flow rate; — -A- unreacted
oxygen flow rate.
Assuming that the reaction takes place uniformly over the melt surface area, the SO2
molar fluxes were calculated by dividing the SO2 molar rates by the crucible cross-
sectional area, as follows:
n so2 (5.2)
A
65
5.1.1.2.Ôxygen Analysis
The amount of oxygen dissolved in the bath as a function of time was determined from
the measured SO2 and the final off-gas flow rate measurement by the following
procedure.
The admitted volumetric gas flow rate, Q , was composed of argon QA„ and oxygen,
as follows:
^
= 0)2 + (5.3)
The volumetric off-gas flow rate, Qoiff (t), varies with time, with an unknown quantity of
SO2, Qs02(t), unreacted 02, Qou2(t), and Ar, as described by the following equation.
^
aff (t) = QAr 0)2 (t) QS02(t) (5.4)
After the 502, the volumetric off-gas flow rate, Q.offf(t), also varies with time, with an
unknown quantity of unreacted 02 and Ar, as described by the following equation.

^
Q(t)=^(t) (5.5)
Having defined the volumetric flow rate equations, the calculation of the volumetric flow
rate of unreacted oxygen can be readily carried out. Since the gas temperature was not
constant, this calculation was based on molar flow rates rather than volumetric flow rates.
Assuming that the gas mixture is ideal, the final volumetric gas flow rate can be
converted to molar flow rate as follows18:
of^ Q(t)P^
N off (t) = ^ (5.6)
^R1(t)
Therefore the unreacted molar flow rate of oxygen can be determined from Equation
(5.7).
18Note that the molar flow rate of Ar, N Ar, is calculated from the rotameter reading (volumetric
flow rate) which was calibrated at room temperature. There may be a difference between the
temperature of the measurement of the final off-gas flow rate and the rotameter calibration
temperature.
66
. u^. f^.
N 02(0 = N off (t)— NAr^ (5.7)
The molar flow rate of unreacted oxygen is converted to volumetric flow rate as follows:
. .
(5.8)
N 0,(07;(t)
Z2(t)=^
P
A molar balance on the oxygen yields the following.
QL,(t)= Z, - Q1(4), (t)^ (5.9)
To determine the molar rate of reacted oxygen, the volumetric flow rate of oxygen is
converted to molar rate, according to the following equation.
XTro,(t)= QL2 (t)13 (5.10)

R7(t)
This molar flow rate of reacted oxygen is calculated from the measured final off-gas flow
rate, for specific intervals of reaction time. The integrated measured molar flow rate of
reacted oxygen is described as follows:
r 0
NL2(t) = Nii(t1)+ 5 N 02(t1_2)dt (5.11)

t
To determine the molar flux of reacted oxygen, linear regression was applied to the data
obtained from Equation (5.11). The molar rate of reacted oxygen was found to be
constant throughout the reaction duration, as shown in Figures 5.2-5.3. Hence for
simplicity, the function of time notation, (t), is dropped. The oxygen molar flux was
calculated by dividing the calculated molar flow rate of reacted oxygen by the cross-
sectional area of the crucible ( for notational simplicity, from this point on, the superscript
r is dropped), as follows:
°^N 02
n 02 = (5.12)
A
67
Since the oxygen reacted must be removed in the form of SO2 or dissolved in the bath,
the oxygen dissolved in the bath can be determined by a material balance on the oxygen
as follows:
^
N[0](0= 2[NL2 (t) NS02 (t)] (5.13)
Assuming plug flow conditions, the real time in the reaction was calculated by
subtracting the time needed for a given flow rate of gas to travel the distance from the
reaction surface to the gas absorber ( the volume of the off-gas line was approximately 1
liter and the employed range of volumetric flow rate was 1-4 1/min which resulted in a
time lag of 15-60 s).
In order to study the reaction kinetics, the measured sulphur and oxygen contents in the
bath were plotted on graphs such as that of Figure 5.4. Comparing the closeness of the
measured values to the regression lines, the sulphur analysis exhibits less scatter than the
oxygen analysis. From Figure 5.4, the sulphur and oxygen contents in the bath vary
linearly with respect to time. Thus the rate at which the sulphur is removed from the bath
is constant, but different in the two regimes. Similarly, the respective rate of oxygen
dissolution in the bath is also constant over the primary and secondary stages. In trying to
understand the reaction mechanism, the oxygen behaviour is obviously the first clue. As
shown in Figure 5.4, the amount of dissolved oxygen increases linearly to a certain value
at the transition time, and then decreases to a minimum value, at the final reaction time.
68
1.4
0.0 0^ ' "^"

0 10^20^30 40^50
Time (mm)
Figure 5.4. The molar sulphur and oxygen contents of the bath as a function of time, for
the experimental conditions of: 200 grams of Cu2S, 2 I/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar, at
1200 °C; ^ regression line for the amount of sulphur in the bath; 0 measured amount
of sulphur in the bath; - - - regression line for the amount of dissolved oxygen in the
bath; 0 determined amount of dissolved oxygen.
5.1.1.3.Ôverall Reaction Rate

Further analysis of the reaction kinetic data can be accomplished by examining the bath
weight change with respect to time. The rate of weight change of the bath, W, can be
related to the rate of sulphur dioxide evolved from the bath, Nso2 , and the rate of oxygen
reacted, NO2, as follows:
69
.^.
W = N o2 MO2 — N so2 Ms02 (5.14)
In order to study the oxygen and sulphur behaviour simultaneously, the bath weight was
plotted for each run in graphs typical of that shown in Figure 5.5.
205
195
E
cl 185
,..4
'td:i
*1-5
- 175
cri
gq
165
155 , . 1 i i^ I " "

^
0 10^20^30^40 50
Time (min)
Figure 5.5. Change of bath weight with time for the experimental conditions of: 200
grams of Cu2S, 2 I/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar, at 1200 °C, ^ calculated from
Equations (5.15) and (5.16); 0 calculated from Equation (5.17).
70
The sample weight was calculated by integrating the rate of weight change with respect to
time, as given by Equations (5.15) and (5.16) by using the determined amounts of oxygen
and sulphur as given by Equation (5.17)19.
. P^. P^ (5.15)
147gPa (t)= Wga (0) + [No, Mo, —Nso, Mso, l•t
,^0 s^0 s (5.16)

Ka(t)= Wga(t* ) +[N 0, M0 — N so, M so,]•(t — t*)
Wga(t)= W(0)+[NO2(t)M0, — N.,02(t)M502] (5.17)
5.1.2.^Gravimetric Measurement Data

The sample weight measurement, determined gravimetrically with the load cell
arrangement, was plotted against time for each successful experiment, an example of
which is shown in Figure 5.6. Applying the least squares method, the rate of weight loss
in the two stages and the reaction transition time were determined. The reaction
transition time is the time at which the rate of sulphur dioxide formation changes. In the
gravimetric measurement, the reaction transition time is the time at which the rate of
weight loss changes.
19Note that Equations (5.15) and (5.16) describe the regression lines obtained from the measured
results and Equation (5.17) represent the individual measured data points.
71
220
0^Measured
210 0
_0 g
^ Best-fit
0 V 011445° t
200 0 (O 0
0 .•
00 of%
lles
• e
(a 0...•
';'
r ,^ or
g 190 —0 GS^0^Q
0 Q)
bo
74a° 180 ^
'51 9
09
ft 170 ^
0 o
til
e
160
0
0
o
150
140ÎIIIIIII1fJI IIIIIIIIII 1 I I Î111111iiiiiIIIIIIIIIII1111^!Him

1^1^ III^1ÎI
0 10^20^30^40^50^60^70
Time (min)
Figure 5.6. Gravimetric plot of bath weight against time for the experimental conditions
of : 200 grams of Cu2S, 2 limin of 22% 02 and 78% Ar, at 1200 °C.
5.1.3.^Summary of the Oxidation Rate Results

5.1.3.1.Ôxidation Rates
The raw data for each run consisted of: a complete description of the experimental
conditions and parameters, the gas absorber sampling time, the SO2 absorbed and the
final off-gas volumetric flow rate. Tables containing the gas analysis data for all of the
experimental runs are provided in Appendix B. The experimental program included the
72
investigation of the influence of several variables-gas flow rate, gas composition, reaction
temperature and bath mixing- on the oxidation rate of the molten Cu2S bath. A summary
of the measured reaction rates is presented in Appendix B as well.
5.1.3.1.1.Êffect of Admitted Gas Flow Rate

The rate of oxygen reaction, NO2, was found to be a power function of the total reaction
gas volumetric flow rate, as shown in Figure 5.7.
0.1
0.01
0.001
1000 10000
Gas Flow Rate (ml/min)
Figure 5.7. Oxygen reaction rate (No2) as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate,
Q, (total admitted flow rate); for the experimental conditions of 200-gram samples, 1200
°C, average pressure of 1.08 atm and 23 % 02; ^ regression curve (=3.59x10-5
Q°•79); D primary measured; 0 secondary measured.
73
From a least squares fit, the average exponent on the admitted gas flow rate, obtained
from the results of both stages, is 0.79, which is similar to other systems in which gas
phase mass transfer control prevails [48]. Interestingly the oxygen reaction rate is the
same in the primary and secondary stages.
Figure 5.8 shows a log-log plot of rate of sulphur removal from the bath, Ns, against
admitted gas flow rate. As already observed, the rate is faster in the secondary stage.
0.1
0.001
1000 10000
Figure 5.8. Sulphur removal rate (Ns) as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate;
for the experimental conditions of 200 gram samples, 1200 °C, average pressure of 1.08
atm and 23 % 02; primary regression curve (= 4.15x105Q0.72); - 0 primary
measured; ^ secondary regression curve (= 2.39x10-5V.85); <> secondary
measured.
74
Exponents on the gas flow rate were calculated to be 0.72 and 0.85 for the primary and
secondary stages respectively, close to that obtained from the oxygen reaction rate, Figure
5.7.
10
• _-0
vi^ ^ - Ri • A
0-- -----(5
-
v)^
c) .
,-^0 ---^ . ^
- -- 0
.-.,to^•
a)^
^
0 0
t4.
°
a.) 0.1
r:4
0.01 ^
1000 10000
Figure 5.9. Sulphur removal rate (Ns) as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate;
for the experimental conditions of 200-gram samples, 1200 °C, average pressure of 1.08
atm and 23 % 02; primary regression curve (= 1.2x10-3Q0.63); 0 primary
obtained from gas analysis; • primary obtained from gravimetric measurement,^
secondary regression curve (= 0.71x1 0-3 Q0.87); o secondary obtained from gas analysis;
• secondary obtained from gravimetric measurement.
In Figure 5.9, the combined behaviour of the oxygen reaction rate and the rate of sulphur
removal (overall reaction rate) with respect to gas flow rate are shown based on gas
75
analysis and gravimetric measurement. The exponents on the gas flow rate were found to
be 0.63 and 0.87 for the primary and secondary stages respectively.
5.1 .3.1 .2.Êffect of Gas Composition

Figure 5.10 shows the influence of oxygen partial pressure in the admitted reaction gas on
the overall oxygen reaction rate. As expected in the case of gas phase mass transfer
control, the reaction rate depends linearly on the partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction
gas. From Figure 5.10, the slope of the rate of oxygen reacted with respect to the oxygen
pressure is ko,AIRT.
0.07
0.06
0.05
VA 0.04
0.03
r:(1)
R) 0.02
0
0.01
0.00^ I^
'^ I
'^ I ^ ' ÎÎÎ^
J^ I^
^
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6 0.8 1.0
Oxygen Partial Pressure (atm)
Figure 5.10. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of oxygen partial pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min, calculated from
regression line (=0.096P02); • primary measured; 0 secondary measured.
76
Similarly, the rate of sulphur removal is plotted against the partial pressure of oxygen in
Figure 5.11. It can be readily seen that the rate of sulphur removal is directly proportional
to the partial pressure of oxygen. This is an indication that the sulphur removal rate is
driven by the rate of oxygen transfer in the gas phase.
0.08
0.07
:-0-2 0.06
E
0.05 0'
rlei)
7,4 0.04
o
Ea)
124 0.03
6-'
v=Pi ,o
v) 0.02
,0
0.01
0.00 " I " ' ' I ' I^

i
^ ^
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Figure 5.11. Sulphur removal rate as a function of oxygen pressure for the experimental
conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min, ^ primary calculated from regression
line (=0.052P02); 0 primary measured; ^ primary calculated from regression line
(=0.07P02); 0 secondary measured.
^
77
It can be seen that the slope of the sulphur removal rate with respect to the oxygen
pressure is k02/aRT, where a is a stoichiometric factor. From linear regression, the
slope of the secondary rate of sulphur removal was found to be approximately 1.3 times
that in the primary stage.
2.5
•
^2.0 ^
1.5 ^
-
•
•
to
,S 1.011
czt
0
r:4 9
0.5 —
•
^
0.0 ^" I "
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6^0.8^1.0
Figure 5.12. Rate of weight loss (W) as a function of oxygen pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min, ^ primary calculated from
regression line (=1.08P02); 0 primary obtained from gas analysis measurements; •
primary obtained from gravimetric measurements; ^ primary calculated from
regression line (=2.29P02); Oseconda,ry obtained from gas analysis measurements; •
secondary obtained from gravimetric measurements.
78
The rate of bath weight loss is plotted against the oxygen partial pressure in Figure 5.12.
As expected, a linear relationship was found for both the primary and secondary stages.
Due to its relatively short time duration, the primary stage yielded measurements with
greater experimental error than the secondary stage.
5.1.3.1.3.Êffect of Temperature
Processes in which the overall reaction kinetics are limited by the rate of chemical
reaction are strongly dependent on temperature [118]. When studying the effect of
temperature on reaction rates, it is customary to express them in the form of the Arrhenius
relationship. The logarithm of the oxygen reaction rate is plotted vs. 1/T in Figure 5.13,
from which it is clear that the oxygen reaction rate is effectively independent of
temperature. This was also confirmed from the statistical F test, at the 5% level of
significance, which resulted in Fcalculated = 2.4x10-2 and Fsignificance = 0.88, thus
indicating that the overall relationship is not significant at the 95% confidence limit
[119]20.
The dependence of the sulphur removal rate on the inverse of temperature is shown in
Figure 5.14. In the primary stage, a small activation energy of approximately 37±17
kJ/mole is calculated; this value is low compared to the activation energy range of 50 to
500 kJ/mole more typical of chemical reaction control [118]. For the secondary sulphur
removal rate, however, as shown in Figure 5.14, the relationship appears to be statistically
insignificant which means that the secondary removal rate of sulphur is effectively
independent of temperature.
20The significance of expressing the measured oxygen reaction rate in terms of this relationship
was checked by the F test, where Fcalculated is obtained from the ratio of the sum of the squares
of the deviations accounted for by the regression to the error variance; and Fsi nificance is
obtained from the probability distribution of variance ratio F at an acceptable level of
confidence. For the applicability of the relationship to the measured data to be valid, the
calculated value of F must be greater than the value obtained from the probability distribution
curve.
79
0.10
-
^ ^
0 8 0
ô
g
0.01 ""1""1""1""II"III"'I''"1""I'"'
6.1 6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5^6.6^6.7^6.8^6.9^7.0
(1 / T) x 104 (1C1)
Figure 5.13. Oxygen reaction rate as a function of temperature for the experimental
conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23% 02 and average pressure of 1.08 atm, ^
primary calculated from regression curve (= 0.018exp -(1.9 kJ/mole)/0.0083144T, Feal =
2.4x10-2 and F5%sig = 0.88); 0 primary measured; 0 secondary measured.
80
0.1
8 a
0
0.001 'I""1""1""1""II"III"'1""I'"'
6.1^6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5^6.6^6.7^6.8^6.9^7.0
/ 7') x104 (°K-9
Figure 5.14. Sulphur removal rate as a function of temperature for the experimental
conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23% 02 and average pressure of 1.08 atm, ^
primary calculated from regression curve (= 0.2exp -(37 kJ/mole)/0.0083144T, Feal = 5
and F5%sig = 0.06); ^ secondary calculated from regression curve(= 0.018 exp -
(1.9 kJ/mole)/0.0083144T, Fcal = 1.8x10-2 and F5%sig = 0.89)0 primary measured; 0
secondary measured.
81
5.1 .3.1 .4.Êffect of Bath Mixing

Although all of the experimental results indicated that the rate limiting step of the
oxidation reaction is gas phase mass transfer, the liquid phase mass transfer resistance
contribution, if any, needed to be investigated. In order to examine the transport
conditions of the liquid phase, a test during which the bath was mixed by injecting
approximately 77 ml/min of Ar was conducted. Figure 5.15 shows a comparison of the
bath mixing run to a normal run. The bath weight change is seen to be almost identical;
thus the liquid phase mass transfer resistance has a negligible contribution to the overall
reaction rate. Interestingly the disruption of the bath surface by the gas bubbles appears
to have no significant effect on interfacial area.
205
200
195
175
VI
r2c1 170
165
160
155
0^10^20^30^40^50^60^70^80
Time (min)
Figure 5.15. Bath weight as a function of time for the experimental conditions of: 1200
C, average pressure of 1.08 atm and 22 % 02; 0 no mixing, 2006 ml/min; • mixing with
77 ml/min of Ar, 2032 ml/min
82
5.1.3.2.^Reaction Transition Characteristics

