Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Clyde-WorleyParsons Demonstrates Feed System Accuracy and Stability for Copper Industry Major
Clyde-WorleyParsons, pioneer of revolutionary flash furnace feed technology, is pleased to announce completion of a proof of flow stability evaluation with one of the world’s leading copper producers.
Criteria for feed system accuracy and stability were set by this producer which, if met, would indicate to them that a breakthrough in flash furnace feed control technology had been achieved. Clyde-WorleyParsons has successfully completed testwork that demonstrates its feed system does in fact achieve this level of performance.
Flash furnace performance relies heavily on burner flame and reaction shaft control and stability. Optimum reaction shaft control requires a feed rate that is stable and accurate within the concentrate flash reaction timescale. Reaction shaft residence time is typically 0.5 to 1 second. Breakthrough technology, as defined by the copper producer’s senior smelting technologists, would exhibit mass feed rate stability within ±10% of target flow at the 0.1 second timescale; availability in the market of such high stability flash furnace feed technology would enable the next level of flash furnace performance optimisation and development to occur.
With high stability feed control the smelter operator can, with confidence, implement operating strategies tailored for their smelter aimed at capturing flash furnace productivity gains and economic benefits predicted by Clyde-WorleyParsons.
Testwork undertaken by Clyde-WorleyParsons as part of this evaluation has successfully demonstrated pulseless feed control within the ±10% at 0.1 second target set. Moreover, the practical range of feed conveying parameters over which this accuracy is achieved is broad enough not to constrain the normal operating range of the furnace itself.
The test methodology used, measurements and conclusions from this work were evaluated by the leading copper producer’s smelter technologists and the results accepted as valid. Recommendation by the producer’s technology group that Clyde-WorleyParsons’ feed system be installed on their existing flash furnace followed immediately.
Clyde-WorleyParsons believes that once the copper market recovery becomes convincing this feed system installation will go ahead. Just as important is the environment that will evolve with the market recovery. Clyde-WorleyParsons believes this will be heavily focussed on use of advanced technologies to maximise the productivity and capacity of existing capital assets and to minimise the capital and operating cost of new assets.
Deploying the Clyde-WorleyParsons flash furnace feed system with its demonstrated quality of feed control on either existing or new smelting facilities can enable furnace operators to significantly improve concentrate throughput and furnace efficiency, reaping significant economic benefits in the process.
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