OPTIMIZATION OF REFRACTORY LINING DESIGN AND INSTALLATION PRACTICE TO REDUCE VESSEL DOWNTIME OF ANODE REFINING VESSELS
Dec 13, 2014
OPTIMIZATION OF REFRACTORY LINING DESIGN AND INSTALLATION PRACTICE TO REDUCE VESSEL DOWNTIME OF
ANODE REFINING VESSELS
BLISTER COPPER (>0.6% S) FED TO THEANODE REFINING VESSELS DIRECTLY FROM FLASH/BATH CONVERTING FURNACE(EST. REFRACTORY LINING LIFE 5-6YRS)
ANODE REFINING VESSEL NOW A PRIMARY PRODUCTION UNIT (EST. AVERAGE LINING LIFE ~2 YEARS)
THE CONCEPT
• TO DOUBLE THE LIFE OF THE REFRACTORY LINING OF THE ANODE VESSEL(FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS)
• TO BETTER THAN HALVE THE INSTALLATION TIME OF THE REFRACTORY LINING(FROM 14 to 6 DAYS)
OPTIMIZATION OF PERFORMANCE OF THE REFRACTORY LINING
• UTILIZE CORROSION RESISTANT FUSED MAGNESIA-CHROME AROUND TUYERES, SLAG LINE, TAP-OUT SPOUT, SKIMMING AND FEED MOUTH AND IMPACT AREAS
• INSTALL LINING TO THE SHELL (WITH HIGH CONDUCTIVITY GRAPHITE PASTE IF NECESSARY) TO MAXIMIZE HEAT TRANSFER AND LOWER CORROSION RATE
• INSTALL MICROPOROUS INSULATION IN AREAS WHERE BUILD-UP OCCURS
OPTIMIZATION OF INSTALLATION TIME REQUIREMENTS
• PROVIDE FOR A BRICK STAGING AREA AT ONE END OF THE VESSEL AND AN ACCESS PORT FORPERSONNEL AND A ROLLER LINE TO SUPPLY BRICK.
• INSTALL BRICK COURSING CONTINUOUSLY USING A SELF-SUPPORTING METHOD
OPTIMIZATION OF PROCESS CONTROL
• USE OF POROUS PLUGS TO IMPROVE HEAT TRANSFER,ACCELERATE DESULPHURISATION AND REDUCE SLAG VOLUME.
• INSERT SACRIFICIAL TUYERE TUBE TO REDUCE CONTACT OF COPPER OXIDE WITH REFRACTORY ADJACENT TO TUYERE BRICK.
• USE SEMTECH OPC TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE END POINT OF DESULPHURISATION AND DEOXIDATION
BECANCOUR Production Facility
ANODE REFINING VESSELTUYERE PIPE INSERTION SYSTEM
Endwalls 36 hrs Endwalls 36 hrsScaffolding 12 hrsBrick (1/2Half) 48 hrs Brick to T-Plate 36 hrsFormwork 24 hrsBrick Top Half (both 120 hrs Brick to Key 36 hrsRemove Formwork 24 hrs Finishing Key 12 hrs
264 hrs 120 hrs
Traditional(Formwork/Pogo)
Revised(T-Plate/Access Door)
CONCLUSIONS
•REFRACTORY ANODE VESSELINTEGRITY DEPENDS ON JUDICIOUS ZONING OF THE HIGHWEAR AREAS
• PRODUCTIVITY CAN BE SEVERELYHAMPERED IF DOWNTIME IS NOTSTRICTLY LIMITED BY RAPID INSTALLATION TECHNIQUES AND THE ABILITY TO PERFORM HOT REPAIRS