The measured transition characteristics (sulphur and oxygen contents in the bath and
degree of desulphurization in wt% at the transition) and the molar ratios of reacted
oxygen to sulphur removed in the primary and secondary stages are presented in Table
5.1.
Table 5.1. Reaction transition characteristics and the molar ratios of reacted oxygen to
removed sulphur.
[%s]* 0]*
Run Q: %02 T d; aP ccs
(ml/min) (°C) (%)
4 922 26 1200 18.09 17.02
5 922 26 1200 16.95 20.37
6 922 26 1200 17.48 16.26
7 922 26 1200 16.63 1.62 19.76 1.5 0.97
8 1010 24 1200 16.75 1.67 18.97 1.5 0.93
9 1480 22 1200 17.27 1.04 16.57 1.3 0.94
10 2078 20 1200 16.92 1.43 18.23 1.4 1.08
11 1987 22 1200 16.90 1.74 18.01 1.5 0.94
12 1579 24 1200 16.77 20.00
13 1521 20 1200 17.75 1.73 13.04 1.7 0.99
14 1532 21 1200 15.92 2.55 20.83 1.6 0.97
15 2006 22 1200 17.56 1.54 14.35 1.8 0.91
16 2510 23 1200 17.13 1.20 17.25 1.5 0.92
17 1755 22 1200 16.52 1.37 20.60 1.4 0.95
18 2234 23 1200 17.02 1.41 17.64 1.6 0.91
19 3015 23 1200 18.35 0.40 11.00 1.3 1.00
21 4055 22 1200 16.71 1.62 19.25 1.6 0.86
22 2000 27 1200 17.06 1.40 17.47 1.6 0.95
23 2000 35 1200 16.37 1.46 21.37 1.5 0.91
24 2000 46 1200 16.46 0.82 21.50 1.2 1.00
25 2000 64 1200 16.38 1.03 21.72 1.3 1.00
27 2000 23 1250 17.17 1.25 16.97 1.4 0.95
28 2000 23 1300 16.76 1.13 19.45 1.3 1.01
29 1994 21 1275 16.21 1.36 22.43 1.4 0.92
30 2000 22 1300 16.38 1.05 21.72 1.3 0.99
31 2000 22 1250 17.00 1.16 18.06 1.4 0.98
33 3493 27 1200 16.65 1.24 19.97 1.3 1.06
34 2000 78 1200 16.08 1.30 23.19 1.3 1.01
36 2032 22 1200 17.32 1.50 15.81 1.5 1.00
37 2000 21 1200 17.60 1.50 14.18 1.8 0.91
41 3516 24 1200 17.04 1.50 17.46 1.4 0.98
83
Thus the reaction transition characteristics seem to be independent of the reaction
conditions. The average weight percents of sulphur and oxygen in the bath at transition
from the primary to the secondary stage were found to be 16.94±0.10% and 1.37±0.07%
respectively. These values compare favorably with the equilibrium values of 17.7 and
1.47% for sulphur and oxygen dissolved in Cu2S respectively, at 1200 °C and 1 atm [19].
This is strong evidence that the melt, during the primary stage, is a single copper sulphide
phase i.e. Cu2S becoming saturated with dissolved oxygen.
The ratios of the rate of reacted oxygen to the rate of evolved sulphur dioxide, during the
primary, a", and secondary stages, as, are another important lead to the understanding of
the reaction mechanism. The average measured ratio of the rate of reacted oxygen to the
rate of evolved sulphur dioxide was found to be 1.46±0.03 and 0.96±0.052, for the
primary and secondary stages respectively.
In studying these results, the reaction mechanism is suggested to be as follows:
Primary Stage:
• Since aP > 1,(see Table 5.1) part of the reacted oxygen is dissolved in the melt
and the rest is reacted with sulphur to form SO2.
• Because aP > 1 while the melt consists of a single phase, the primary
oxidation reaction is likely to be:
[S1+ 1.5(02) = (S02)-F[02-]^ (5.18)
Secondary Stage:
• Because a' <1, during the secondary stage, the amount of sulphur removed
from the bath is greater than that of its reacted oxygen equivalent21. This in
turn suggests that the sulphur removal, during the secondary stage, takes place
21Assuming that the sulphur removed from the bath is only in the form of SO2.
84
at the melt surface, according to Reaction (5.18), and in the melt according to
Reaction (5.19).
[S2-]+ 2[02-1+ 6{Cul = (S02)+ 6((Cu))^ (5.19)
If ocs =1, then the rate of oxygen reaction is equal to the rate of sulphur
removal according to Reaction(5.20). This also implies that blister copper
does not contain any sulphur or oxygen.
^
[S2-]+ 2[Cu] + (02) = (S02)+ 2((Cu)) (5.20)
• It is apparent that the making of copper is accompanied by the simultaneous

dissolution of sulphur and oxygen. Since the sulphide melt is ionic and the
copper phase is metallic, the process of oxygen and sulphur dissolution in
copper must be accompanied by electron transfer by further copper making,
according to Reactions (5.21-5.22). This is supported by the fact that the
equilibrium metal phase composition is approximately 98.89% Cu, 0.95% S
and 0.16% 0.
^
[S2 ]+ 2[Cul = [ S]((co) + 2((Cu))
- (5.21)
^
[02--] + 2[Cul = [ 0]((C)) + 2((Cu)) (5.22)
In summary, during the primary stage, the melt is partially desulphurized and becomes
oxygen saturated according to Reaction (5.18). During the secondary stage, the making
of the metal phase takes place, according to Reactions (5.18), (5.19), (5.21) and (5.22).
85
5.2. Micro Examination Of The Melt Samples
In studying heterogeneous kinetics, it is important that a physical examination of the

reaction system is carried out, however possible. The reaction rate results indicated that,
during the primary stage, there is only one reaction site (at the melt surface according to
Reaction (5.18)), and during the secondary stage, there are two reaction sites (at the melt
surface according to Reaction (5.18) and in the melt according to Reactions (5.19), (5.21)
and (5.22)). This implies that, during the primary stage, the melt consists only of the
sulphide phase, and, during the secondary stage, the melt consists of the sulphide phase,
the metal phase and the rising gas bubbles. In order to further investigate the validity of
these results, melt samples were extracted at specific reaction conditions. These samples
were sectioned, polished, examined via optical microscopy (magnification range of 80-
400X), and photomicrographed. In order to correlate these observations to the reaction
rate results, this examination included the investigation of the existence of copper
droplets, the traces of gas bubbles and phase constitutions.
As mentioned above (see also Section 2.2), the melt initially consists of the single Cu2S
phase. As the reaction proceeds, during the primary stage, the melt is partially
desulphurized and oxygen saturated until its composition reaches approximately (80.83%
Cu, 17.7% S and 1.47% 0, at 1200°C and 1 atm [19].
Figures 5.16 and 5.1722 show photomicrographs of polished bath samples at 7 min of
reaction time from the primary stage. Although metal (pink) precipitates are evident
around the solidifying grains of the sulphide (green) and there are traces of gas bubbles
(black), the morphology of the metal phase and the average size of the gas bubbles
suggest that they result from the cooling process during the quenching of the sample. As
discussed in Section 4.3.2, quartz tubes were used in the sampling of the melt. Hence, it
22A11 of the photomicrographs are for the experimental conditions of: 200 grams of Cu2S, at
1200 °C and 1 atm, 2 I/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar.
86
is impossible to completely prevent post reaction changes, during quenching23. In the

absence of vertical sections of the Cu-S-0 ternary system, it is not possible to account for
the gas bubbles. However, it is just as useful to consider the binary Cu-S system;
ignoring the effect of oxygen, for compositions slightly below the exact stoichiometry of
Cu2S, the melt cooled under equilibrium conditions, will decompose to Cu25 (7) and
liquid copper, at the liquidus temperature of 1105 °C, and to Cu2S (7) and solid copper, at
the eutectic temperature of 1067 °C.
iOOtn
Figure 5.16. Photomicrograph of polished section of frozen melt sample, at 7 min of

reaction time (during the primary stage); green is sulphide; pink is metallic; black is gas.
23Compared to other ceramics, quartz has a relatively high resistance to thermal shock. Its
relatively low thermal conductivity, however, retards the quenching process.
87
25g m
reaction time (during the primary stage).
25[im
reaction time (1 min after the copper droplets and SO2 gas bubbles start to form in the
melt).
88
The reaction rate results indicated that the transition time for 2 1/min of 22% 02 and 78%
Ar, at 1200 °C, is approximately 14 min (refer to Figure 5.6). This means that before 14
min, there should be no copper and gas bubble formation in the melt. At 14 min the
secondary stage commences, for which Reactions (5.19), (5.21) and (5.22) proceed in the
melt, thereby forming copper droplets and SO2 gas bubbles, as can be seen in Figures
5.18-5.23.
It is evident that the metal phase, at 15 min of elapsed reaction time, is in the form of
droplets, of 11±14tm average diameter, as shown in Figure 5.18, rather than precipitates
around the sulphide grain boundaries, as shown in Figure 5.17. This is an indication that
the copper formed after 15 min is the result of the oxidation reaction, rather than the
result of the slow quenching process.
wri -7
-Nu
10011 m
reaction time.
89
2511 m
reaction time.
14 lit Ifigh4„
-
410111P 4*,
Oh'
10011 m
reaction time.
90
1001.1m
1Î
reaction time.
10011m
1 Î
reaction time.
91
After 25 min of reaction time, the quantity of copper and gas bubbles increases, as shown
in Figure 5.19. The average copper droplet diameter, of 26±31.tm appears to be larger as
the reaction time elapses. The other important point to note is that there are two types of
copper formation: the large copper droplets, and small random copper droplets that are
associated with the gas bubbles. As suggested by Reactions (5.19), (5.21) and (5.22), the
latter are expected, since they share common reaction sites. The shape of the small
copper droplets appear to be random, unlike the large copper droplets, which are
spherical. Because the melt is spontaneously mixed as a result of surface-tension driven
flows and gas evolution, evidently the small copper droplets agglomerate to form the
larger droplets, as shown in Figures (5.19) and (5.20). From surface observations during
the secondary stage, small numbers of gas bubbles were observed to rise randomly from
the melt on a continuous basis and large quantities, in a boiling fashion, on a less frequent
basis. Due to the fluid dynamics of the system, the size and quantity of gas bubbles with
respect to time cannot be traced in a similar way to the copper droplets. However, when
the sample was extracted just before an incident of intense boiling, in a coincidental
manner, a large quantity of gas was found to be contained by the melt, as shown in Figure
5.21.
Due to the density difference between the metal phase (7.9 g/cm3) and the sulphide phase
(5.5 g/cm3) [113], the copper droplets coalesce and settle to the bottom of the crucible.
The gas bubbles coalesce and rise to the melt surface continuously as well. However, as
mentioned previously, occasionally intense boiling was observed to occur at the melt
surface. During the secondary stage, the appearance of the sulphide phase remained
unchanged until its complete depletion, as shown in Figures 5.18-5.23. Once the sulphide
phase was completely consumed, at the end of the secondary stage, the composition of the
melt approaches that of the metal phase, viz. approximately 98% Cu, 0.95% S and 0.16%
0, at 1200 °C and 1 atm [19]. As shown in Figures 5.24 and 5.25, towards the end of
92
secondary stage, the melt becomes predominately metallic (brown) containing the
remaining sulphide phase (blue). Referring to the Cu-S binary, ignoring the effect of
oxygen, at 1200 °C, for compositions of less than 1.4% S, the melt consists of the liquid
copper phase such as that shown in Figure 5.26. In Figure 5.26, a polished section of
99.99% pure copper is shown to illustrate the apparent microstructural differences
between pure copper and the copper produced at the end of the secondary stage. For
compositions of greater than 1.4% S, the melt consists of the liquid copper and liquid
copper sulphide phases. Rapid quenching of the 1.4% S sample should result in the
suppression of any sulphide phase segregation, which takes place in the case of
equilibrium cooling. However, due to the use of quartz tubes in the sampling of the melt,
the rate of cooling of the sample, during quenching, appears to have been relatively slow.
As shown in Figure 5.24, the dendritic precipitate of the Cu2S phase (green/blue), in the
matrix of the metal phase (light brown), is the result of equilibrium cooling.
NO%
'p,
-0 • . ^.
444
;
4"
I%
r
cc* t^ °6 -
6 .:
YAò, • 31. •^• d*;Kt:*

• 7
^! ?:;ts
• al:,
WAt• co r."1"111
^t
^• A °. I. C.4
)11',2411^
._ V Pt•
N't
• 114;11e:!°
•
^d
'lit,' JE^b• 't^•
voilW
,i ,
- Jeffi C c.
c $41T:-'•.:dAt"
v •c-
ert-^.4.-^•
Z11,14
,e 7 • 4,11.N4t.._
-7 • a •^• ,
61e^ 44‘4°Sre'°"
IA^QA.
• • 79gt
^ ':;■•°
^.41 ANKA:k. • 3rtt ^_Vc.^ •
1251.1m
reaction time (final reaction time is 70 min).
93
This indicates that the sample was quenched at a relatively low rate of cooling. Thus it is
apparent that the melt consists only of the metal phase, at the sampling time. At the final
reaction time, the composition of the melt is very close to blister copper, of 98.5-99.5%
Cu. The compositional effect on the phase constitutions of the metal phase is shown in
Figures 5.25-5.26.
94
2511 m
reaction time (final reaction time is 70 min).
25[tm
Figure 5.26. Photomicrograph of polished section of a 99.99% Cu standard sample.
95
5.3. Observations of the Bath Surface
Surface observations were useful, not only to investigate the Marangoni effect and gas
bubbles eruptions, but also to gather more qualitative data about the reaction kinetics, and
to aid in the termination of the reaction because surface-tension driven flows were
observed to cease at the end of the secondary stage.
When the copper sulphide bath completely melted under argon, a thin liquid opaque film,
easily broken by movement, was observed to cover the stagnant melt surface evenly, with
the exception of some random shiny areas which appeared to be the sulphide melt, as
shown in Figure 5.27.
Figure 5.27. Bath surface, at 1200°C with top-lancing at 2 1/min of Ar; the black
triangular area at the top is the tip of the lance appearing out of focus; the right and left
bottom segments of a ring are the inner rim of the crucible; the area within is the opaque
film covering most of the melt except some random more shiny areas (the sulphide melt
surface). Note the absence of surface movement, due to the gas impingement on the
surface.
Although its chemical composition is unknown, the opaque film appeared to be

immiscible with respect to the sulphide melt. Due to the apparent difference between its
96
emissivity and the emissivity of the copper sulphide melt, this film was used as an
additional indicator of the surface motion. Upon admittance of the reaction gas, the
surface of the sulphide melt (shiny area) was immediately uncovered in the area beneath
the lance, as shown in Figure 5.28, after which the film moved outwardly from the area
beneath the lance towards the crucible wall, as shown in Figure 5.29. As the reaction
proceeded, the outline of the exposed and covered sulphide surface was observed to
increase in diameter, in a vibrating fashion, as shown in Figure 5.29. The spontaneous
motion of the melt surface from the center of the crucible to the wall was observed to
increase, as shown in Figures 5.28-5.32.
Figure 5.28. Photograph of the bath surface at the same time of the admittance of the
reaction gas; the sulphide melt surface is starting to be exposed in the area beneath the
lance (slightly above the center of the crucible); for the experimental conditions of 200
grams of Cu2S, at 1200 °C, and under the top-lancing of 2 11min of 80% 02 and 20% Ar.
97
Figure 5.29. Photograph of the surface of the bath at approximately 60 s, after the
initiation of the reaction. The film is pushed away from the center of the crucible to the
wall, as seen by the further exposure of the sulphide shiny surface.
Figure 5.30. Photograph of the surface at approximately 3.5 min; spontaneous wavy
motion of the melt surface is fully developed and the film is entirely pushed towards the
crucible wall, as seen by the full exposure of the sulphide surface. The difference in the
color of the surface is due to its wavy motion.
98
Once the spontaneous surface motion was fully developed, it continued throughout the
duration of the reaction time, as shown in Figures 5.30-5.32. The speed at which the
surface moved, due to the effect of surface tension, was observed to be apparently high
enough to cause the stirring of the whole bath. Due to the motion of the melt surface, the
thermocouple sheath, when immersed in the melt, was observed to continuously vibrate
about its vertical axis, in a pendulum-like motion, creating a clinking noise. Because the
eruption of gas bubbles from the melt surface occurred only during the secondary stage,
the high degree of turbulence is attributed mainly to surface tension-driven flows. In
studying the effects of reaction gas flow rate, reaction gas composition, and reaction
temperature, the general behaviour of the melt surface was observed to be the same.
However, the speed at which the surface moved was observed to be faster with higher
reaction flow rate and composition, as shown in Figures 5.31 and 5.32. On the other
hand, the effect of temperature was not detectable.
Figure 5.31. Photograph of the surface of the bath at approximately 5 min; the oxidation
rate results indicated that the transition time for these experimental conditions was 5 min.
Note that the film is entirely pushed away from the center of the crucible to the wall.
99
Figure 5.32. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 21 min; spontaneous
wavy motion of the melt surface continues throughout the duration of the reaction time.
The oxidation rate results indicated that the final reaction time for these experimental
conditions was 22 min.
Figure 5.33. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 20 min for the
experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S, at 1200 °C, and under the top-lancing of
21/min of 22% 02 and 78% Ar. The transition and the final reaction times for these
experimental conditions are 14 and 70 min respectively.
100
At the end of the oxidation reaction, the surface movement was observed to completely
cease, and the film was observed to be pushed to the crucible wall (no surface spreading
is occurring which may be the result of surface tension effects), as shown in Figure 5.34.
Figure 5.34. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 10 min after the end
of reaction. At the end of the secondary stage, the surface movement completely ceases.
Note the difference in emissivity between the copper surface (shiny reflecting the lance
nozzle at slightly above the center of the melt) and the emissivity of the film, at the
crucible wall.
During the secondary stage, bubbles were observed to erupt from the melt surface in a
continuous fashion. Occasional intense boiling was observed to occur at the melt surface
as shown in Figure 5.35. The intensity and the frequency of boiling were observed to
increase with increasing reaction gas flow rate and oxygen content, as shown in Figures
5.35 and 5.36.

101
Figure 5.35. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 14.5 min, under the
top-lancing of 2 1/min of 80% 02 and 20% Ar. Intense boiling at the melt surface, caused
by the eruption of SO2 gas bubbles, as a result of the melt reactions.
Figure 5.36. Photograph of the surface of the melt at approximately 14.5 min, under the
top-lancing of 2 1/min of 80% 02 and 20% Ar. Intense boiling at the melt surface, caused
by the eruption of SO2 gas bubbles, as a result of the melt reactions.
102
The frequent intense boiling indicates that as the number of gas bubbles increases, the
bubbles coalesce and rise to the melt surface, causing the interruption of surface-tension
driven flow. As discussed in Chapter 6, the effect of this phenomenon, on the transport
conditions, was relatively strong. The break-up of the melt surface causes an increase in
the interfacial area, while the increased surface turbulence causes the enhancement of the
transport conditions.
^
103
6. Gas Phase Mass Transfer
6.1. Mathematical Analysis for Mass-Transfer Coefficient
To obtain mass-transfer coefficients from the experimental data, the following

mathematical analysis was undertaken.
^6.1.1.^Material Balance
As the reaction takes place, sulphur is removed from the bath in the form of SO2, thereby
changing the bath sulphur content. The sulphur molar balance on the bath yields the
following.
[rate of S input = 0] – [rate of S output]–

[rate of S consumption = 0] + [rate of S generation = 0] (6.1)
= rate of S accumulation
dN
–flso2. A = ^ - (6.2)
dt
^6.1.2.^Flux Equation:
As shown in Figures 5.10, 5.11 and 5.12, the response of the reaction rates to oxygen
content in the gas is characteristic of gas phase mass transfer control. The results shown
in Figure 5.16 also reveal that the liquid phase mass transfer resistance is negligible.
Thus the rate of reaction can be described by the oxygen molar flux, as follows:
k02^b^ni
no2 =— [Po, – r-o21 (6.3)
RT
^6.1.3.Êquilibrium At Phase Boundaries:

If the chemical reaction rate is fast, the interfacial partial pressure of oxygen must be that
of the equilibrium oxygen pressure, dictated by Reaction (5.18). There are no available
equilibrium data for this reaction; however, since the intercepts of the regression lines in
104
Figures 5.10, 5.11 and 5.12 are approximately zero, the partial pressure of oxygen must
be negligible in magnitude, compared to the bulk partial pressure of oxygen.
6.1.4.^Stoichiometry:
The molar ratio of reacted oxygen to evolved sulphur dioxide, a , is calculated as
follows:
(6.4)
During the primary stage, the sulphur removal takes place only as a result of Reaction
(5.18). Since aP is very close to 1.5, thus
oP^ 2k02
nso, = ---L (6.5)
3 RTPLif;2
During the secondary stage, the experimental results indicate that the ratio of the 02
molar flux to the secondary SO2 molar flux, is approximately 0.96. The corresponding
equation for the molar flux of SO2 in the secondary stage is, therefore, described as
follows:
it' :02 = 0.196^2 p,

R
1(07, 02 (6.6)
6.1.5.^Solution:
In order to develop an expression for the sulphur content of the bath, the first order
differential equation ( Equation (6.2)) is solved by substituting for the respective flux
equations, and integrating between the following limits:
t= 0, s A Ps.
N=
t = t* , Ns = N;
For the primary stage the resulting integration is:

105
Ns
2 ko
dN s =Â 13(b) dt (6.7)
Is4^
3 RT^ 0
2 ko (6.8)
Ns = N'sÂPob .t
3 RT
Similarly, the secondary stage expression is derived as follows:
1 ko
Ns = N*s ^ APG: [t — (6.9)
0.96 RT
where t* is the transition time. Thus with gas phase mass transfer control, the bath
sulphur content varies linearly with time. In general terms,
Ns=a+bt^ (6.10)
When compared to Figure 5.4 which exhibits a linear relationship between the measured
moles of sulphur in the bath and time, clearly the oxidation of molten Cu2S is controlled
by gas phase mass transfer of oxygen to the melt surface.
6.2. Experimental Gas Phase Mass Transfer Coefficient

