Predicting The Size Distribution Of Zinc Ore Particles In Sulfuric Acid Leaching By Population Balance Modeling

Abstract:

Extraction of zinc from oxide ores has received great attention during the recent decade. Extraction of zinc from zinc silicates and carbonates (mainly zinc oxide) was carried out through a hydrometallurgical process using sulfuric acid as leaching agent. Effect of different parameters on the zinc production by hydrometallurgical root including, leaching, solution purification and zinc recovery have been previously studied. However, there are few studies on the modeling of the particle size distribution of the particles during the leaching process. In the present study, the population balance model was applied to sulfuric acid leaching of a mixed silicate-carbonate zinc ore and particle size distribution during the leaching process was determined by solving the population balance equation. For determination of leaching kinetics, the leaching experiments were carried out in the temperature range of 30-60 °C using different initial particle size distributions. The change of particle size distribution during the leaching process was also determined experimentally. By numerically solving the population balance differential equation, coupled with the kinetic study of leaching process, using the method of characteristics, the particle size distribution during the process was determined. Simulations were performed with a) constant initial particle size and b) variable initial particle size in the variable particle growth rate. The proposed model shows a good agreement with the experimental data and has the ability to predict particle size distribution at various operating conditions and different kinetic schemes of leaching process.

Keywords:

Full Text:

Cite this article as: