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