-
The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is calculated from the slope of the plot of sulphur
molar content in the bath vs. time, as follows:
aP RT ANg
AP0b2 At (6.11)
as RT AN;
k;) ^
—
(6.12)
-2 AP,'2 At
Figure 6.1 shows the effect of admitted gas flow rate on the gas phase mass-transfer
coefficient.
106
100
1
1000 10000
Figure 6.1. The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient as a function of gas flow rate for the
experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 1.084 atm, 3 mm inside
diameter lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area and 10 mm distance from
the nozzle to the reaction surface; 0 primary measured; A secondary measured, ^
primary calculated from regression curve (= 0.03 Q0.73),^ secondary calculated
from regression curve (= 0.01 Q0.88).
Although the measured oxygen fluxes for the two stages appear to be identical, their
corresponding gas phase mass-transfer coefficients seem to be slightly different. It can be
seen that this is similar behaviour to the reaction rates, which exhibited greater exponents
for the secondary stage (see Section 5.1.3). The exponents indicate that the relationship
between the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient and the gas flow rate, is stronger in the
107
secondary stage than in the primary stage likely because during the former, gas bubbles
erupt from the melt surface (see Figure 5.35 and 5.36), thereby increasing the gas/liquid
interfacial area. Due to the difficulty of estimating the changes in the reaction interfacial
area, it is not possible to account for this effect. Surface observations of the melt
indicated that the frequency of gas bubbling and the interfacial turbulence were enhanced
by an increase in the gas flow rate and the oxygen concentration in the gas.
In Figure 6.2, the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is plotted against the partial pressure
of oxygen, from which it appears that there is a slight dependence on the oxygen content.
0^ PÎ
I 11111 1111
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6 0.8^1.0
Figure 6.2. The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient vs. the partial pressure of oxygen for
the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu25, average system pressure of 1.09 atm,
3 mm inside diameter lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area and 10 mm
distance from the nozzle to the reaction surface; • primary measured; 0 secondary
measured, ^ regression line( Equation (5.15)),^ average.
^
108
Under normal conditions, the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is effectively

independent of the oxygen concentration in the gas phase; however, owing to the
Marangoni effect, the gas phase mass transfer coefficient slightly increases with
increasing oxygen content in the reaction gas.
k02 = ( 8.2 ±0.2) + (1.5 ±0.3)13, (6.13)
The average gas phase mass-transfer coefficient, from the primary and secondary stages,
is plotted against the inverse of temperature in Figure 6.3, from which it is clear that the
gas phase mass-transfer coefficient has a slight positive dependence on temperature.
6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5^6.6^6.7^6.8^6.9^7.0
(1 / T) x104 (°K-')
Figure 6.3. The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient vs. the inverse of temperature for the
experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23% 02 and average pressure of 1.08; 0
mean of the measured primary and secondary, ^ regression curve (Equation
(6.14)).
109
From least squares, the Arrhenius relationship, described by Equation (6.14), yielded an
activation energy of 14±12 kJ/mole, which is a characteristic of mass transfer.
[ 14 ±12kJ/ mole ii
ln^= ln(3. 3 ± O. 9) (6.14)
O. 0083144 kJ/°K. mole] T
6.3. Gas Phase Mass Transfer Correlation

-
The gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is empirically24 related to the transport conditions
of the system via the Sherwood number, Sh. As discussed in Section 2.3.2.1.2, for
laminar top-blown systems, Sh is related to the Schmidt number, Sc, and the Reynolds
number, Re, as follows [48125:
Sh = m(rd dr RenR' Ses'^ (6.15)
Figure 6.4 shows a logarithmic plot of Sh against Re based on the results of this study.
For constant Sc and (rsId), the exponents of Re are 0.73 and 0.88 for the primary stage
and secondary stage respectively, as described by Equations (6.16) and (6.17), which
indicate that the empirical relationships of the Sh-Re are identical to the empirical
relationships of the k02 — Q.
^
ShP = 0.03Re° (6.16)
^
Shs = 0.02 Ream (6.17)
24The transport properties of the gas are considered to be those of the reaction gas mixture, for
which the calculation procedures are presented in Appendix C.
25The Sherwood number, Sh, is the ratio of the total mass transfer to the mass transfer by
molecular diffusion; the Schmidt number, Sc, is the ratio of the momentum diffusivity to the
molecular diffusivity and the Reynolds number, Re, is the ratio of the inertia force of a fluid to
the viscous force.
110
10
0.1
^ ^
10 1 00 1000
Re
Figure 6.4. The Sherwood number as a function of the Reynolds number for the top
blown conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 1.084 atm, 3 mm inside diameter
lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area and 10 mm distance from the
nozzle to the reaction surface and Sc = 0.57; 0 primary measured; A secondary measured;
^ primary calculated from regression curve (— 0.03 Re0-73); ^ secondary
calculated from regression curve (= 0.02 Re0.88).
From boundary-layer theory [120], and in most mass transfer correlations, the exponent
of the Schmidt number, nsc, is of the order of 1/5-1/3. Since the Schmidt number is a
function of the physical properties of the fluid involved in mass transfer, at room
temperature, the range of Sc is high enough (0.05-5) to allow the determination of its
exponent more accurately from measurements. However, in high temperature systems,
the Schmidt number is only of the order of 0.57-0.9 [48] (in the case of 02-Ar/N2 gas
111
mixtures at 1200-1300 °C, it is 0.57-0.61). In their evaluation of the Sherwood number at

high temperature, Taniguchi et al. [48] assumed that n ^0.5. Similarly, their results
gave the best fit when the exponent of (rid), ns, was -1 for room temperature systems
and -1.5 for the high temperature systems. Figure 6.5 shows a plot of Sh(r.141.5Sc-°-5
against Re from the experimental results obtained in this study.
100
10
1
^ ^
10 100 1000
Re
Figure 6.5. Sh(rs 141)1.5 SC° 5 plotted against the Reynolds number for top-blown
conditions of 02-Ar/N2 onto molten Cu2S bath, at 1200-1300°C, 1.084 atm, 0.56 Sc
0.63, 7 rid _C.11, 2-3 mm inside diameter lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial
reaction area and 10 nun distance from the nozzle to the reaction surface; 0 primary
measured; • secondary measured; ^ calculated from regression curve (Sh = (0.64±
0.07)(d/rs) 1 -5 sc0.6Re(0.79±0.06)); ^ secondary calculated from regression curve (Sh=
(m= 0.74) ((d/rs)1-5Sc"Re036, from decarburization of liquid iron, after Taniguchi et al.
[48])).
112
The resulting correlation is as follows:

^
Sh = (0.64 ± 0.07)(r, 1 d) 5 Sc° 5 Re(°79±°°6) (6.18)
By comparison Taniguchi et al. [48] found the exponent of Re to be 0.66 for room
temperature systems and 0.76 obtained from the rate of decarburization of liquid iron, (of
greater than 0.2 wt% carbon). The results presented in Figure 6.5 clearly agree with the
experimental measurements of Taniguchi et al. for Re = 13-1500, r s/d = 1.6-5 and Hid =
0.4-30, for which (Sh = m (r s/d)-1-5Sc0.5Re°3 6). In the system under study these values
are Re = 33-147, r s/d = 11-7.3 and Hid = 3.33-5, and the value for m that gives the best
agreement is 0.74. As shown in Figure 2.7 (a), m appears to vary slightly with the type of
system. For the water-N2-NH3 system, it is 0.27 and it is 0.53 for the toluene-N2 system.
Although the exponents of the correlation obtained from the decarburization of liquid
iron are closer to those of the current system, m appears to differ greatly. For the
decarburization of liquid iron, m = 0.27 ± 0.05, while it was found to be 0.74 ± 0.01 for
the current system.
For the purpose of analyzing the oxidation kinetics of molten Cu2S, Equation (6.18) was
used in the prediction of the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient. Since all of the
apparently relevant parameters are in agreement with those obtained from systems of gas
mass transfer control [45-48], this correlation was accepted in the prediction of the gas
phase mass-transfer coefficient.
Table 6.1 shows the effect of lance diameter on the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient.
The lance nozzle-diameter appears to be an important parameter in the gas phase mass-
transfer. Where a 33% decrease in the diameter results in an approximately 20% increase
in the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient, the correlation provides a better prediction
when nsc is -1.5 than when it is -1, as shown in Table 6.1.
113
Table 6.1. The effect of the lance diameter on the gas phase mass transfer coefficient.
These runs were conducted at 1200 °C and average _ oxygen content of 21%.
k02 k02 Icf)2 kn
s
•-.2
Q/a- d rdd Hid m= 0.64,n, = -1.5 m = 0. 25, ns = –1 measured measured
and nRe = 0.79 and nRe = 0.78

(ml/min) (mm) (cm/s) (cm/s) (cm/s) (cm/s)
1480 3 7 3 6.57 6.49 5.95 6.45
1520 2 11 5 7.57 23.12 7.42 7.40
6.4. Sensitivity Analysis of the Effect of the Interfacial Area on Gas Phase
Mass-Transfer Coefficient
In top-blown systems, the reaction interfacial area is a function of the flow characteristics
of the jet and the diameter of the crucible. For highly turbulent systems, the reaction
interfacial area may be considered to be the area of the paraboloid, outlined by the jet
impingement area, as follows:
Tc [D. + 4Hc13/2 —11

A=— (6.19)
6
In laminar flow systems in a certain crucible diameter range, the reaction interfacial area
is assumed to be the cross-sectional area of the crucible. The experimental measurements
and the numerical computations of Taniguchi et al. [47-48] revealed that for laminar flow
conditions, the reaction interfacial area can be assumed to be the cross-sectional area of
the crucible, as shown in Figure 6.6. From a numerical solution of the gas phase flow
equations, and from visualizing the flow pattern of the gas phase by a tracer (TiC14) [47],
it was deduced that this assumption was acceptable.
114
Figure 6.6. Computed streamline patterns and concentration profiles at u = 200 ink
(laminar flow) (after Taniguchi et al. [48]); (a) streamline patterns iv, (b) concentration
profiles Y.
From Equation (6.18), the variation in the predicted gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is
related to the variation in the reaction interfacial area as follows:
3 SA
Sko, = -- (0.64)7t3/4D^
02 -Ar
crISC Re° 79 (6.20)
4^
The variation in the experimentally determined gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is
related to the variation in the interfacial reaction area as follows:
RT SA (6.21)
=
N 02
Pbo2 A2
Due to the rising gas bubbles frequently erupting from the melt during the secondary
stage, the reaction interfacial area may vary to an uncertain extent. In order to investigate
the effect of this possible variation on the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient, a
115
sensitivity analysis was carried out using Equations (6.20) and (6.21). The results are
shown in Figure 6.7 and indicate that a 20% variation in the area, results in approximately
15% and up to 21% uncertainties in the estimation of the measured and predicted gas
phase mass-transfer coefficients respectively.
100
10
1
1000^ 10000
Figure 6.7. The sensitivity of the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient to the reaction
interfacial area, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 3 mm
inside diameter lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area and 10 mm distance
form the nozzle to the reaction surface; 0 mean, determined from measurement (A =
15.14 cm2); .. uncertainty bars (OA = 3.028 cm2 equivalent to 20 % variation), ^
predicted (A = 15.14 cm2); ^ predicted uncertainty limits (SA = 3.028 cm2
equivalent to 20 % variation).
116
6.5. Sensitivity Analysis of the Effect of Temperature on Gas Phase Mass-
Transfer Coefficient
In the calculation of transport coefficients, such as the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient
or the heat-transfer coefficient, the temperature at which the thermophysical properties
are computed, is often considered to be the mean film temperature. In systems of high
gas velocity and a very steep thermal gradient between the reaction region and the gas
delivery regions (such as the lance nozzle), it is feasible to consider the temperature of the
gas to be at a mean temperature between the hot zone and the gas. However, in the
system under investigation, the lance extends over a distance of approximately 400 mm in
which the thermal gradient inside the reaction tube26 is relatively gradual. This allows the
gas to reach a temperature close to that of the hot zone. Due to the exothermic heat of
reaction, depending on the gas flow rate and oxygen content in the gas, the temperatures
of the bath and the gas were observed to increase by up to 60 °C, relative to the start of
reaction. Due to the expected small effect of temperature on the reaction rate, and to the
short life of the alumina thermocouple sheaths in the vicinity of the reaction, it was not
possible to obtain a continuous temperature measurement for some of the runs. However,
reasonably sufficient data, on the thermal behaviour of the reaction system, have been
gathered27 to reveal that the temperature rise is proportional to the increase in the oxygen
content and gas flow rate of the reaction gas, as given by Equations (6.22)-(6.24) and
shown in Figures 6.8 and 6.9.
26Refer to Section 4.1.1 (Figure 4.1).

27Melt and gas temperature measurements are provided in Appendix D.
^
117
70
60
50
40
0E 30
00 20
10
-1 0 I I
II""1""1""1""I""1""1""
0^500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
Figure 6.8. The temperature change, due to the heat of reaction, as a function of the
reaction gas flow rate; LI melt temperature change (the tip of the thermocouple sheath was
located at the center of the melt), ^ regression line (Equation (6.22)); 0 gas
temperature change (the tip of the thermocouple sheath was located at the same height as
that of the lance nozzle28); ^ regression line (Equation (6.23)).
28Due to the poor heat transfer conditions between the thermocouple and the gas, the gas
temperature measurements are expected to be lower than the actual temperature (for more
accurate measurements to be conducted, a suction thermocouple should be used).
^
118
70
60
50
a)
czi 40
a)
E
E-4
g 30
CI)
9
c‘C
U20
10
Î^
' ' '
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
0 20 40 60 80 100
Oxygen Content (%)
Figure 6.9. The temperature change, due to the heat of reaction, as a function of the
reaction gas oxygen content; o gas temperature change (the tip of thermocouple sheath
was located at the same height as that of the lance^nozzle), ^ regression line
(Equation (6.24)).
^
ÂTmelt = —8 +0.018Q: (6.22)
= —15+0.014Q: ^ (6.23)
^
t‘Tgas = —7.3 + 0. 8002) (6.24)
119
Using the estimated correlations for AT, a temperature sensitivity analysis was carried
out to investigate the effect of temperature uncertainty on the calculated values of the gas
phase mass-transfer coefficients. The mean temperature of the melt and the gas was
calculated from the estimated correlations, and it was used to compute the gas phase
mass-transfer coefficients, as shown in Figures 5.11-5.12. The gas phase mass-transfer-
temperature sensitivity analysis indicated that a ±50°C uncertainty in temperature can
result in approximately ±4% uncertainty in the calculation of the gas phase mass-transfer
coefficients, which is within the tolerance limit, as shown in Figures 6.10 and 6.11.
According to the gas phase mass-transfer corelation, the gas phase mass-transfer
coefficient is expected to be slightly dependent on the gas composition mainly through
the Schmidt number. However, at high temperatures, the contribution of Sc is small
compared to Re. When increasing the oxygen content in the reaction gas, the temperature
change and surface-tension driven flows are higher. From the above discussion, it
appears that the effect of temperature on the gas phase mass transfer coefficient is
negligible. The experimental results suggest that the dependence of the gas phase mass-
transfer coefficient on the oxygen content in the gas is slightly higher than predicted by
the correlation, as shown in Figure 6.11. It seems that there is only a small dependence,
for compositions of approximately 50% 02 and higher. Since the temperature effect is
insignificant, this dependence is attributed to the effect of surface-tension driven flows
and the eruption of gas bubbles. Surface observations indicated that the spontaneous
motion is increased with increasing oxygen content of the reaction gas (see Section 5.3).
120
100
10
1
1000^ 10000
Figure 6.10. The sensitivity of the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient to temperature, for
the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 20-26% 02, 3 mm inside
diameter lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial reaction area and 10 mm distance from
the nozzle to the reaction surface; 0 primary measured (T = 1200 °C); CI secondary
measured (T = 1200 °C); ^ predicted (T = 1200 °C); 111 primary measured (mean);
0 secondary measured (mean); ^ predicted (mean).
121
12
10
0^
a 8
o9
a^
0
I .^1Îî^ . ^ . ^ 1^ I
^
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6^0.8 1.0^1.2
Figure 6.11. The effect of reaction gas composition on the gas phase mass-transfer
coefficient, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S, average system
pressure of 1.09 atm, 3 mm inside diameter lance, 44 mm diameter of the interfacial
reaction area and 10 mm distance from the nozzle to the reaction surface; 0 primary
measured (T = 1200 °C); 0 secondary measured (T = 1200 °C), predicted (T =
1200 °C); ^ predicted (mean temperature form Equation (6.26)).
122
7. Mathematical Modeling and Theoretical Predictions
Having presented and discussed the experimental findings of this work, it is conducive to
examine these findings theoretically via mathematical modeling of the oxidation reaction.
A theoretical description of the oxidation of molten Cu2S bath is essential for further
understanding of this process and for the support and validation of the experimental
measurements. In this chapter, a detailed formulation of the mathematical model is
presented. Using the experimental results, validation and sensitivity analyses of this
model are also examined. To provide a theoretical description of the oxidation of molten
copper sulphide, the oxidation path and the oxidation rates of molten copper sulphide
baths are discussed in terms of the model predictions.
7.1. Mathematical Model
7.1.1.Âssumptions
1. The melt is vigorously mixed and consists of a homogeneous solution of
S2-, 02- and Cu+ ions (sulphide phase), during the primary stage. The
formation of the copper-rich phase (metal phase) takes place during the
secondary stage, as a product of the melt reactions only29. The metal
phase remains in equilibrium with the sulphide phase until the complete
depletion of the sulphide phase at the end of the secondary stage (end of
the oxidation reaction).
2. The oxidation reaction is controlled by the gas phase mass transfer of

oxygen to the melt surface.
29Note that Reaction (5.18) is referred to as the surface reaction and Reactions (5.19), (5.21) and
(5.22) are referred to as the melt reactions.
123
3. The melt at the end of the primary stage is assumed to be the equilibrium
composition of the sulphide phase saturated with oxygen at the given
temperature and pressure.
4. The melt at the end of the secondary stage is assumed to be copper

containing equilibrium amounts of oxygen and sulphur.
5. Equilibrium conditions are assumed to prevail at the gas-liquid interface.

