Thermodynamic and Experimental Optimization of Fe Extracting-Oriented Slag Composition for Oxygen-Enriched Top-Blown Nickel Smelting

IF 2.3 4区材料科学 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

JOM Pub Date : 2025-07-03 DOI:10.1007/s11837-025-07511-y

Geng Cao, Junxue Zhao, Guanjie Wang, Sheng Yue, Bin Li, Jianghua Zheng, Yaru Cui, Hongxing Zong

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Abstract

The slag produced during the nickel pyrometallurgical process is rich in iron (Fe). How to recover the Fe and other valuable metal element is a focus for sustainable development. The utilization of quartz in the smelting leads the Fe in the slag to exist as ferrous silicate, a substance detrimental to subsequent iron extraction. In this work, it is proposed that, to adjust the slag composition in oxygen-enriched top-blowing nickel smelting, adding CaO instead of SiO₂ in the traditional process, to form a new slag composition that benefits and facilitates more efficient iron extraction. In this research, a suitable range of slag composition was selected through thermodynamic calculations under oxygen-rich top-blowing smelting conditions. The reasonable slag composition was determined based on analysis and tests of slag melting performance. A predictive model for the melting temperature of the SiO₂-MgO-FeO-CaO quaternary slag system was developed through optimization-derived design of experiments, A comparative assessment of the performance and phase composition between the new slag and traditional slag was conducted, and the results indicated that the hemispherical temperature of the modified slag decreased from 1410°C (traditional process) to 1382°C, and viscosity reduced from 0.173 Pa s to 0.071 Pa s. The properties of the slag can meet the requirements of nickel oxygen-rich top-blowing smelting. The primary mineral phase in traditional slag and new slag transformed from fayalite and calcium ferrite, respectively, at the same time resulting in higher alkalinity. This transformation is very favorable for the subsequent extraction of Fe.

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富氧顶吹镍冶炼提铁渣组成的热力学及实验优化

镍火冶过程中产生的炉渣含铁丰富。如何回收铁等有价金属元素是可持续发展的重点。石英在冶炼过程中的使用，导致炉渣中的铁以硅酸亚铁的形式存在，不利于后续的提铁。本文提出在富氧顶吹镍冶炼过程中，通过添加CaO代替传统工艺中的SiO2来调整炉渣组成，形成有利于提高提铁效率的新炉渣组成。本研究在富氧顶吹冶炼条件下，通过热力学计算选择了合适的炉渣组成范围。通过对熔渣性能的分析和试验，确定了合理的渣成分。通过实验优化设计，建立了SiO2-MgO-FeO-CaO季系渣体系的熔融温度预测模型，并对新渣和传统渣的性能和相组成进行了对比评估，结果表明，改性渣的半球温度从传统工艺的1410℃降至1382℃；粘度由0.173 Pa s降至0.071 Pa s，炉渣各项性能满足富镍顶吹冶炼的要求。传统矿渣和新矿渣中的原生矿物相分别由铁矾石和铁酸钙转化而成，同时碱度提高。这一转变有利于后续铁的提取。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

JOM 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

3.80%

发文量

540

审稿时长

2.8 months

期刊介绍： JOM is a technical journal devoted to exploring the many aspects of materials science and engineering. JOM reports scholarly work that explores the state-of-the-art processing, fabrication, design, and application of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, and other materials. In pursuing this goal, JOM strives to balance the interests of the laboratory and the marketplace by reporting academic, industrial, and government-sponsored work from around the world.