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. 2018 Jun 22;18(7):2009.
doi: 10.3390/s18072009.

Flash Smelting Copper Concentrates Spectral Emission Measurements

Luis Arias  1 , Sergio Torres  2 , Carlos Toro  3 , Eduardo Balladares  4 , Roberto Parra  5 , Claudia Loeza  6 , Camilo Villagrán  7 , Pablo Coelho  8
Affiliations

Flash Smelting Copper Concentrates Spectral Emission Measurements

Luis Arias et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

In this paper, we report on spectral features emitted by a reaction shaft occurring in flash smelting of copper concentrates containing sulfide copper minerals such as chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), bornite (Cu₅FeS₄) and pyrite (FeS₂). Different combustion conditions are addressed, such as sulfur-copper ratio and oxygen excess. Temperature and spectral emissivity features are estimated for each case by using the two wavelength method and radiometric models. The most relevant results have shown an increasing intensity behavior for higher sulfur-copper ratios and oxygen contents, where emissivity is almost constant along the visible spectrum range for all cases, which validates the gray body assumption. CuO and FeO emission line features along the visible spectrum appear to be a sensing alternative for describing the combustion reactions.

Keywords: copper; optical pyrometry; optical sensors; sensing; smelting; spectral measurements; two-wavelength method.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Experimental setup: (a) Experimental setup picture depicting main components; (b) Optical setup of a constructed pinhole to shaft spectra access.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Emitted spectra during the flash smelting process, for three different copper concentrates with a: (a) S/Cu ratio of 1.07; (b) S/Cu ratio of 1.27 and (c) S/Cu of 1.85.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Industrial measurement setup: (a) smelter top peephole; (b) steel cooled protecting probe and cooled optical fiber; (c) mounted probe.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Emitted spectra during the flash smelting process in a flash smelter (real plant): (a) Uncalibrated spectra; (b) Calibrated spectra.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mean estimated temperature by using two wavelength method and standard deviation as a function of wavelength interval Δλ.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Spectral emissivity during the flash smelting process, for three different copper concentrates of a: (a) S/Cu ratio of 1.07; (b) S/Cu ratio of 1.27 and (c) S/Cu of 1.85.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Spectral emissivity during the industrial flash smelting process, for two measurements.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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