The surface reaction apparently has a large negative Gibbs free energy
with a large equilibrium constant. Thus under gas phase mass transfer
control, the interfacial partial pressure of oxygen is very small compared
with the bulk partial pressure of oxygen. Due to the absence of
thermodynamic data for the activities of [S2-] and [021 in the melt, it is
not possible to calculate the equilibrium partial pressure of oxygen
dictated by the surface reaction. The molar flux of oxygen can be
described as follow:
ko r b
no2 =--IP
RT 2
6. The transport properties of the gas are assumed to be those of the reaction
gas mixture i.e. Ar+02.
7. The transition period from the primary stage to the secondary stage is very
small and was assumed to be negligible.
8. Due to the effect of bubbles rising from the melt during the secondary
stage, the reaction interfacial area is increased causing the overall rate to
increase by a minor amount. This was apparent from the gas phase mass-
transfer coefficient determined in the secondary stage which was found to
124
be slightly higher than that of the primary stage". However, since the
measured gas phase mass-transfer coefficient was found to increase only
by about 4% in the secondary stage, it is assumed that the gas phase mass-
transfer coefficient remains constant throughout the reaction duration.
9. The reaction interfacial area is assumed to be the cross-sectional area of

the crucible.
10. Isothermal conditions prevail throughout the duration of the reaction time.
In spite of the fact that the temperature of the system was observed to
increase at the beginning of the reaction time and to remain constant
throughout the duration of the experiments (as a result of the exothermic
reaction), this assumption was adopted because of the small effect that the
temperature has on the overall reaction rate.
11. The gas phase is assumed to be at the same temperature as the liquid
phase. Due to the low value of the specific heat capacity of gases and to
the nature of this reaction system31, it is safe to assume that the heat
transfer to the reacting gas, in the hot zone, is instantaneous.
7.1.2.^Reaction Mechanism and Flux Equations

7.1.2.1.^Primary Stage
The formation of copper does not take place until the sulphide phase is saturated with
oxygen. This is due to the relatively high oxygen solubility in molten copper sulphide, of
approximately 1.47 wt% at 1200°C and 1 atm pressure. During the primary stage, the
sulphide melt is partially desulphurized and oxygen saturated until its composition has
reached approximately 80.83 wt% Cu, 17.7 wt% S and 1.47 wt% 0 at 1200 °C and 1 atm
30For details about the calculation of the measured gas phase mass transfer coefficient, refer to
Section 5.1.5.1.
31The basis for this assumption has been discussed in detail in Section 5.1.5.2.
125
[19]. This process is controlled by the gas phase mass transfer of oxygen to the melt
surface, where it reacts with sulphide melt, in the absence of any other reactions as shown
in Figure (7.1), according to Reaction (5.18).
Due to the Marangoni effect at the bath surface, the sulphur and oxygen concentrations in
the melt are assumed to be constant throughout the liquid phase i.e. the liquid phase mass
transfer resistance is virtually non-existent. Therefore, as mentioned above, the
expression describing the reaction rate is Equation (7.1).
Distance
A
SO2 02
Gas Phase
b
PO2
\/
13`
02 Concentration
^ >
Liquid Phase
[s 21
V
44 mm
Figure 7.1. Schematic diagram of the primary stage reaction system; (1) alumina lance;
(2) , vigorously mixed molten sulphide as the result of surface tension driven flows
(Marangoni effect); (3) schematic diagram of the reaction gas flow pattern; (4) alumina
crucible.
7.1.2.2.^Secondary Stage
Immediately upon the melt composition reaching the transition composition of 80.83 wt%
Cu, 17.7 wt% S and 1.47 wt% 0 at 1200 °C and 1 atm, the secondary stage commences.
126
During the secondary stage, the copper formation reactions (Reactions (5.19), (5.21) and
(5.22)) take place beneath the surface throughout the melt. Simultaneously with the
formation of copper, oxygen and sulphur dissolve in the metal, according to Reactions
(5.21) and (5.22), to yield about 98.89% Cu, 0.95% S and 0.16% 0. Reaction (5.19) is
triggered when the oxygen concentration at a nucleating site has slightly exceeded the
equilibrium concentration of the sulphide phase. Once this reaction initiates, the
formation of copper droplets and SO2 gas bubbles provides more reaction sites to keep
the sulphide phase in equilibrium with the metal and gas phases. Because the reactions
are electrochemical, ionic mobility and electron transport tremendously retard the liquid
phase mass transfer resistance (on the microscopic scale). Growth and coalescence of the
gas bubbles are followed by their rise to the melt surface. These phenomena provide an
enhancement of the stirring action caused by the surface-tension driven flow. Due to the
surface eruptions caused by the rising gas bubbles, the gas-liquid interfacial reaction area
increases and enhances the overall reaction rate by up to 6%. The frequency of rising gas
bubbles has been observed to increase with increasing flow rate oxygen partial pressure in
the reaction gas. Spontaneous mixing of the melt is further enhanced by the coalescence
and settlement of the copper droplets. However, because the copper droplets and the gas
bubbles exist only during the secondary stage, the melt is believed to be mainly mixed by
the effect of surface-tension driven flow phenomena.
The metal phase at the bottom of the bath grows at the expense of the sulphide phase until
the secondary stage is ended, at which time all of the sulphide phase is consumed. The
secondary stage reaction system is shown schematically in Figures 7.2 and 7.3, from
which, it is apparent that the reaction conditions of the secondary stage are slightly
different from those of the primary stage. However, the rate limiting step remains the
mass transfer of oxygen in the gas phase above the bath.
127
(1)
Distance
Gas Phase
02
Concentration
Suiphide Phase
Metal Phase
44mm
Figure 7.2. Schematic diagram of the secondary stage reaction system; (1) alumina lance;
(2) alumina crucible; (3) schematic diagram of the reaction gas flow pattern; (4) sulphide
phase; (5) metal phase; 0 sulphur dioxide gas bubbles; copper droplets.
Suiphide Phase
Metal Phase
Figure 7.3. Secondary stage; (1) surface reaction interface for Reaction (5.18); (2)
reacting sulphide phase (according to Reactions (5.19), (5.21) and (5.22)); (3) sulphide-
metal interface (showing the net metal phase formation rates); Suiphide phase; 0
sulphur dioxide gas bubbles; copper droplets.
128
7.1.3.Êquilibrium at Phase boundaries

It is safe to suggest that equilibrium conditions prevail at the melt surface i.e. at the gas-
liquid interface. Therefore the interfacial partial pressure of oxygen is assumed to be the
equilibrium partial pressure of oxygen, as dictated by the thermodynamics of Reaction
(5.18) and at least one order of magnitude smaller than the bulk partial pressure of
oxygen. Then Equation (7.1) is transformed as follows:
.^k 02
no2 ..==^2 Po (7.2)
RT 2
Due to the spontaneous mixing of the melt, there is no concentration gradient in either of
the liquid phases. The oxygen- and sulphur-saturated metal phase is in equilibrium with
both the gas and sulphide phases.
Since the amount of copper formed, due to Reactions (5.19), (5.21) and (5.22), is
saturated with oxygen and sulphur, the moles of oxygen and sulphur dissolved in copper
can be related to the moles of copper formed via their equilibrium relationships, as
follows:
N cisM 0,100
N0 = (7.3)
1
m 0[{100 —[% Si^
100
c. i[[% Cu
N cu M cal00
Ns= ^ (7.4)
—{100
M s[[100 700]cut 1]—[% O]cd
[% s]cu
129
By differentiating Equations (7.3) and (7.4) with respect to time and noting that
[% s] and [%0], are constants, relationships between the rate of copper formation
and the rates of oxygen and sulphur dissolution in copper are obtained, as follows:
N cu A 1 0,100
No =
100 (7.5)
m^
0[[100—[%s]ct
u
mc.100
LetÔn, =
100 (7.6)
m0[[100—[%Si cu][
[%pica
N = Ocu NCu^ (7.7)
N cu M100
Ns =
100 (7.8)
s[[100—[%O]cui[ [%s]cw^1-]_[%0]cu]
A^
Ain, 100
let^So, =
100 (7.9)
[[100^[%^c
Ais^ 6] 1[ [%0L
u^[%S]cu
N s = ScuNcu^ (7.10)
The oxygen and sulphur concentrations in the metal phase are calculated from the
equilibrium measurements of J. Schmiedl [19], as given by the following equations32:
32Note that Ps02 (in Equations (7.11)) is in mmHg.

130
.p 2
[%oicu = 10 (-1.4-(1278/T))^ySO2
[%cu] =10(2+(2""
[ % S] ^100 —[% Cu] --[%O]cu
where the SO2 partial pressure, in the melt, is equal to the system pressure, Ps, and the
average sulphide phase static head on an SO2 gas bubble located at a mid-distance from
the surface, Pst, as follows:
=P
^
PS02 Pst (7.14)
As seen in Figures 5.18-5.23, the sulphide phase contains the freshly formed copper
droplets throughout the secondary stage. Thus, as the metal phase is formed within the
sulphide phase, the sulphide melt density is assumed to be the average value for the
sulphide phase and metal phase densities, as given by the following equation:
(Hicu2s)(Pcu,s+Pcu
Pt = (7.15)
2^2
7.1.4.^Stoichiometry
Reaction (5.18) is the surface reaction that takes place when a copper sulphide melt,
having a stoichiometric Cu2S composition33, is brought in contact with oxygen gas. Melt
surface observations and micro-examination of quenched bath samples, obtained during
the primary stage, indicated very clearly that there is no bubble formation during this
period. The stoichiometric relationship between the molar flux of oxygen and the
primary molar flux of sulphur dioxide can be obtained from Reaction (5.18) as given by
33The Cu-S binary, at 1200 °C and 1 atm, indicates that liquid copper sulphide can range in
composition from 20 to 22.19 wt % sulphur (refer to Section 2.2).
131
Equation (7.16). By substituting for n 02 from Equation (7.2) in Equation (7.16), an

P
expression for nso, is obtained as follows:
0 P^ 1
nS02 = — —no2
312
(7.16)
P^ 2 k02
nso2 (7.17)
3 RT 2
During the secondary stage, Reaction (5.18) is no longer the only reaction that is
responsible for the sulphur removal from the sulphide phase. Reactions (5.19) and (5.21)
take place in the melt, contributing further to sulphur ion removal. By maintaining the
sulphide phase composition below the transition composition, the melt reactions sustain
the chemical potential for reaction (5.18). Due to the dissolution of oxygen and sulphur
in copper, the proportions of Reactions (5.18) and (5.19) are not known. Therefore it is
not possible to formulate theoretically a direct stoichiometry between the no2 and ns02.
The overall reaction for the copper formation can be represented by Reaction (7.18).
Therefore the rate of copper ion consumption from the sulphide phase can be directly
related to the rate of copper generation, as given by Equation (7.19).
{Cul+ = ((Cu)) (7.18)
0
N cu* = N (7.19)
From the stoichiometry of Reactions (5.21) and (5.22), the relationships between the rates
of oxygen and sulphur ions consumption from the sulphide phase are related to the rates
of oxygen and sulphur dissolution in the metal phase, as follows:
^
o2- = o (7.20)
^
N s2- = Ns (7.21)
132
7.1.5.^Material Balance
For simplicity, this mathematical model will be constructed to describe each of the two
stages in a distinct manner. For the primary stage, a material balance on the sulphide
phase yields the formulation of a model that predicts the sulphur and oxygen contents of
the bath. For the secondary stage, a material balance on the sulphide phase shall be
performed to develop expressions for the rates of copper, oxygen and sulphur
consumption from the sulphide phase. The description of the metal phase generation can
be obtained by performing a material balance on the metal phase. By combining the
results of the material balances on the sulphide phase and the metal phase an overall
description of the bath, during the secondary stage, can be formulated.
7.1.5.1.1.^Sulphur Balance
Assuming that there is no concentration gradient of sulphur in the bath, a molar balance
for sulphur in the bath yields the following:
[rate of S2- input = O]-[rate of S2- output]+

[rate of S2- generation = OF [rate of S2- consumption = 01= ^(7.22)
rate of S2- accumulation
Since the sulphur removed from the bath is in the form of SO2, the rate of S2- output
from the bath is directly related to the SO2 molar flux as follows:
.P
rate of S2- output = ns02. A^ (7.23)
Substituting for Equation (7.23) in Equation (7.22);
. P^dN ,2_
— n SO2 . A = ^' (7.24)
dt
133
7.1.5.1.2.Ôxygen Balance
Similarly for oxygen;
[rate of 02- input ] - [rate of 02- output ] +

^(7.25)
[rate of 02- generation = OF [rate of 02- consumption = 0] =
rate of 02- accumulation
Oxygen is dissolved in the bath as 02- and is removed from the bath in the form of S02•
Therefore the rate of 02 input is the product of the molar flux of 02 and the cross-
sectional area of the crucible, as given by Equation (7.26). The rate of 02 output can be
expressed in terms of the molar flux of SO2, as given by Equation (7.27).
rate of 02- input = 2 I; 02. A^ (7.26)

. P
rate of 02- output = 2nso2• A^ (7.27)
Substituting Equations (7.26) and (7.27) in Equation (7.25), the following expression is
obtained:
.^. 13^ dN 2_
2 no2. A —2 ns,92. A = ^° (7.28)
dt
7.1.5.2.1.^Sulphide Phase
7.1.5.2.1.1. Sulphur Ion Balance
As shown in Figure 7.3, some of the sulphur reacts to form SO2, according to Reactions
(5.18), (5.19), and some dissolves in the metal phase according to Reaction (5.21). A
material balance for the sulphur yields the following:
134
[rate of S2- input = O]- [rate of S2- output] +

[rate of S2- generation = 0]— [rate of S2- consumption ] = (7.29)
rate of S2- accumulation
The rate of sulphur output is related to the secondary SO2 molar flux as follows:
rate of S2- output = ns02. A (7.30)
rate of S2- consumption = Ns2-^ (7.31)
Substituting Equations (7.30) and (7.31) in Equation (7.29), we obtain the following
expression:
. s^
.., r dN 2_
— fl s02 •
A^
A — IV s2 = ^S (7.32)
dt
7.1.5.2.1.2. Oxygen Ion Balance
The oxygen input to the sulphide phase is a known quantity, given by the transport
conditions of the reaction system. As outlined in Figure 7.3, some of the oxygen reacts
with the sulphur at the melt surface, according to Reaction (5.18); some of it is removed
from the bath in the form of SO2, according to Reaction (5.19), and some of it dissolves
in the metal phase, according to Reaction (5.21). Hence, the oxygen balance yields the
following:
[rate of 02- input ] - [rate of 02- output] +

^(7.33)
[rate of 02- generation = 0] —rate
[ of 02- consumption i =
rate of 02- accumulation
The rate of oxygen input is related to the 02 molar flux, as follows:

^
rate of 02- input = 2 n 02 • A (7.34)
The rate of oxygen output is related to the secondary SO2 molar flux, as follows:
^
135
„s
rate of 02- output = 2 ns02. A^ (7.35)
The rate of oxygen consumption is described as follows:
rate of 02- consumption = No2-^ (7.36)
Substituting Equations (7.34), (7.35) and (7.36) into Equation (7.33), an expression for
the oxygen balance is obtained, as follows:
^. ^,s^ dN ,
2,(n
02- ^nso,)•—A N 0^
o2 = ^ (7.37)
dt
7.1.5.2.1.3. Copper Ion Balance

Similarly for copper;
[rate of Cu + input = 0 ]-[rate of Cu+ output = 0] +

[rate of Cu+ generation = 0 ] — [rate of Cu+ consumption ] = (7.38)
rate of Cu+ accumulation
rate of Cu+ consumption = N cw.^ (7.39)
.^dNCI4+
— N Cu+ = (7.40)
dt
7.1.5.2.2.^Metal Phase
7.1.5.2.2.1. Sulphur Balance
As shown in Figure 7.3, the sulphur dissolves in the metal phase in the form of neutral
sulphur atoms, according to Reaction (5.21). A material balance for the sulphur yields
the following:
[rate of S input = 0 ] - [rate of S output = 0]+

[rate of S dissolution]— [rate of S consumption = 0 ] = ^(7.41)
rate of S accumulation
136
rate of S dissolution = Ns (7.42)
k s . dNs
(7.43)
dt
7.1 .5.2.2.2. Oxygen Balance

Similarly for oxygen;
[rate of 0 input = 0 ]- [rate of 0 output = 0]+

[rate of 0 dissolution] — [rate of 0 consumption = 0 ] = (7.44)
rate of 0 accumulation
rate of 0 dissolution = No (7.45)
k 0 . dNo
(7.46)
dt
7.1.5.2.2.3. Copper Balance

The copper material balance is described as follows:
[rate of Cu input = 0 ] - [rate of Cu output = 0]+

[rate of Cu generation ]— [rate of Cu consumption = 0 ] = (7.47)
rate of Cu accumulation
rate of Cu generation = Ncu^ (7.48)
.^dN
Ncu = ^cu (7.49)
dt
137
7.1.6.^Mathematical Solution
For 0 t t , where t* is the transition time, expressions for the moles of sulphur and
oxygen in the bath are developed by integrating Equations (7.24) and (7.28) subject to the
following initial condition:
at t =0, N52 = N's„ and NO2 = 0
Arca-
P
dNs 2 = nS02 • Ai dt (7.50)
0
P
Because nso2 # f (Ns2_ ), the expression for the moles of sulphur in the bath is given by
the following equation:
N = —(n sP• _+
s2-^2 _ (7.51)
Equation (7.28) is integrated subject to the initial condition, as follows:

N
o2-
(7.52)
.
dN 02_ = 2(no2—nso2)• AS dt
P
Because nso, # f(NO2) and no, # f(NO2_), the expression for the moles of oxygen in
the bath is given by the following equation:
0 P
N0 =
- 2(no2— nso2}4 • t (7.53)
P
Substituting for nso2 and no2 in Equations (7.51) and (7.53), the final formulations for
the sulphur and oxygen in the bath are developed.
02k
^ b
N2 = Ns12_ —(— (7.54)
3 RT2 A P°2 *t
138
NO2_ =(3-
kC)7,2 A Pob2)• t^
R (7 .55)
The primary rates of sulphur removal and oxygen dissolution, as functions of the oxygen
partial pressure, are derived as follows:
dNsp,_ = (2 ko2A)pb
(7.56)
dt^3 RT ) 02
dNop,_ =12 ko,A)pb

(7.57)
dt^3 RT ) 02
Substituting for the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient expression (Equation (6.18)) in
Equations (7.56) and (7.57), the primary rates of sulphur removal and oxygen dissolution
can be expressed in terms of the reaction gas flow rate, as follows:
,^0.79 ]
dNsP2_ = ( 2 P/12 AI O. 64 Do, _Ar ( d r \I 1-1, g [M.- P g j^Q0.79 (7.58)
dt^3 RT^d^rs^p gD02_Ar 4g
, 0.79]
dNop2_ =r 2 Pict A O. 64 Do2 _Ar " dl.11 11g ^(7cd- P g)^Q0.79 (7.59)
dt^3 RT )^d^rs^p gD02-Ar 411.g
At the transition time, the sulphide bath composition is dictated by the equilibrium
conditions of the system, as given by the following equations:
N* u* m cul00
N s* 2_ = ^
1 (7.60)
100
m s[[100 —[% 0] cu2s .1[{% S]cu2s ^1—[% GI] cu2s]
139
N* Mca100
No* 2- = ^
(7.61)
mo[[100— [% S ] cu2 s [% 100 ^11_{% s]1
cl c s^ u2
cu2s
The oxygen and sulphur concentrations in the sulphide phase at the transition time are
calculated from the equilibrium measurements of J. Schmiedl [19], as given by the
following equations:
2+0013/T)) pY2
[%°1CU2S = 10(- so2 (7.62)
[%Cutu2s = 79.605 + 0.26 x 10-12 T4^ (7.63)
[%Slcu2s = 100 —[% Cu] [% O]Cu2s^ (7.64)
Substituting for the conditions at the transition time in Equation (7.54) or Equation
(7.55), an expression for the transition reaction time can be developed as given by the
following equation:
*^Nis2_ N*s2_
t = (7.65)
r2k02^b)
3 RT A P°2 )
During the primary stage, the moles of copper ions in the bath are constant; therefore the
moles of copper ions (N.+ ) at transition are the initial moles of copper in the bath.
Using Equations (7.54) and (7.55), an expression for the bath weight as a function of
time, during the primary stage, can be expressed as follows:
WP (t) = w(o) +[M0 — Ms .1[—=-2 A 13,;',]• t (7.66)

3 RT^2
140
An expression for the rate of weight change in the primary stage as a function of the
oxygen pressure can be derived by differentiating Equation (7.66) with respect to time, as
follows:
0 P^ 2 ko A (7.67)
W =[111° —Ms] 3 R2 T PCb'2
The rate of weight change can be expressed in terms of the reaction gas flow rate as
follows:
° P 2^0.641002-ArPob2 ^ incrpg )0.79 0.79

Q
W {Mo Ms]^ (7.68)
RT P gD02-Ar 4114
Unlike the primary stage, the secondary stage does not offer a direct stoichiometric
os
relationship between the nso2 and n02. The following equations are to be solved
simultaneously for the unknown reaction rates and the final reaction time34.
Sulphide phase sulphur balance:

dN 2_
n SO2 • A — N S2 = ^S (7.32)
dt
Sulphide phase oxygen balance:
dA 1 n2 (7.37)
2(no2—nso2)• A _NO2 =
dt
Sulphide phase copper balance:
dN
—N
0 = Cu (7.40)
dt
34The unknown reaction rates and the final reaction time are constants in a determined system of
equations that can be solved simultaneously.
141
Sulphur solubility in the metal phase:

^
=S (7.69)
Oxygen solubility in the metal phase:
NO2- = Ocu Ncu.^ (7.70)
Experimental results indicated that all reaction rates are constants, i.e. they are neither
functions of composition nor functions of time. Integrating Equations (7.32), (7.37) and
(7.40) for the following initial conditions:
at^,^Ns, = Pts2_
NO2 = N*o2_ and N+ = N*
cu^cu+
N2 ^0 s
dN s,_ = +s02. A+ N s2-jf dt (7.71)

N s2-^ t.
* s^
r^*1
N2 =N,—
S S
nso2. A+ N S2-)• Lt^t (7.72)
42
N
o2- os ]t
f dNo,_ (n o2— so2)• A— N 02-^dt (7.73)

N. t*
02-^
0s
NO 2 = N*^+ [2(n02— nso2) A— No2- • [t — (7.74)
(7.75)
cu+ = —^cu+^dt
dN^
N*
Ncu+ = N., —
jvc.. [ t (7.76)
At the end of the reaction time, the sulphide phase is completely depleted, i.e.
142
at t=tfN =0
'^s2-^'
No 2 = 0 and N =0
- Cu+
Substituting for these final conditions in Equations (7.72), (7.74) and (7.76), permits the
solution for the unknown reaction rates35, as follows:
. S^0^,
N;2_ — (nS02 ' A + Ns2- )•[tf — ] = 0 (7.77)
.^. s
No*2_ +[2(no, —nso, )44 — k02- ] • [tf —t*1= 0^ (7.78)
N*—
cu+
N
° cu+[tf — ]= 0 (7.79)
Solving for {tf — t*] form Equation (7.79) and substituting in Equations (7.77) and (7.78),
the following is obtained:
os
N,_ NC
,,^,,o^
r
n so, . I-1 ± IV S2" = - * (7.80)
Ncu+
*^0
0^0 s N o2_ AT cu+
2(no2— n SO2 )A — No2- = (7.81)
N*
Cu+
Using Equation (7.69) to solve for Nce and substituting in Equations (7.70), (7.80) and
(7.81), the following is obtained:
No2
.^
.
O
r.
, Ii
Ns2- (7.82)
SCu
35Note that the unknowns are the constants in a system of equations, in which all of the
dependent variables are known.
143
*
. s^.^NN s2-
nso2. A+ N^s
s2^=^*2_ (7.83)
NCu+ SCu
.^. s^.^N*^
2 N s2-
2(no2— ns02)A— N02 = (7.84)
N*cu^
+S
cu
Substituting for Equation (7.82) in Equation (7.84), and solving for iVs2-, as follows:
o s
. N*Cu +Scu nso2. A (7.85)
N S2 =
[N*s 2-^
— N* S ]
cu+^cu
oô s
2N*^S,-, (no —nso),4
cu+^,,,,^2^2
iVs2 = (7.86)
[6°CUNC*U+
_N]
]
Equating Equations (7.85) and (7.86), the following expression is obtained:
0s
1
n so2 =^ no2 (7.87)
[ [OcuN c* u+ — N 0* 2_]]
1 1+ r
2[AT;2_ —Nc*.+Scui
Substituting for no2 in Equation (7.87), an expression for the molar flux of SO2 is
obtained as given by the following equation:
° s^ 1^k02^pb
n so,
= r
[OcuArc*a+ — N*02_
1+ r
1 RT^°2 (7.88)
21 N*s2_ — Nc*u„ Scu ]
Expressions for the consumption rates of sulphur, oxygen and copper ions from the
sulphide phase are derived as follows:
^
144
Ar°^2/Vc% Scu A^k, -2 pb

iv s2 = r r^ (7.89)
1.21.N;2_ — NC* u*Scul+[OcuNc* u+ — No* ,]]RT
2NC* u*OcuA^ko2 pb
NO2- = r r^ (7.90)
[21.N; — A Icsu*Scu]±[OcuNc* u, No* ]] RT '92
^2N* + A^k 02 pb
^02
^Cu
N cu+ = r r (7.91)
1.2[N*s2- NL,Scu [()CuN*cu* 2_]] RT
^
The expression for the final reaction time is derived as follows:
RT
tf =[3N` 2_ — N* — N* 2_ + Nu*
S^S^0^cu^
^— 2Scu 0^ L^
I b (7.92)
2Ak 2 • Po2
By integrating Equations (7.43), (7.46) and (7.49) for the following initial condition,
expressions for the metal phase growth can be derived:
at t =0, Ns =0,
No = 0 and Nc. = 0
Ns
dNs = Ns dt (7.93)
Ns= Ns•[t — (7.94)
No^t
idNo= No dt (7.95)
0
No= No•[t—t1 (7.96)
Arc„^t
dku = NCu dt (7.97)

0
^
145
^
Ncu = Ncu•Lt — (7.98)
By adding the respective equations of the sulphide and metal phases, and utilizing the
relationships of Equations (7.19), (7.20) and (7.21), expressions for the secondary moles
of copper, sulphur and oxygen in the bath can be derived as follows:
Os
=N2 —nso,• A -[t — (7.99)
0^S
AIL = N*o2_ 2(no2—nso,),4•{t — t*I^ (7.100)
Nscu^
= N*cu+ (7.101)
Substituting for no„ nso2 and t* in Equations (7.99)-(7.101), the expressions for the
secondary moles of sulphur and oxygen (total) are given by the following equations:
2[Ns*,_ — Nc*u„Scu] 3 rN,,^N*, (k0,APcb,2)

= N*,_ + r^ (7.102)
s^1.2N;2_ — N 0* 2_ + Nc* u,.[Ocu— 2Sc.a]] [21-^s^s RT
2[N*,52_ — Nc* u+Scui 2k, AP b,

ATL N*02_^r 1^3[Arls,_^
—N*s2_ -2 t (7.103)
[2N*,_ — No*,_ + Arc*a+ [On, — 2Scu]] RT
By differentiating Equations (7.102) and (7.103) with respect to time, expressions for the
rate of sulphur and oxygen removal from the bath in the secondary stage as a functions of
the oxygen partial pressure are derived as follows:
^dN^ F^2[N*s2_ — Arc* u,Scu]^k02A)pb (7.104)

dt^[2N*s2_ — N*02_ + Nc* u,[0cu —2Scu]] RT )
^d„,^2[N*s2_ — Nc*.„,]
^dt^{2N*s2_ — N2 + c*u+[Ocu —2S0u]]^
^lir 21CO2A)pt:
RT^ 2
0 (7.105)
146
Expressions for the secondary rates of sulphur and oxygen removal in terms of the
reaction gas flow rate are derived as follows:
0.79
dN's'^2[N;2 — I c*u.Scul .79 O. 64700,_„^[tgdr, Tcd-P g Q0 (7.106)
dt^[PN*52_ —^+ N ..,[0cu-2Scuj p
RT^ gD02 _Ar 41. g
dN0. — N cs a+ scu]
dt [2 Nss,_ — N os 2_ + N cs u+{Ocu —2s]]
1]
(7.107)
[1.287CD02_ArP73,^(1Cd3p
gdrs g)
x ]Q0.79
RT^p gD02_Ar^411g^
An expression for the bath weight as a function of time in the secondary stage is derived
as follows:
— Nu+Scu
2[N*e_^ c*
Ws (t) = W(e) — [2M0 —{2M0—Mstr^ *^*^ .0^ X
1.2 N s2_ No2_ Nc*u+ [Ocu 2Scujj
(7.108)
[-3 [Ni — Ns^11(02AP(b)2 t]

2 s2-^s2-^RT
The rate of weight change as a function of the oxygen partial pressure in the secondary
stage is derived by differentiating Equation (7.108) with respect to time as follows:
*1;2_ — A cs
Iu+Scul ^ko A
IV =[^
2M0—{2M0—Mst
)
-2 ^pb
(7.109)
[2 N:s2_ — N*02_ ± N*cu+ [Oct, — 2S cu]]]( RT 02
Similarly, the rate of weight change in the secondary stage is expressed in terms of the
reaction gas flow rate as follows:
147
2[N*s,_ — A T
W = [2M0 — [2M0 —^s r
AI] —N + [Ocu — 2Scu ]]
(7.110)
[0.64700, _ArPob2 gdr, (Tcd3pg 179 iQ0.79
X
RT pgD02-Ar^411 g
7.2. Model Validation
The general criteria for the model validity are comparison of its prediction of the sulphur
and oxygen contents for the two stages and their time domains to measurements from the
laboratory experiments. From Equations (7.54) and (7.55), the primary sulphur and
oxygen molar contents were calculated; the reaction transition time was calculated from
Equation (7.65); and the secondary sulphur and oxygen molar contents were calculated
from Equations (7.102) and (7.103). These predicted results were plotted along with the
corresponding measured values for typical runs, as shown in Figures 7.4-7.5.
The apparent curvature of the measured oxygen content is due to experimental scatter. It
is important to note that the accuracy of the sulphur content measurement is higher than
that of the oxygen content measurement36. The relative disagreement between the
predicted and the measured results is attributed to the errors associated with the input
parameters to the model (reaction gas flow rate, reaction gas composition and the
measured pressure of the system) and the estimation of the gas phase mass transfer
coefficient. The model predictions, however, appear to be in very good agreement with
the measured results, for the employed range of the reaction gas flow rate, as shown in
Figure 7.4.
36The sulphur content was determined by the acid-base titration method, which is a more
conventionally accurate method than the gas flow rate measurement technique, which was used
in the determination of the oxygen content. As explained in Section 4.1.5.5, in general, the error
in the measurement of the reaction gas flow rate is proportional to the flow rate.
148
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.4
0.2
0. 0
0^20^40^60 80^100 120
Time (min)
Figure 7.4. Comparison of model predictions to measurements of the sulphur and oxygen
contents in the bath as a function of time at a constant reaction gas composition and for
the range of reaction gas flow rate of 1480-4055 ml/min; for the experimental conditions
of: 200 grams of Cu2S of: 22% 02 and 78% Ar, at 1200 °C, ^ predicted for 1480
ml/min; Emeasured sulphur content for 1480 ml/min; 0 measured oxygen content for
1480 ml/min; ^ predicted for 2006 ml/min; 0 measured sulphur content for 2006
ml/min; A measured oxygen content for 2006 ml/min; — — — predicted for 4055
ml/min; + measured sulphur content for 4055 ml/min; • measured oxygen content for
4055 ml/min.
Similarly for the reaction gas composition range, the predicted and measured results are
as shown in Figure 7.5.
149
10^20^30^40^50^60^70^80
Time (min)
Figure 7.5. Comparison of model predictions to measurements of sulphur and oxygen

contents in the bath as a function of time at a constant reaction gas flow rate and for the
range of reaction gas composition of 22-78% 02; for the experimental conditions of: 200
grams of Cu2S of: 2000 ml/min, at 1200 °C, ^ predicted for 22% 02; 0 measured
sulphur content for 22% 02; 0 measured oxygen content for 22% 02; — — — predicted
for 35% 02; o measured sulphur content for 35% 02; • measured oxygen content for
35% 02; ^ predicted for 78% 02; A measured sulphur content for 78% 02; +
measured oxygen content for 78% 02.
150
The relative deviation from the measured results, at the highest reaction gas composition
conditions, is mainly attributed to the effect of surface-tension driven flows 37 . It is

evident, however, that the model provides an acceptable predictability for the
experimental range of reaction gas composition.
Considering the error involved in the measured results, the model predictions appear to be
well within the experimental uncertainty of the measured values. It is therefore
reasonable to state that the model predictions are in good agreement with the overall
range of the measured results.
7.3. Model Sensitivity
Since all of the reaction parameters are set or read with some degree of uncertainty, it is
inevitable that the input variables to the mathematical model carry some degree of error.
In order to examine the effect of these uncertainties on the model predictions, and to
isolate as much as possible the experimental error from the model deviations, this
analysis is carried out using the results of a run that appears to contain the least relative
errors.
7.3.1.^Temperature
As shown in Figure 7.6, the uncertainty in the temperature evidently has a very minor
effect on the oveall model predictions. An error of ±50 °C (2.5%) results in less than 1%
error in the sample weight prediction and less than 6% error in the prediction of the
transition time.
37 The effect of surface-tension driven flows was found to be higher with oxygen content in the
reaction gas; as a result, the transport conditions are enhanced beyond the accountability of the
model (see Figure 6.2).
^
151
205
200
195
190 ^
E
E5, 185 ^
to
i 180 —
*8
1 175 ^
gcl
170 ^
165
160
155 ' ' " I '

0^10 20^30^40^50^60
Time (mm)
Figure 7.6. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to bath temperature38 for
the experimental conditions of; ^ predicted for 1200 °C; 0 measured at 1200 °C;
— - — - predicted for 1150 °C; ^ predicted for 1250 °C.
7.3.2.^Pressure
Due to the pressure head created by the SO2 absorber, the measurements were conducted
under pressures of slightly higher than that of the atmospheric pressure viz., 1.05-1.112
atm. For systems such as that under study, however, it is well known that the pressure
38The experimental conditions of this run, used in all of the sensitivity analyses, are: 200 grams
of Cu2S, 2000 ml/min of 35% 02 and 65% Ar
^
152
has a minor effect on most thermodynamic properties [114]. As shown in Figure 7.7, the
results of this sensitivity analysis indicated that a 5% uncertainty in the pressure of the
system results in less than 3% error in the prediction of the reaction transition time and a
less than 2% error in the prediction of the sample weight.
^205 ^
200
195 —
190 ^
R.,
....,
185
Zto 180
1 175 ^
(4
170 ^
165 ^
160 ^
155 ^ " I "

0 10^20^30^40^50 60
Time (mm)
Figure 7.7. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to total pressure,

predicted for 1.09 atm; 0 measured at 1.09 atm; — - - — predicted for 1 atm;
predicted for 1.15 atm.
153
7.3.3.^Reaction Gas Flow Rate

As shown in Figure 7.8, the results of the model-reaction gas flow rate sensitivity analysis
indicated that a 5% error in the reaction gas flow rate results in less than 4% error in the
prediction of the reaction transition time and less than 0.8% error in the prediction of the
sample weight.
205
200
195
190
c9
. i85
4
I iso
::
.8
.= 175
'c'El
al
170
165
160
155 " I I
0 20 30 40 50 60
Time (min)
Figure 7.8. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to flow rate of admitted
gas; ^ predicted for 2000 ml/min; 0 measured for 2000 ml/min; — - - —
predicted for 1900 ml/min; ^ predicted for 2100 ml/min.
154
7.3.4. Reaction Gas composition

In this analysis, a 5% uncertainty in the reaction gas composition was found to result in
less than 6% error in the prediction of the reaction transition time and less than 2% error
in the prediction of the sample weight, as shown in Figure 7.9.
205
200
195
..^175
'401
gq
170
165
160
155 ,
' I " " I '
0^10^20^30^40^50^60
Time (min)
Figure 7.9. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to composition of

admitted gas; ^ predicted for 35% 02; 0 measured for 35% 02; — - - —
predicted for 33% 02; ^ predicted for 37% 02.
In the experiments, the reaction gas mixture was obtained by metering each gas stream
using a separate rotameter. Thus the error in the reaction gas composition is
approximately the sum of the errors of the two readings. Since the reaction rate is
155
directly proportional to the reaction gas composition, its error contribution is expected to
be higher than that of the reaction gas flow rate.
7.3.5.^Reaction Interfacial Area

If the error associated with the reaction interfacial area was 5%, then the corresponding
errors were 5% and 1% in the predictions of the reaction transition time and the sample
weight respectively, as shown in Figure 7.10.
205
200
195
190
gto 185
-:a..0 180
*Ei
175
121
170
165
160
155 ' ' " I '

0 10^20 30^40^50 60
Time (min)
Figure 7.10. Model-predicted sensitivity of transient bath weight to bath surface area;
^ predicted for 15.14 cm2; c.), measured for 15.14 cm2; — - - — predicted for
14.38 cm2; ^ predicted for 15.90 cm2.
156
7.4. Theoretical Predictions
7.4.1.Ôxidation Path
As presented and discussed in Chapter 5, gas analysis measurements and gravimetric
measurements revealed that the oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide proceeds
according to two distinct stages, during which the rates are constant, as shown in Figures
5.5 and 5.6. The fact that these two independent measurements are in general agreement
is evidence of their validity. The melt composition at transition and the molar ratio of
reacted oxygen to removed sulphur (a) are independent of reaction conditions (see Table
5.1).
By eliminating time from the expressions for the molar sulphur and oxygen contents
(Equations (7.51), (7.53), (7.99) and (7.100)), the relationship between the sulphur and
oxygen contents are found to be independent of the oxidation kinetics as given by the
following equations:
= Nis — Arf,
[N* 2_ — Sc N* r
M= N;+ sû cu+ IN — N*02_1 (7.112)
Al*,
0-
— OcuN*cu_
Although the experimental scatter is considerable, experimental measurements are in

agreement with the predictions of Equations (7.111) and (7.112) as shown in Figure 7.11.
The experimental results indicate very clearly that the oxidation path is controlled
primarily by the thermodynamics of the Cu-S-0 system. From Figure 7.11, the predicted
results indicate that the effect of temperature on the oxidation path is minimal, where a
100 °C increase in temperature causes a slight shift in point b and appears to have no
effect on point c.
^
157
25
Transition Point
a
20
0^- <>A >1) 0
- X X +
O 0•
^fii>^X
0 •^' A
X, ><
Primary Stage^0^• 4+A
• X°0 +
0
A°''
•
A
• A
• 0
A
A •
• X
0+
•
0
Secondary Stage
0 II" Il""1""I'"Il""1"
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6^0.8^1.0^1.2^1.4^1.6^1.8
Cu
wt% Oxygen
Figure 7.11. The sulphur content as a function of the oxygen content in the bath, showing
the oxidation path of molten copper sulphide, ^ predicted at 1200 °C and 1 atm;
^ predicted at 1300 °C and 1 atm; measured at 1200 °C and 24 % 02, 0 1480
ml/min, A 1755 ml/min, + 1987 ml/min, 0 2006 ml/min, x 4055 ml/min; measured at
1200 °C and 2510 ml/min of 23 % 02; measured at 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min, • 27 %
02, • 35 % 02, El 46 % 02, • 64 % 02•
Based on the findings of the current work and on earlier thermodynamic studies of the
ternary system, the oxidation path of Cu2S is constructed as shown in Figure 7.12.
158
Cu
Liquid Metal Phase
((Cu))
1.33 % S g
f^1.97 % 0
Wt % S^ Wt % 0
Secondary Stage
Oxidation Path
Primary Stage
Oxidation Path
17.7 % S and 1.47 % 0
19.6% S
20 d
Liquid Sulphide Phase
/
((Cu2S))
21.72 % S
Figure 7.12. Selected portions of the Cu-S-0 isothermal section, showing the oxidation
path of molten Cu2S at 1200 °C and 1 atm (points b and c are after Schmiedl [19]; points
d, e, f and g are after Elliott [201). Note that the dashed lines outlining the metal and
sulphide phases are assumed.
As stated in Section 5.1.3.2, gas analysis measurements yielded 16.94 ± 0.10% and 1.37 ±
0.07% for the sulphur and oxygen transition concentrations respectively. Rottmann and
Wuth [71] found that the melt oxygen content at the end of the primary stage is 0.6%.
Peretti [10] suggested that, based on the Cu-S binary phase diagram, in the Peirce-Smith
159
converter, the second step of the copper-making reaction starts when the melt
composition is about 19.4% sulphur. Peretti, however, ignored the effect of oxygen by
considering the melt to be a binary system. According to the present work, the binary
assumption can be misleading in studying the reaction mechanism of the oxidation of
copper sulphide. The 1300 °C isothermal section, shown in Figure 2.3, indicates that the
sulphur and oxygen concentrations at saturation in Cu2S are approximately 18.59% and
1.38% respectively. At 1200 °C and 1 atm, the equilibrium measurements of Schmiedl
[19] yielded 17.7% and 1.47% for the sulphur and oxygen solubilities in Cu2S
respectively. From comparing the measured transition composition to the equilibrium
composition of sulphur and oxygen in the melt, clearly the melt composition at transition
is that of the equilibrium composition of oxygen and sulphur. Therefore, during the
primary stage, the melt is partially desulphurized and oxygen saturated without any
formation of copper according to path a-b in Figure 7.12. Once the melt reaches point b,
the chemical potential for the formation of the metal phase is attained. An increased
degree of desulphurization accompanies the metal phase formation which takes place
according to path b-c, as shown in Figures 7.11 and 7.12.
As discussed in Section 5.1.3.2, the average value for aP = 1.46 permitted the postulation
of Reaction (5.18) as the principal reaction in the primary stage. In the formulation of the
mathematical model, this postulate was implemented in deriving the relationships
between the reaction rates of the primary stage. As shown in Figures 7.4 and 7.5, the
model predictions of the primary stage are in good agreement with the measured results.
This can best be seen by concentrating on the prediction of the transition point. It is clear,
therefore, that Reaction (5.18) is the only reaction that takes place during the primary
stage. It is very important to note that obtaining a large number of relatively accurate
measurements permitted the calculation of a statistically valid mean for a", from which it
was possible to postulate Reaction (5.18). Although the time duration of the primary
160
stage is only about 20-25 % of the total time of the oxidation reaction, the understanding
of the chemical reactions of the primary stage is very crucial to the comprehension of the
secondary stage.
During the secondary stage, the molar ratio of reacted oxygen to removed sulphur was
found to be as = 0.96 ± 0.052. At first glance this might seem to be an indication that
the actual ratio is unity. However, this can be a very misleading judgment. As discussed
above, because of the reactions are electrochemical in which the dissolution of oxygen
and sulphur in copper, according to Reactions 5.21 and 5.22, is accompanied by electron
transfer, the degree of desulphurization during the secondary stage is further enhanced. It
is important to note that, as explained in Sections 5.1.3.2 and 7.1.2.2, without considering
the electrochemical nature of the system it would not have been possible to account for
the oxygen and sulphur in the metal phase.
7.4.2.Ôxidation Rates
7.4.2.1.Ôxidation Rate as a Function of Gas Flow Rate
From the mathematical model, the oxygen gas phase mass transfer rate is related to the
reaction gas volumetric flow rate as follows:
^0 . 6470,92_ ArPob2Î1gd1ç [7cc13p g)° 79^0 70

N0, = ^ (7.113)
RT P gD02-Ar^41.14 g
For the oxidation reaction to be gas phase mass transfer limited, the oxygen reaction rate
must be equal to the oxygen gas phase mass transfer rate, predicted by Equation (7.113).
In Figure 7.13, the predicted oxygen reaction rate is compared to the measured oxygen
reaction rate, from which the theoretical prediction appears to be in good agreement with
measured rates.
161
0.100
0.001
1000 10000
Gas Flow Rate (mlhnin)
Figure 7.13. Oxygen reaction rate (No, ) as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate
for the experimental conditions of: 200 gram samples, 1200 °C, 23 % 02 and average
pressure of 1.08 atm, ^ predicted ; 0 primary measured; • secondary measured.
162
In Figure 7.14, the measured and predicted sulphur removal rates (Equations (7.56) and
(7.58)) are plotted against the gas flow rate. As expected, since the sulphur removal rates
are limited by gas phase mass transfer, the predicted and measured rates appear to be in
good agreement.
0.1
0.001
1000 10000
Figure 7.14. Sulphur removal rate (Ns) as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate
pressure of 1.08 atm; ^ primary predicted; 0 primary measured; ^
secondary predicted; 0 secondary measured.
163
The predictions of Equations (7.68) and (7.110) and the measured rates of weight loss
were predicted and plotted against the admitted gas flow rate in Figure 7.15. Considering
the experimental scatter, the predicted measured results appear to be in general
agreement.
10
0.01 ^
1000 10000
Gas Flow Rate (mUmin)
Figure 7.15. Rate of weight loss (W) as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate
pressure of 1.08 atm; primary predicted; El primary obtained from gas analysis;
• primary obtained from gravimetric measurement; ^ secondary predicted; 0
secondary obtained from gas analysis; • secondary obtained from gravimetric
measurement.
164
7.4.2.2.Ôxidation Rate as a Function of Gas Composition

As shown in Figure 7.16, the predicted and experimentally determined oxygen reaction
rates are plotted against the partial pressure of oxygen.
0.07
o
0.06
o
3
E 0.05 ^ 0
a)
C
E
cit) 0.04 ^
P4
o
2
ki
a)
0.03 ^
19
td)
0.01
0.00 ' I "

0.0 0.2^0.4^0.6^0.8 1.0
Figure 7.16. Oxygen reaction rate (No, ) as a function of oxygen partial pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min; predicted; 0 measured
primary; <> measured secondary.
In a linear fashion, as shown in Figure 7.17, the measured oxygen reaction rate appears to
deviate from the predicted rate of oxygen gas phase mass transfer for oxygen partial
pressures of greater than 0.11.
165
20
18
16
14
^
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6^0.8 1.0
Figure 7.17. Percent increase in gas phase mass transfer as a function of oxygen partial
pressure for the experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min, ^
regression line; 0 determined from measurement.
This deviation is attributed to the increase in the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient, due
to surface tension-driven flows (the Marangoni effect), which were observed to increase
with the partial pressure of oxygen. In mathematical terms, the percent increase in gas
phase mass transfer, C, likely due to the Marangoni effect, was found to correlate to the
partial pressure of oxygen as follows:
C = (22.7±3.6)P0', —(2.7±1.9) ^ (7.114)
166
Because, the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient was calculated from a correlation which
does not account for the increase in the transport conditions due to surface-tension driven
flows, the predicted reaction rates are less than the measured reaction rates.
As discussed in Chapter 5, if the reaction is to be controlled by gas phase mass transfer

the sulphur and oxygen molar contents in the bath must be linear with time.
Experimental results presented in Chapter 5 and the mathematical validation in Chapter 7
established that the rate controlling mechanism of the oxidation reaction of molten Cu2S
is gas phase mass transfer (see Figures 5.4, 7.4 and 7.5).
The rates of sulphur removal are directly proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen, as
described by Equations (7.56) and (7.104). In Figure 7.18, the measured rates of sulphur
removal were plotted against the partial pressure of oxygen along with the theoretical
predictions of Equations (7.56) and (7.104). In a similar behaviour to the oxygen reaction
rates, the rates of sulphur removal appear to be influenced by the increased degree of gas
phase mass transfer. In general, however, there is a reasonable agreement between the
predicted and measured rates of sulphur removal, which is an additional evidence that the
rates of sulphur removal are limited by the rates of oxygen gas phase mass transfer.
167
0.07
0.06 0
E 0.05
o 0
o
E
2
,1 0.04
74
o
E 0.03
0
r4
,..
,2r4
'= 0.02
c4
0.01
0.00
^
0.0 0.2^0.4^0.6^0.8 1.0
Figure 7.18. Sulphur removal rate (dNsIdt) as a function of oxygen pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1200 °C and 2000 ml/min, ^ primary predicted; 0
primary measured; ^ secondary predicted; 0 secondary measured.
168
Increase in the reaction rate with oxygen concentration in the reaction gas, in the
oxidation of molten Cu2S, was also exhibited by the experimental results of Rottmann
and Wuth [71], as shown in Figure 7.19.
2.0
1.8
1.6
cal 0
r:4 0.8
0
0.4
0.2
0.0 "I"^ IIII"I"
0.0^0.2^0.4^0.6 0.8 1.0

Figure 7.19. Oxygen reaction rate (N o,) as a function of oxygen pressure for the
experimental conditions of: 1500 grams of Cu2S under the top-lancing of high velocity
jets of 02-N2 gas mixtures at 1250 °C, nozzle pressure of 5.4x105 N/m2, nozzle diameter
of 1 mm, nozzle to bath distance of 65 mm and crucible inner diameter of 100 mm;
^ predicted (after Rottmann and Wuth [71] (based on gas phase mass transfer of
oxygen through a viscous sub-layer)); 0 measured (after Rottmann and Wuth).
169
As discussed in Section 2.4, Rottmann and Wuth measured the reaction rates of the
oxidation of molten Cu2S for different oxygen concentrations in the bulk gas at 1250 °C.
In their prediction of the reaction rates, Rottmann and Wuth assumed that the reaction is
limited by the oxygen diffusion in a viscous sub-layer of thickness 8. Using a
correlation for the thickness of the boundary layer at a plate exposed parallel to a
turbulent stream, they calculated 8 as follows:
2 9 v 0 .9 x 0.1
8vis, = U0.9 (7.115)
g,max
from which the rate of oxygen reaction was calculated as follows:
D02-N2 AP02
no, = (7.116)
RT
Because they did not measure the reaction rates for a range of gas flow rates, it is not
possible to validate the assumption of diffusion through a viscous layer and in turn
determine the validity of Equation (7.116). It is likely, however, that the predicted
reaction rates are linear with the oxygen pressure in the gas phase. Assuming that the
actual reaction rates are very close to those predicted by Rottmann and Wuth, it is
suggested that the deviation exhibited by the measured results is due to increased surface-
tension driven flows with oxygen concentration in the admitted gas. The percent increase
in the gas phase mass transfer was similarly correlated to the partial pressure of oxygen as
follows:
^
= (29 ±4)137,2 + 12 ± 2)
(
(7.117)
in which, the slope is slightly higher than that in Equation (7.114). It is therefore,
suggested that, due to the Marangoni effect, the gas phase mass transfer conditions are
enhanced with increasing oxygen concentration in the reaction gas phase. As discussed in
Section 2.5, increases in mass transfer, due to the Marangoni effect, have been observed
170
to occur in many systems [56,82,84,99,101,121]. In the oxidation of molten Cu2S, as

shown in Section 5.3, there is an overwhelming evidence that surface-tension driven
flows play an important role in the overall reaction rate kinetics. By stiffing the bath,
surface-tension driven flows virtually eliminate any liquid phase mass transfer resistance,
as shown in Figure 5.15. As the radial movement of the surface is increased with higher
concentrations of oxygen in the gas phase, the mass transfer conditions are likely to
increase as the moving liquid causes further drag of the gas, thereby, enhancing the
reaction rate beyond the values accounted for by ordinary transport conditions.
7.4.2.3.Ôxidation Rate as a Function of Temperature

From Equation (7.2), the rate of oxygen reaction is inversely proportional to temperature.
The predicted and measured oxygen reaction rates are plotted against temperature in
Figure 7.20. Although the gas phase mass-transfer coefficient is positively dependent on
temperature, the predicted oxygen reaction rate appears to have a slight negative
dependence on temperature, as shown in Figure 7.20. In general, however, it can be
stated that both the measured and predicted oxygen reaction rates are effectively
In comparing Equations (7.56) and (7.104) theoretically, the temperature dependence of

the rate of sulphur removal during the secondary stage is greater than that during the
primary stage. In Equation (7.104), the secondary molar ratio of reacted oxygen to
removed sulphur, as, is a function of the equilibrium concentrations of the melt, as
described by the following equation:
as . 1+ RocuNc*., — N*02_ ]/2[N*5,2_ — SGUNL,]] (7.118)
which yields 0.9169 and 0.9250 fora' at 1200 and 1300 °C respectively. Conversely, the
primary molar ratio of reacted oxygen to removed sulphur dioxide, a'', is 1.5
(independent of temperature).
171
(1 / T) x104 (70
Figure 7.20. Oxygen reaction rate (No2) as a function of temperature for the experimental
conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23 % 02 and average pressure of 1.08 atm, ^
primary predicted 22 % 02; 0 primary measured; • secondary measured.
In Figure 7.21, the predicted and measured rates of sulphur removal are plotted against
temperature, from which it appears that measured and predicted results are in agreement.
The primary rate of sulphur removal seems to have a similar behaviour to that of the
oxygen reaction rate, but the secondary rate of sulphur removal appears to be virtually
172
0.100
•• •
8-
• •
8 0
0
0
0.001 ^ ' ^' I ' '

6.0^6.2^6.4^6.6 6.8^7.0^7.2
(1 / 7') x104 (°K-1)
Figure 7.21. Sulphur removal rate (dNsIdt) as a function of temperature for the
experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of 20-23 % 02 and average pressure of 1.08
atm, ^ primary predicted 22 % 02,^ secondary predicted 22 % 02; 0
primary measured; • secondary measured.
173
7.4.3.Ôxygen Utilization
The oxygen utilization as a function of gas flow rate is shown in Figure 7.22, from which
it appears that very high reaction efficiencies are attained in the oxygen-Cu2S system.
This is consistent with the observed oxygen utilization in the Peirce-Smith converter.
100
10
^ ^
100 1000 10000
Figure 7.22. Oxygen utilization as a function of reaction gas volumetric flow rate for the
top-blown conditions of: 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 1.08 atm, 23% 02, reaction
interfacial diameter of 44 mm, lance nozzle diameter of 3 mm and lance nozzle to initial
interfacial area of approximately 10 mm; ^ predicted; 0 measured.
To obtain valid kinetic measurements of heterogeneous reaction systems in laboratory

tests, reactants must be supplied at rates beyond their rates of consumption by the reaction
174
at the given experimental conditions. From Figure 7.22, the predicted oxygen curve
indicates that the limit for obtaining useful kinetic measurements is 750 ml/min i.e. below
this value the oxidation reaction rate is higher than that of the rate of oxygen supply.
Industrial processes in which gas-liquid reactions are involved, the utilization of the
reaction gas is of high economic importance. It is important that the reaction gas
efficiency be as high as possible. Since however, the high efficiency is accompanied by
lower reaction rates, the optimization of a given process may dictate that the gas
utilization be much lower than can be attained.
175
8. Summary and Conclusions
The primary objective of this work was to investigate the oxidation kinetics of molten
copper sulphide under top-blown conditions. The major findings of this work can be
summarized as follows:
1. The oxidation reaction of molten copper sulphide takes place according to two
distinct stages.
2. During the primary stage, the melt is a single phase, being partially desulphurized and
becoming oxygen saturated, according to the surface reaction as follows:
[ s2 ]+ % (o2 ) = (s o2) +[ o2- ] (5.18)
3. Upon saturation of the melt with oxygen, the secondary stage commences, during
which the following reactions in the sulphide phase produce metallic copper:
[52]+ 2[01+ 6[Cu] = (S02)+6((Cu))
[S1 +2[Cul = [S]((co) +2(( Cu))
[0 1 + 2[Cul = [0]((c)) + 2( (Cu))

while the surface reaction involving gaseous oxygen continues to take place until the
end of the secondary stage.
4. The rate of sulphur removal and oxygen dissolution during the primary stage were
found to be independent of sulphur and oxygen contents in the melt. Similarly, the
rates of sulphur and oxygen removal during the secondary stage are independent of
sulphur and oxygen contents in the melt.
5. The rate controlling mechanism in the oxidation of molten Cu2S is gas phase mass
transfer of oxygen to the melt surface; the oxidation rate was found to be directly
176
proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction gas. From the
experimental data obtained in this work, the gas phase-mass transfer coefficient was
correlated to experimental variables via the Sherwood number, Sh, the Schmidt
number, Sc (0.56 5. Sc 0.63), the Reynolds number, Re (33 5 Re 300), the radius
of the crucible, rs, and the diameter of the lance nozzle, d (7 rid 11), as follows:
^
Sh = (0.64 ± 0.07)(rs/d) Sca5 Re (0.79±0.06) (6.18)
6. Surface-tension driven flows (Marangoni effect) were observed to take place during
the oxidation reaction. As a result transport conditions at the gas-liquid interface
were slightly enhanced. The degree of surface-turbulence was observed to be a
relatively strong function of the oxygen content in the reaction gas, while the gas flow
rate was observed to cause only a slight increase. The effect of temperature on
surface-tension driven flows was undetectable.
7. In a continuous fashion, the eruption of small numbers of gas bubbles from the melt
surface was observed to take place during the secondary stage, while at random time
intervals, occasional intense boiling was observed to occur as well. The intensity and
frequency of boiling were observed to increase with increasing gas flow rate and
oxygen partial pressure.
8. The liquid phase mass transfer resistance was found to be negligible, likely due to the
ionic nature of the sulphide melt and the Marangoni effect. Because of the
electrochemical nature of the sulphide melt, the local transport of electrons is very
rapid (the specific conductance of Cu25 is 150 C2-1cm-1 at 1500 °C [115]), and owing
to surface-tension driven flows, the bath is vigorously mixed. During the secondary
stage, the degree of mixing in the bath is enhanced by rising SO2 bubbles and settling
copper droplets. Due to the eruption of gas bubbles at the melt surface, the
177
dependence of the reaction rate on the gas flow rate was found to be slightly higher as
a result of increasing gas-liquid interfacial area.
8. The effect of temperature on the overall reaction rate was found to be negligible.
9. Based on the experimental results and the likely electrochemical reactions, a

mathematical model was formulated and was found to provide a reliable description
of the oxidation reaction.
The practical implications of these findings are as follows:
1. The high oxygen utilization in the Peirce-Smith converter is due to the ionic nature of
the sulphide melt and the effect of surface-tension driven flows which give rise to gas
phase mass transfer control.
2. In systems similar to copper sulphide (negligible liquid phase mass transfer resistance
and very fast chemical reaction), high reaction gas utilization can be attained under
top-lancing conditions. Thus by adopting top-lancing as in the Mitsubishi Process,
high oxygen efficiencies are achievable while the problems of refractory wear in
tuyere region are eliminated.
178
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Metals at High Temperatures", The Role of Surface Phenomena in Metallurgy, Edited
by V. N. Eremenko, Consultants Bureau New York, 1963, pp 46-53.
95. V. N. Eremenko, Y. V. Naidich, "Surface Activity of Oxygen in the Silver-Oxygen
System", The Role of Surface Phenomena in Metallurgy, Edited by V. N. Eremenko,
Consultants Bureau New York, 1963, pp 65-67.
96. V. V. Fesenko, "Determination of the Surface Tension by the Method of the
Maximum Pressure in a Bubble for Nonwetting Systems", The Role of Surface
Phenomena in Metallurgy, Edited by V. N. Eremenko, Consultants Bureau New York,
1963, pp 80-84.
185
97. Bernard and C. H. P. Lupis, "The Surface Tension of Liquid Silver Alloys: Part II.
Ag-O Alloys", Metallurgical Transactions, Volume 2, November 1971, pp 2991-
2998.
98. Rubin and C. J. Radke, "Dynamic Interfacial Tension Minima in Finite Systems",
Chemical Engineering Science, Volume 35, 1980, pp 1129-1138.
99. F. D. Richardson, "Interfacial Phenomena and Metallurgical Processes", Canadian
Metallurgical Quarterly, Volume 21, No. 2, 1982, pp 111-119.
100.J. C. Berg, "Interfacial Hydrodynamics: An Overview", Canadian Metallurgical
Quarterly, Volume 21, No. 2, 1982, pp 121-136.
101.G. R. Belton, "The Interplay Between Strong Adsorption of Solutes and Interfacial
Kinetics at the Liquid Metal Surface", Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, Volume 21,
No. 2, 1982, pp 137-143.
102.K. W. Lange and M. Wilken, "Marangoni Type Interfacial Phenomena In High and
Low temperature Systems", Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, Volume 22, No. 3,
1983, pp 321-326
103.J. C. Slattery, "Interfacial Transport Phenomena", Springer-Verlag, New York,
1990.
104.C. Choo, K. Mukai and J. M. Toguri, "Marangoni Interaction of a Liquid Droplet
Falling onto a Liquid Pool", Welding Research Supplement, April 1992, pp 139-146.
105.J. B. Kennedy and A. M. Neville, "Basic Statistical Methods For Engineers and
Scientists", 2nd Edition, New York, 1976, pp 255-276.
106.D. A. Skoog and D. M. West, "Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry", Fourth
Edition, CBS College Publishing, 1982, pp 740-743.
Edition, CBS College Publishing, 1982, pp 195-216.
Edition, CBS College Publishing, 1982, pp 696.
109.J. 0. Hirschelder, C. F. Curtiss, R. B. Bird, "Molecular Theory of Gases and
Liquids", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1954, pp (528, 604-605).
110.J. 0. Hirschelder, C. F. Curtiss, R. B. Bird, "Molecular Theory of Gases and
Liquids", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1954, pp (530).
111.N. H. Chen and D. F. Othmer, "New Generalized Equation for Gas Diffusion
Coefficient", Journal of Chemical Engineering Data, Volume 7, No. 1, January 1962,
pp (37-41).
112.R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart and E. N. Lightfoot, "Transport Phenomena", John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. New York, 1960, pp 744.
113.J. J. Byerley and N. Takebe, "Densities of Molten Nickel Mattes", Metallurgical
Transactions, Volume 2, April 1971, pp 1107-1111.
186
114.D. R. Gaskell, "Introduction To Metallurgical Thermodynamics", Second Edition,

McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1981, pp 164-167.
115.F. D. Richardson, "Physical Chemistry of Melts in Metallurgy", Volume 1,
Academic Press Inc., New York, 1974, pp 61-62.
116.F. D. Richardson, "Physical Chemistry of Melts in Metallurgy", Volume 2,
Academic Press Inc., New York, 1974, pp 318-325.
117.L. Coudurier, D. W. Hopkins, I. Wilkomirsky, "Fundamentals of Metallurgical
Processes", 2nd Edition, Pergamon Press, 1985, pp 225-227.
118.T. Rosenquist, "Principles of Extractive Metallurgy", 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill,
New York, 1983, pp 105-106.
119.J. B. Kennedy and A. M. Neville, "Basic Statistical Methods For Engineers and
Scientists", 2nd Edition, New York, 1976, pp 232,460-461.
120.R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart and E. N. Lightfoot, "Transport Phenomena", John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. New York, 1960, pp 601-619.
121.G. H. Geiger and D. R. Poirier, "Transport Phenomena In Metallurgy", Addison-
Wesley, 1973, pp 527.
187
Appendix A Experimental
1. Reactor Insulating Materials
Insulating alumina refractories (Alundum L) were supplied by NORTON

REFRACTORIES. The supplied properties of this insulating material are as follows:
Table A.1. Physical properties of the insulating alumina brick.
Bulk Density 1.36 (g/cm3)
Total Porosity 65-70%
Maximum Operating Temperature 1850 °C
Compressive Deformation at 1500 °C 0 % to 10 p.s.i.
Thermal Conductivity at 860 °C 0.89 (watt/m.°K)
Thermal Expansion from 21-1510 °C 1.02x10-5 (°C-1)
Table A.2. Chemical analysis (approximate).

Alumina (Al203) 99.01%
Silica (SiO2) 0.58%
Other 0.41%
188
Porcelain wool (refractory fibrous material) was supplied by THE CARBORUNDUM

COMPANY. REFRACTORY DIVISION. The manufacturer supplied properties of this
insulating material are as follows:
Table A.3. Thermal conductivity as a function of mean temperature (0.08 /cm3).

Temperature (°C) 200 427 760 980
Thermal Conductivity (watt/m.°K) 0.66 1.12 2.08 3.11
Table A.4. Approximate chemical analysis wt % - binder removed).

Silica (SiO2) 46.8
Alumina (Al203) 50.9
B2O3 1.2
Na2O 0.8
Trace Inorganic 0.3-0.5

189
2. Reactor Power Supply
KAB 25 ON-OFF i^Relay

PRD-7AY0-120^S.S. Relay
25:5 CT SSR240D45
220 VAC MI 2
34
C?
)
KAB 25
To Heating
—h^ Elements
i
3
1
^
O.
5A OB.
OW Pt-Pt 10% Rh
all•
Ia.
L6 10 9 Thermocouple
Vb. C. N.O.
1 5
120 VAC
1 2N
220 V/120 V
-
Autotransformer
CN 9121
Omega Microprocessor
Temperature Controller
Figure A.1. Electrical circuit for the furnace power supply.
190
3. Load Cell Components
Table A.5. Strain gauges manufacturer (HBM ELEKRISCHES MESSEN

MECHANISCHER GRÔSSEN) specifications.
Gauge factor 2.05 ± 1 %
Temperature coefficient of gauge factor 95 ppm/°K
Resistance 120 S2 ± 0.02 %
+ Exc
Compression Strain
Gauge
Tension Strain
Gauge
- Sig Out
To Daytronic Strain Gauge

Signal Conditioner
Tension Strain Compression Strain
Gauge Gauge
- Exc
- Sig Out
Figure A.2. Circuit design of the load cell.

191
Appendix B Gas Analysis Raw Data
Table B.1. Run No. 4, the data for the Table B.2. Run No. 5, the data for the
experimental conditions of: 922 ml/min of experimental conditions of: 922 ml/min of
26% 02 and 74% Ar, at 1200 °C, 1.05 atm 26% 02 and 74% Ar, at 1200 °C, 1.05 atm
pressure, ambient temperature of 23 °C, pressure, ambient temperature of 23 °C,
average final gas temperature of 23 °C #. average final as temperature of 23 °C 4.
Time Nso, (t) efff (t) 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) aofff (t) 84 (t)
(min) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min) (mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0.000
5 0.000 5 0.038
10 0.032 10 0.067
15 0.075 15 0.086
20 0.084 20 0.117
30 0.108 30 0.163
40 0.163 40 0.197
50 0.224 50 0.266
60 0.284 60 0.352
70 0.367 70 0.426
80 0.451 80 0.497
90 0.526 90 0.584
100 0.605 100 0.669
110 0.694 110 0.751
120 0.769 120 0.835
It This run was carried out using prepared Cu2S (20.30% sulphur and 79.05% copper).
192
average final gas temperature of 25 °C. average final gas temperature of 25 °C.
Time N0(t) aofff. (t) 84 (t) Time Nso, (t) 4(0 Saf,ff (t)
(min) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min) (min) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0.000 0 0
5 0.019 5 0.019 756 9
10 0.049 10 0.044 749 8
15 0.078 15 0.072
20 0.108 20 0.104
30 0.131 25 0.131 744 7
40 0.171 30 0.166 747 14
50 0.203 35 0.203 748 18
60 0.255 40 0.246 760 14
70 0.340 45 0.286 745 4
80 0.439 50 0.329 746 11
90 0.528 55 0.374 744 1
100 0.611 60 0.416 751 10
110 0.716 80 0.603 754 11
120 0.804 100 0.778 746 8
120 0.963 758 10
140 1.142 744 1

160 1.137
193
Time Ns02 (t) V:17. (t) 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) a° ff. (t) 84 (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
5 0.031 798 7 5 0.037 1213 14
10 0.061 783 12 10 0.077 1235 11
15 0.089 789 16 15 0.120 1222 2
20 0.117 776 10 20 0.153 1220 8
25 0.145 789 12 25 0.203 1221 4
30 0.174 803 14 30 0.263 1198 4
35 0.213 799 19 35 0.319 1194 21
40 0.251 788 17 40 0.373 1213 10
45 0.295 797 21 45 0.432 1192 12
50 0.333 796 9 50 0.498 1179 23
55 0.372 801 8 55 0.556 1178 15
60 0.415 792 9 60 0.627 1218 28
80 0.588 814 3 80 0.889 1209 13
100 0.757 823 15 100 1.107 1195 10
120 0.971 816 19 120 1.123 1243 17
140 1.120 817 20 140 1.118 1287 16
160 1.156 814 7 160 1.150 1326 11
180 1.165 822 15
194
average final gas tem erature of 24 °C. average final gas tem erature of 25 °C. ,
Time Ns02 (t) go ff. (t) 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) Q.01ff. (t) 84 (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
5 0.050 1620 10 5 0.036 1607 6
10 0.105 1665 19 10 0.088 1604 5
15 0.152 1677 41 15 0.136 1673 11
20 0.207 1688 12 20 0.194 1691 14
25 0.271 1712 17 25 0.256 1703 12
30 0.345 1663 16 30 0.326
35 0.416 1665 19 35 0.387 1695 4
40 0.483 1639 15 40 0.461 1690 11
45 0.555 1677 41 45 0.534 1680 12
50 0.627 1639 15 50 0.592 1690 10
55 0.697 1665 19 55 0.657 1685 14
60 0.750 1677 41 60 0.726 1689 4
65 0.826 1665 19 65 0.802 1640 7
70 0.896 70 0.872 1670 22
75 0.976 1639 15 75 0.956 1676 6
80 1.055 1677 41 80 1.014 1675 14
85 1.106 1665 19 85 1.016 1972 11
90 1.018 1578 3
195
Table B.9. Run No 12, the data for the Table B.10. Run No. 13, the data for the
average final as tem erature of 25 °C. average final gas temperature of 26 °O. .
Time N0(t) af:ff (t) 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) aofff. (t) 8Q,f,ff (t)
(mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min) (mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0.000 0 0
1 0.005 1 0.002 1234 2
2 0.012 2 0.006
3 0.011 3 0.013
4 0.023 4 0.017
10 0.079 5 0.025
15 0.120 10 0.060 1238 6
20 0.169 15 0.100 1236 6
25 0.231 20 0.140 1233 7
30 0.295 25 0.191 1231 17
35 0.367 30 0.250 1218 0
40 0.435 35 0.312 1224 4
45 0.512 40 0.366 1218 6
50 0.588 50 0.484 1253 4
55 0.665 60 0.611 1259 12
70 0.734 1244 13
80 0.869 1217 12
90 0.987 1232 13
99 1.076 1240 23
of . Approximately 2 mm inside diameter alumina lance was used in this run.

196
experimental conditions of: 1530 ml/min of experimental conditions of: 2006 mUmin of
average final as temperature of 22 °C#.. . average final gas temperature of 27 °C.
Time N0(t) af,ff (t) 8Q/0; (t) Time Ns02 (t) Q.0ff. (t) 8Q.offf (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
5 0.027 1236 7 5 0.047 1614 15
10 0.063 1250 14 10 0.099 1598 16
15 0.104 1247 10 15 0.131 1635 14
20 0.130 1247 9 20 0.213 1664 13
25 0.180 1250 6 25 0.306 1617 8
30 0.215 1262 8 30 0.416 1653 13
40 0.317 1267 8 35 0.464 1645 12
50 0.433 1260 8 40 0.553 1636 12
60 0.555 1252 18 45 0.611 1647 7
70 0.652 1245 14 50 0.707 1668 31
80 0.810 1220 46 55 0.793 1672 22
90 0.947 1245 14 60 0.876 1631 16
95 1.010 1236 9 65 0.952 1635 5
70 1.040 1639 8
75 1.087 1668 13
.ff.. Approximately 2 mm inside diameter alumina lance was used in this run. Prepared Cu2S, of
approximately 19% sulphur and 77.05% copper, was used in this run.
197
average final as tem erature of 25 °C. average final gas tem erature of 24 °C.
Time Nso, (t) 4(0 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) Q(t) 84 (t)
(mm) (mole) (mllmin) (ml/min) (mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
5 0.039 2196 13 5 0.030 1425 13
10 0.095 2124 6 10 0.078 1445 7
15 0.156 2111 35 15 0.120 1455 14
20 0.253 2089 43 20 0.171 1442 64
25 0.342 2077 40 25 0.234 1439 92
30 0.444 2059 62 30 0.300 1410 21
35 0.542 2066 85 35 0.370 1384 57
40 0.641 2067 104 40 0.430 1508 59
45 0.747 2064 93 45 0.500 1467 26
50 0.847 2058 70 50 0.564 1557 17
55 0.939 2045 30 55 0.637 1414 18
60 1.031 2194 211 60 0.703 1399 7
65 1.072 2270 241 65 0.763 1440 18
70 0.835 1422 10
75 0.908 1436 7
198
average final gas tem erature of 23 °C. average final gas temperature of 27 °C" .
Time Nso, (t) Qf,ff (t) SQL. (t) Time Nso, (t) Q-0fff (t) Saofff (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
5 0.033 1863 29 2 0.020 2435 5
10 0.086 1894 6 4 0.066
15 0.145 1881 17 5 0.089
20 0.239 1839 96 6 0.110
25 0.327 1865 64 8 0.173
30 0.420 1831 48 10 0.214 2377 24
35 0.516 1868 63 15
40 0.606 1860 46 20 0.492 2375 47
45 0.698 1962 45 25 0.637 2454 17
50 0.782 1956 120 30 0.762 2526 10

55 0.876 1812 17 35 0.877 2476 29
60 0.959 1849 3 40 0.979 2470 27
65 1.043 1862 22 44 1.051 2556 19
69 1.071 1899 7
It° Thelance nozzle was located at the melt surface in this run. In all of the other runs the initial lance to
melt surface was fixed at approximately 1 cm.
199
average final gas tem erature of 26 °C. average final gas tem erature of 26 °C.
Time Nso, (t) aofff (t) 84 (t) Time Nso, (t) o:ft. (t)
af 84 (t)
(mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min) (mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.023 3448 63 2 0.016 1528 34

4 0.049 4 0.037
5 0.055 5 0.047
6 0.074 6 0.061
8 0.109 3514 33 8 0.091
10 0.145 3507 27 10 0.114
15 0.262 3429 32 15 0.207 1525 10
20 0.371 3480 19 20 0.304 1523 17
25 0.497 3507 36 25 0.408 1526 13
30 0.630 3518 176 30 0.515 1516 10

35 0.775 3526 65 35 0.629 1487 24
40 0.938 3429 25 40 0.735 1513 3
45 0.855 1499 9
50 0.968 1502 7
55 1.044 1534 27
200
Time Ns02 (t) 4(0 84 (t) Time Nso, (t) 4(0 84 (t)
(min) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min) (min) (mole) (mil/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.018 1503 22 2 0.029 1339 90
4 0.050 1415 5 4 0.086 1208 24
5 0.069 1457 8 5 0.108 1270 54
6 0.083 1463 12 6 0.140 1185 25
8 0.120 1452 24 8 0.202 1196 75
10 0.154 1457 20 10 0.265 1177 17
15 0.268 1459 23 15 0.447 1176 8
20 0.393 1441 21 20 0.623 1176 9
25 0.532 1459 8 25 0.804 1180 14
30 0.664 1446 46 30 0.982 1202 12
35 0.822 1432 12 35 1.071 1204 54
40 0.945 1416 17 39 1.081 1179 6
45 1.045 1419 66
49 1.038 1377 35
201
average final gas temperature of 22 °C. average final gas temperature of 23 °C. .,
Time Ns02 (t) 4(0 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) efff (t) f (t)
8Q-off
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.046 1005 252 2 0.014 1570 13
4 0.128 809 22 4 0.028 1684 9
5 0.156 777 2 5 0.045 1624 12
6 0.202 6 0.051 1648 36
8 0.302 765 14 8 0.068 1619 6
10 0.398 10 0.094 1709 42
15 0.644 810 15 15 0.151 1657 9
20 0.911 796 6 20 0.220 1670 17
25 1.066 789 46 25 0.301 1650 10
29 1.066 807 10 29 0.372 1639 18
35 0.447 1624 12
40 0.538 1639 18
45 0.617 1679 28
50 0.708 1677 27
55 0.804 1672 32
60 0.848
202
Time Ns02 (t) aof.ff. (t) SQ-ofli. (t) Time Ns02 (t) Q(t) 8a0fif (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.013 1675 57 2 0.014 1674 65
4 0.024 1660 41 4 0.029
5 0.027 6 0.037
6 0.070 8 0.069
8 0.076 10 0.083 1687 41
10 0.096 1617 3 15 0.125 1686 33
15 0.156 1627 13 20 0.178
20 0.228 25 0.245
25 0.315 1632 15 30 0.301
29 0.372 1652 30 35 0.370
35 0.463 1627 19 40 0.432
40 0.543 1631 16 45 0.498
45 0.619 1623 12 50 0.573
50 0.719 1589 22 55 0.630
55 0.797 1601 19 60 0.729 1662 16
60 0.873 1648 31 65 0.805 1680 19
65 0.931 1687 63 70 0.888 1665 14
70 0.992 1673 8
203
average final gas temi,erature of 24 °C. average final gas tem erature of 21 °C.
Time Nso, (t) Q(t) 6Q47(t) Time Ns02 (t) Q(t) 84 (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.009 1632 13 2 0.008 1626 1
4 0.029 1629 13 4 0.029 1597 4
5 0.043 1625 5 5 0.044 1611 3
6 0.057 1634 1 6 0.057 1626 13
8 0.083 1637 5 8 0.071 1626 13
10 0.103 1635 4 10 0.105 1627 13
15 0.166 1633 9 15 0.166 1625 7
20 0.243 1634 15 20 0.245 1614 5
25 0.327 1637 12 25 0.331 1609 10
30 0.403 1632 10 30 0.418 1597 23
35 0.481 1633 10 35 0.538 1596 13
40 0.570 1617 5 40 0.606 1595 3
45 0.654 1600 13 45 0.687 1596 19
50 0.738 1605 28 50 0.784 1603 11
55 0.828 1602 16 55 0.881 1599 13
60 0.907 1640 25 60 0.975 1605 8
65 0.975 1654 6 65 1.028 1607 17
70 1.043 1684 9 68 1.053 1624 31
74 1.045 1652 8
204
average final gas temperature of 22 °C. average final as temperature of 22 °C.
Time Ns02 (t) Q.0ff.

f (t) 84 (t) Time N0(t) Qcf,ff (t) 84 (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.012 3039 21 2 0.066 447 20
4 0.051 3119 18 4 0.157 426 13

5 0.062 3073 0 5 0.217 436 3
6 0.086 3196 32 6 0.264 471 8
8 0.110 3145 41 8 0.390 476 11
10 0.163 3289 28 10 0.498 479 17
15 0.295 3271 37 12 0.629 489 17
20 0.438 2883 64 14 0.741
25 0.581 2827 39 15 0.836 486 2
30 0.765 2787 50 16 0.882 428 2
35 0.924 2806 24 18 0.999 481 36
38 1.042 2798 37 20 1.033 384 18
22 1.049 406 18
205
experimental conditions of: 2032 rnl/min of experimental conditions of: 2000 ml/min of
22% 02 and 78% Ar, at 1200 °C, 1.08 atm 21% 02 and 79% N2, at 1200 °C, 1.08 atm
average final gas temperature of 22 °C** . average final gas temperature of 22 °C.
Time Nso, (t) Q(t) 84 (t) Time Ns02 (t) aofff. (t) 84 (t)
0 0.000 0 0 0 0.000 0 0
2 0.012 1735 6 2 0.012 1590 32
4 0.027 1768 29 4 0.024 1616 16
5 0.032 1757 12 5 0.042 1603 9
6 0.041 1724 23 6 0.048 1645 0
8 0.065 1713 11 8 0.060 1639 7
10 0.082 1724 32 10 0.077 1651 8
15 0.148 1717 19 15 0.117 1631 23
20 0.219 1708 10 20 0.198 1635 7
25 0.302 1691 21 25 0.271 1598 16
30 0.391 1711 10 30 0.361 1584 23
35 0.462 1691 15 35 0.451 1608 47
40 0.544 1691 7 40 0.540 1599 12
45 0.629 1696 6 45 0.636 1587 12
50 0.711 1677 9 50 0.713 1582 6
55 0.795 1692 7 55 0.801 1594 13
60 0.882 1688 18 60 0.896 1583 17
65 0.969 1693 12 65 0.990 1597 12
70 1.018 1559 4
** Approximately 77 ml/min argon was used for invoking bath mixing. in this run.
206
Table B.31. Run No. 41, the data for the

experimental conditions of: 3516 ml/min of
24% 02 and 76% Ar, at 1200 °C, 1.10 atm
pressure, ambient temperature of 24 °C,
average final gas temperature of 24 °C.
Time Nso, (t) 4(0 84 (t)
(mm) (mole) (ml/min) (ml/min)
0 0.000 0 0
2 0.024 3029 64
4 0.049 3053 13
5 0.067 2971 82
6 0.103 3017 40
8 0.130 2830 10
10 0.167 2933 53
15 0.261 2889 50
20 0.388 2902 110
25 0.545 2938 27
30 0.690 2888 36
35 0.827 2883 43
40 1.001 2839 17
Table B.32. The effect of volumetric flow rate of reaction gas on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.08
atm; 22% 0 and 78% Ar; lance inside diameter of 3 mm.
Q° o P 0s 0 P Os Op Os 0 P o^ s
Run N so2 N so, N 02 N 02 t* W ga W ga Ww Ww
(ml/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mm) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min)
9 1480 0.008 0.012 0.011 0.012 25 -0.18 -0.42
12 1579 0.009 0.015 24
17 1755 0.009 0.013 0.013 0.013 19 -0.16 -0.45 -0.11 -0.21
15 2006 0.009 0.016 0.016 0.015 14 -0.07 -0.57
36 2032 0.010 0.016 0.015 0.016 14 -0.17 -0.53 -0.14 -0.66
21 4055 0.015 0.026 0.023 0.002 11 -0.21 -0.95
Table B.33. The effect of volumetric flow rate of reaction gas on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.08
atm; 24% 0 and 76% Ar; lance inside diameter of 3 mm.
Op Os Op o s 0p 0 s 0 P 0 s
Run al Nso2 Ns02 N 02 N 02 t* W ga W ga Ww Wi,
_ (ml/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min)
8 1010 0.006 0.009 0.009 0.008 36 -0.10 -0.30
41 3516 0.018 0.028 0.025 0.028 13 -0.34 -0.92
207
Table B.34. The effect of reaction gas composition on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.10 atm, 2000
ml/min, lance inside diameter of 3 mm.
Op o s Op o s Op Os OP 0 s
*
Run %02 Nso2 N502 N o2 N 02 t W ga W ga Ww Ww
(mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min)

15 22 0.009 0.016 0.016 0.015 14 -0.07 -0.57
22 27 0.012 0.021 0.020 0.020 11 -0.15 -0.71 -0.14
23 35 0.017 0.027 0.024 0.024 11 -0.28 -0.94
24 46 0.027 0.036 0.033 0.036 7 -0.67 -1.15 -1.42
25 64 0.037 0.050 0.048 0.050 5 -0.81 -1.63
34 78 0.048 0.061 0.063 0.061 5 -1.03 -1.95 -0.85 -2.18
Table B.35. The effect of temperature on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 22%
0 and 78% Ar, lance inside diameter of 3 mm.
Op 0 s 0p o^ s Op Os 0P 0 s
Run T Ns02 N502 N o2 N o2 t W ga W ga WW WW
(°C) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (min) (g/rnin) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min)
15 1200 0.009 0.016 0.016 0.015 14 -0.07 -0.57
31 1250 0.012 0.017 0.016 0.017 13 -0.23 -0.57 -0.16 -0.98
30 1300 0.013 0.016 0.016 0.016 17 -0.30 -0.53 -0.29 -0.87
208
Table B.36. The effect of temperature on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 23% 02 and 77%
Ar, lance inside diameter of 3 mm.
o^s Os o s OP 0s
. P . P Op
Run T N so, N so, NO2 NO2 t W ga W ga Ww W
(°C) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min)
27 1250 0.010 0.016 0.015 0.015 15 -0.19 -0.54 -0.31
28 1300 0.012 0.016 0.016 0.016 16 -0.25 -0.49 -0.16 -0.34
Table B.37. The effect of bath mixing on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of 22%
02 and 78% Ar, lance inside diameter of 3 mm (t appoximate1y 77 ml/min Ar was used to invoke artificial mixing).
o^s os 0P o s
. P o P Os OP
Run Q: N so, N so, N 02 N 02 W ga W ga Ww Ww
(nil/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (mol/min) (min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min) (g/min)
15 2006 0.009 0.016 0.016 0.015 14 -0.07 -0.57
36t 2032 0.010 0.016 0.015 0.016 14 -0.17 -0.53 -0.14 -0.66
Table B.38. The effect of carrier gas type on the reaction rates; sample weight of 200 grams of Cu2S; at 1200 °C and 1.09 atm, 2000 ml/min of
21% 0 and 79% Ar, lance inside diameter of 3 mm
0s 0s 0s OP 0s
OP op o P
Run Gas Nso2 N so2 N 0, N 0, t W ga W ga W iv W,„
Type (mol/min) (mol/rnin) (mol/min) (mol/min) (min) (g/min) (g/min) _ (g/min) (g/min)
37 Nitrogen 0.008 0.018 0.015 0.016 16 -0.05 -0.61 -0.04 -0.45
29 Argon 0.009 0.014 0.013 0.023 22 -0.18 -0.49 -0.08 -0.51
209
210
Appendix C Reaction Gas Transport Properties
1. Viscosity
The kth approximation of the coefficient of viscosity is given by Equation (C.1), where
the function of 4,(k) is a very slowly varying function of T* and differs only slightly from
unity [109].
266.93 x10-7 ,2)*(T f12(k)

1722(21
L- (C.1)
Example C.1. This example is to illustrate the procedure for the calculation of the
viscosity of a pure gas. The viscosity of pure argon gas at 1200 °C is calculated as
follows: The molecular weight of argon is MAr = 39.948 g/g.mole. The force constants
for argon are qic= 124°K and a = 3.418A. The reduced temperature is then
T* = KT le = 11.935. The data for the integral S2(2'2)*,for the Lennard-Jones potential
(taken from Hirschfelder et al. [109]) was fitted to a function of the reduced temperature
,as given by Equation (B.2). The value for argon is 0.819. The higher approximation
coefficient, for the viscosity, is fp(k) =1.0073. Substituting for these values in Equation
(C.1), yields gm. = 6.83 x10-4 g/cm.sec.
S2(2'2)* =1.208474/T415703 (C.2)
The viscosity of binary gas mixtures was calculated as follows [110]:
2
^]]
(C.3)
Example C.2. The viscosity of a gas mixture of 20% 02 and 80% Ar, at 1200 °C, is
calculated, Using Equation (C.3), as given by Equation (B.4). The parameters for 02 gas
are the molecular weight of oxygen is M = 31.9988 g/g.mole. The force constants for
211
oxygen are Eix= 113°K and a = 3.433A. The reduced temperature is then
T* = KT le = 13.035. The higher approximation coefficient is filk) =1.008. Substituting
for these values in Equation (C.1), the viscosity of pure 02, at 1200 °C, is calculated to
be 6.16x10-4 g/cm.sec.
0.8^0.2
1-t A r 02 =[/ 1^ + ^= 6.67 x 10-4(g / cm. sec) (C.4)
[ 1/-4^1/
6.84 x10^6.16 x10-4
The viscosity of Ar-02 gas mixtures for the temperature range of 1000-1500 °C and at 1
atm is presented below.
775
750
725
• ^
.i14
0 700
MINE mer■^ MIN AM
.t,".? 675
650
0°
625
600
575
550
1000 1050 1100 1150 1200 1250 1300 1350 1400 1450 1500
Temperature (°C)
Figure C.1. The viscosity of Ar-02 gas mixtures as a function of temperature, at 1 atm;
^ pure Ar;^20% 02,^ 40% 02; — - — - 60% 02; — - - — 80%
02, ^ pure 02.
212
2. Diffusion Coefficient
The diffusion coefficients of some selected binary gas mixtures are calculated using
Equation (C.5), as given by equations (C.6-C.10) [1111 The critical properties for these
gases are provided in Table B.1. The results of these calculations were found to compare
very favorably with the measured and calculated results of Hirschfelder et al [109], as
shown in Figure C.2.
03
( T )1 81( 1 + 1
0.43
)
100^ M A MB
DA_B
( 7' 7' )
01405
(KA) r 2
(C.5)
CB0)^[100)0.4^117c0B0)"
PlOCA,00
Table C.1. The critical properties of some selected gases (taken from Bird et al. [112]).
Gas Tc (°K) Pc (atm) Vc (cm3/mole)
Argon 151 48.0 75.2
Nitrogen 126.2 33.5 90.1
Oxygen 154.4 49.7 74.4
Sulphur Dioxide 430.7 77.8 122.0
0.028565r T 1
1" (C.6)
DO —Ar =
2^ P^L100
1.81
0.0272107 T
(C.7)
[
P^Llooi
D02-N2= ^
213
D ^0.020118r T 11 81
.
S02-02 —^
(C.8)
P^L100
0.020103 7' -11 81

(C.9)
P^Lim.]
DS02-Ar =
0.019287 I T
(C . 1 0)
Ds02-N2^
p^Lloo
1 00
10
z^
oE
8')
C.)
t,r.4^1
a)
CI■1
C•11
0•1
0.01
^
100 1000 1 0000
Temperature (°K)
Figure C.2. The diffusion coefficients of some selected binary gas mixtures as a function
of temperature, at 1 atm; ^ 02-Ar; 0 02-As (after Hirschfelder, calculated); 0 02-
Ar (after Hirschfelder, measured); X 02-N2 (after Hirschfelder, calculated); 0 02-N2
(after Hirschfelder, measured); — — — 02-S02; ^ N2-S02.
214
3. Density
Assuming that the gases involved and their mixtures are ideal, the calculation of the gas
density of a pure gas was done via the following equation:
PMA
PA = RT (C. 1 1 )
The density of a gas mixture was calculated from Equation (C.12), where the molecular
weight of the gas mixture was calculated using Equation (C.13). The results of these
calculations are shown in Figure C.3.
PMmix
P mix =
RT (C.12)
Mmix = XAM A+ XBMB•••+XzMz (C.13)
0.40
0.38
0.36
ÎU
0.34 1=I=111
^ I^_1(4/ SI I
1 111671T11;;IIMMIIIIIIF
MIRIMINIMIIIMMIliali•ErmINIO,■■
0.32 ^ IMIN■Ml■AMIIIMMMIMIE%/11111111MINNINE■
to ^
^
INIMMii•••■Mi•■■••11% IiM1llMPNiill1MIE••O•P'■-
Ml!?.'dlMlIP"'%IMPCf/I•lM1••lil'■''IMMil-I1•Il_•."d•lIMIMIIr,-
0.30 ^
^
...IMMiI•MiMP!r4llMRr/" MCI= MaINIIIMINIMISUMM■
...1•1■111■121■-■1•MaIMIPROMPL
AMPERNIP"%■12% MIPTMENIPMWMINPIMINIIP."-
_./•■■•••alIMMIIIMMEOMINNEIMIMMIMIM
I•10,--
.M.IIIMPISA■1•MaNINIMIIMIMMMIMP/11111=
'TA 0.28 -.■-aNIP%WaINIENNIIMil■MMOMWW■1/1.1111•M

-../..■■■■•••%111/%11•110.3%1M/MMIIMINI■•=1=
EMMINOW/M%-■-■•■■■••18■■■■■■1 '11•1111"-^
111■1•1•M■■allEil■-■11%111•MIN
a 0.26 I./"/"-
MNII
-a■-■MIMPIMAMIP■IMMPras ..... ■11=
,A1•1•%V" -■•■MIN/aMPE21•1%.■
I
IIIIVAIMPW•ONEall•MMINP/MINN= ..... NMI=
MINOMNP!
..a1M10-
-■■■•••■.%•/51•1•2
MIIIP///%11■■■■•■• MINII-MIMONN ^
0.24 IMP/■••■■•■•%..MIEMM
.1.171.1P.:7
11:1117
11111111111111111111111111
1,•/- ■"-
-
dMIP/_■""
■■■■
0.22
0.20
5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0
(1/T) x10-4 ( °K-')
Figure C.3. The density of Ar-02 gas mixtures as a function of temperature; for each 10%
increments.
^
215
Appendix D Temperature Measurements
1240
t+
1235 7
1230 —
f +
x xXXX
- X XX
XXXXX
X
1225^ X
■-■
(1) 1220 —0 0 0 o 0 0 0 0 0^ 0^0

0 0^0
tEl
s,
ra,
") 1215
E0
^
AAAA
Eli)
1^
210 A A9 AAA
A^ A
A
AÂÂ
1205 - 000U 0 aoao X o o
^00
1200 -/)-DO ^ X
1195
0 50 100 150 200
Time (min)
Figure D.1. The manual temperature measurement of the center of the melt; 200 grams
Cu2S, at 1200 °C, E Run No. 5. (922 ml/min of 26%02 and 74% Ar); 0 Run No.7 (922
ml/min of 26%02 and 74% Ar); A Run No. 8 (1010 ml/min of 24%02 and 76% Ar); 0
Run No. 9. (1546 of 24%02 and 76% Ar); x Run No. 15. (2006 mllmin of 22%02 and
78% Ar); + Run No. 16. (2510 ml/min of 23%02 and 77% Ar).
216
1240
--
-000000^0^0^0
1235 —
0^0
1230 — 00^ 0
0^0
0^0
_-_.0^ 0^0^0
;7. 1225 000^
(`).-1
0 1220 -
-
0
-_
_
-0-
0
0^0^0^0
0^0^0^0^0
0
1205 --: 0^0
0
1200 -D- 0
a
1195 ,_, ,
p I
11
I L I ILI Ill!
I ^ ' ^' ,
0^10^20^30^40^50^60^70^80
Time (min)
Figure D.2. The manual temperature measurement of the gas at the same height of the
lance nozzle; 200 grams Cu2S, at 1200 °C, III Run No. 18. (2234 ml/min of 23%02 and
77% Ar); 0. Run No. 22. (1998 mllmin of 27%02 and 73% Ar); 0 Run No. 19. (3015 of
23%02 and 77% Ar).
^
^
217
1210 ^
1208 -
P'--' 1206 -
2=
ci 1204 -
t,s=1
0 1202 ^
4
1200 -
1198 ^
0 10^20^30^40^50^60^70
Time (min)
Figure D.3. The gas temperature measurement at the same height of the lance nozzle for
Run No. 27, the experimental conditions of 200 grams Cu2S, at 1200 °C, 1998 ml/min of
27% 02 and 73% Ar.
1288 -^
1286 - P^
,
a 1284 -
c`---' 1282
§ 1280 i
^
1
i ) 6
t 1278
1.1 1276
E 4
1274 -
-
1272 -
1270
0 10^20^30^40^50^60^70^80
Time (min)
Figure D.4. The temperature measurement at the center of the melt for Run No. 29, the
experimental conditions of 200 grams Cu2S, at 1275 °C, 1994 ml/min of 23% 02 and
77% Ar.
218
1330
/
1325
I
P\
'..-- 1320 1
0.) i
6-'
vd 1315 _
atsa.
0 1310 / ,/
E-4
1305
1300 f . ^1 ^.
0 10^20^30^40^50^60^70^80
Time (min)
22% 02 and 78% Ar.
1235
1230
P
....., 1225
a)
1220
+6:1-,6-41
° 1215
P.
1)
E-1 1210
1205
1200
0^5^10^15^20^25^30^35^40
Time (min)
29% 02 and 71% Ar.
219
1270 ^
1260 7
E6.3 1250 7
2).
= 1240 -
9.,
(1) 1230 7
E- 1 1220 7
1210 -
1200 ^
^ ^
0 5 10 15 20 25
Time (min)
79% 02 and 21% Ar.
1218
1216
1214
.)
1212
AR' 1210
1208
1206
1204
1202
0^10^20^30^40^50^60^70
Time (min)
Run No. 37, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 2000
ml/min of 21% 02 and 79% N2.
220
Run No. 41, for the experimental conditions of 200 grams of Cu2S at 1200 °C, 3500
ml/min of 24% 02 and 76% Ar.

Oxidation Kinetics of Molten Copper Sulphide

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Oxidation Kinetics of Molten Copper Sulphide

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Oxidation Kinetics of Molten Copper Sulphide

B.Sc. (Metallurgical Engineering), Laurentian University, 1990

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

We accept this thesis as conforming

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

© Abdelmonem Hussein Alyaser, 1993

Department of Metals and Materials Engineering

The University of British Columbia

Date July 12 1993

The oxidation kinetics of molten copper sulphide were investigated by quantitative

7.1.4. Stoichiometry ^ 130

Figure 2.1. (a) Cutaway of a horizontal side-blown Pierce-Smith converter, (b).

Figure 4.6. Schematic diagram of the absorber rubber stopper ^ 43

A^cross-sectional area (m2)

DA-B^diffusion coefficient of species A in B (m2/s)

g^acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)

Kj,u^jet constant for momentum transfer

MA^molecular weight of species A (kg/kg mole)

nRe^exponent of the Reynolds number

PA^pressure of species A (Pa), (1 atm = 101325 Pa)

Ps^system pressure (Pa)

Rg^gas phase mass transfer resistance (s/m)

Tgas^gas temperature inside the reaction chamber (°K)

Tmelt^melt temperature inside the reaction chamber (°K)

rate of weight change (kg/s)

XA^mole fraction of species A

Fs surface excess of solute s (mole/m2)

YA^activity coefficient of species A

I am greatly indebted to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of

In copper converting, blister copper is produced by several cycles of matte oxidation in

2.1. Copper Converting

2.1.1.^History of the Copper Converter

2.1.2.^Metallurgy of Copper Converting

2.1.2.1.^The Slag-Forming Stage:

2((FeS))maue +3(02)Air + 2(Si02)Flux = 2((Fe0 .Si02 ))slag 2(S02 )0ff_Gas^(2.1)

2.1.2.2.^The Copper-Making Stage:

( (cu 2 s ) ) +^( ID2) = ( c u 2 0)1- ( s02 ) (2.2)

((Cu2S))+ 2(Cu20) = 6((Cu))+ (S02) (2.3)

((Cu25))+ (02) = 2((Cu))+ (SO2) (2.4)

2.2. Thermodynamics of Copper Sulphide Oxidation

Thermodynamic knowledge of the Cu-S-0 system is paramount to the understanding of

AG° =1.8-0.0015T (2.8)

(S02). [S]((co) + 2[0]((co) ^ (2.9)

AG° = 68367 —37T^ (2.10)

Wt%S =100 — Wt%0 — Wt%Cu^ (2.14)

WaS =100— Wt%0— Wt%Cu

2.3. Gas Liquid Interactions

Me (e.g. Fe, Cu, Mn,..) bath.

Me according to Reaction (2.18).

(02 ) = 2[0]ue^ (2.18)

This process proceeds according to the following steps:

3. The mass transfer of oxygen in the liquid metal phase.

Figure 2.4. Schematic diagram of a hypothetical case of oxygen dissolution in a liquid

Equilibrium at Phase Boundaries:

flux of 0 (no)in the liquid phase is given by Equation (2.21).

k0 {[O] _ [O]" =2 191- [P(b) [o]2]

Equation (2.28) can be solved for [O]i:

—RTrIc0+.11[RTKIc0]2 +8k02[RTK'ko[O]" +2K'ko,Pcb)2]

[rate of 0 input] [rate of 0 output = 0]

characteristics of the regime.