Method for measuring evaporation coefficient of spraying system
By simulating spraying operations in the laboratory and controlling conditions such as temperature, wind speed, and humidity, the evaporation coefficient of the spraying system was measured, which solved the problem of inaccurate measurement in the existing technology, realized the accurate calculation of copper pile leaching amount, and improved the scientific nature of production management.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511970010.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-17
AI Technical Summary
The lack of suitable methods in the existing technology to determine the evaporation coefficient of the spray system leads to inaccurate calculation of copper production during copper pile leaching, which cannot effectively guide production management.
A method for determining the evaporation coefficient of a spray system is designed. By simulating spraying operations in the laboratory, using equipment such as water shields, nozzles, water collection tanks, water storage tanks, water pumps, and submersible pumps, and controlling conditions such as temperature, wind speed, and humidity, the evaporation coefficient is determined to ensure the reliability and representativeness of the results.
It provides accurate evaporation coefficient data, which helps to accurately calculate the copper pile leaching amount and improves the scientificity and accuracy of production management.
Smart Images
Figure CN121540752A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the field of hydrometallurgy, in particular to a method for determining the evaporation coefficient of a spraying system. BACKGROUND
[0002] Currently, the heap leaching operation of copper uses a spraying system, and the surface of the ore heap has a plurality of spray heads, each spray head is kept at a certain distance from each other, the spray head uniformly sprays the solution on the surface of the heap yard, the solution penetrates through the whole heap yard from top to bottom, and flows out of the heap yard to the solution pool. When the copper concentration of the solution reaches the requirement, the solution is pumped into the extraction workshop; when the copper concentration is lower than the requirement, it continues to return to the spraying operation, as shown in the formula. Figure 1
[0003] The bottom of the heap yard is paved with an impermeable membrane, and has a 1‰ slope to facilitate the solution to flow to the outlet of the heap yard and finally to the solution pool.
[0004] After the ore is stacked, the amount of ore is determined by the receiving side, and the total amount of metal entering the heap is determined by the ore sample test data; when the spraying starts, the copper in the ore in the heap will be leached out every time the solution circulates; the longer the spraying time, the higher the leached copper, and the higher the leaching rate; the amount of leached copper needs to be calculated in production in order to track the leaching of the heap yard.
[0005] The formula for calculating the amount of copper leached out every day is: The amount of copper leached out every day ΔM = the copper content of the solution at the bottom of the heap M1 - the copper content of the solution at the top of the heap M2 M1 = the amount of solution at the top of the heap The copper concentration C1 of the solution at the top of the heap; wherein V1 can be determined by the flow meter at the outlet of the pump, and C1 can be determined by regular testing; M2 = the amount of solution at the bottom of the heap The copper concentration C2 of the solution at the bottom of the heap; wherein C2 can be determined by regular sampling and testing, and the amount of solution at the bottom of the heap cannot be directly measured due to the large area of the bottom of the heap.
[0006] In actual production process, in order to determine ΔM, it is usually assumed that the amount of solution V2 at the bottom of the heap = the amount of solution V1 at the top of the heap (100%-coefficient a), and the coefficient a (%) is the evaporation coefficient of the spraying system. Currently, the evaporation coefficient is an empirical data, which is usually 5%-7%, and there is no suitable method for determining it.
[0007] Since the spraying radius of a single spray head is usually about 6-7m, the area is large and cannot be directly measured. SUMMARY
[0008] The purpose of the present application is to design a method for determining the evaporation coefficient of a spraying system, which provides a technical basis for the daily copper production of the heap yard in the heap leaching production.
[0009] The application is realized by the following technical schemes: A method for measuring the evaporation coefficient of a spray system, comprising a water baffle tank, a spray head, a water collecting tank, a water storage tank, ore, a water pump and a submersible pump; the water pump is a variable frequency controlled adjustable pump, which can adjust the flow and pressure, so that the inlet pressure and flow of the spray head are consistent with the actual production; The bottom of the water baffle tank is paved with ore with a particle size P80=50mm and a thickness not less than 30cm. The ore is washed in advance for 1-2h to remove fine particles and prevent the pipeline and equipment from being blocked. The ore is dried after washing; the height of the spray head is 0.5m away from the surface of the ore to approach the actual situation on site; the size of the water baffle tank is not less than ; During the operation of the spray head, water flows naturally from the slope at the bottom of the water baffle tank into the water collecting tank. When the water level in the water collecting tank rises to half of its capacity, the system automatically starts the submersible pump and draws the water back into the water storage tank. This process is controlled by a liquid level sensor to realize automatic judgment and start-stop; Measurement method: Before starting the experiment, water is injected into the water storage tank to the upper limit scale of the liquid level meter, and the initial liquid level record is made. The valve and the water pump are opened, and the spray head is operated. The operation parameters of the water pump are adjusted to keep the pressure and flow at the outlet of the spray head consistent with the production; Water filling stage: the duration of the entire equipment water filling stage is not less than 1 hour to ensure the stability of the system state. After the water filling stage is completed, the water pump, the submersible pump and the valve are closed in turn, and the liquid levels of the water storage tank and the water collecting tank at this time are recorded to provide reference data for subsequent evaporation calculation; The measurement stage includes the following steps: 1) Environment setting: to simulate the natural evaporation environment, electric heating plates are arranged around the water baffle tank, and the temperature control system is used to stably control the temperature of the test area at the average temperature of the production site ±2℃. At the same time, an adjustable speed fan is arranged above the water baffle tank, and the wind speed is kept at the average wind speed of the site. The air humidity of the entire test area is adjusted to approach the site parameters. The real-time data of the environmental temperature, humidity and wind speed are continuously monitored and recorded by the installed sensors to ensure the controllability of external variables during the test and to approach the actual situation on site as much as possible; 2) After the environment setting is completed, the water pump, the valve and the submersible pump are reopened, the operation parameters of the water pump are adjusted to keep the pressure and flow at the outlet of the spray head consistent with the production, and the timing is started; 3) The changes of the liquid level and the environmental parameters are closely observed to ensure the stability and reliability of the test process. The test time should be kept for a relatively long time until the liquid level of the water storage tank changes significantly; 4) Steps 1-3 are repeated not less than three times to ensure the repeatability and representativeness of the results. The initial and final liquid levels of the water collecting tank and the water storage tank, the operation time of the spray head, the pressure, the environmental temperature, the humidity and the wind speed parameters are recorded for each test; Evaporation coefficient calculation: The evaporation rate E is calculated based on the changes in the liquid level of the water collection tank and storage tank, using the following formula:
[0010] In the formula, V I , V F The liquid volumes before and after the test are shown in the water collection tank and water storage tank, respectively. The formula for calculating the evaporation coefficient is: a=E / V In the formula: a is the evaporation coefficient, E is the measured evaporation rate, and V is the cumulative amount of solution passing through the nozzle, which is equal to the average flow rate measured by the flow meter. Test duration.
[0011] An apparatus for determining the evaporation coefficient of a spray system includes a water baffle, a nozzle, a water collection tank, a water storage tank, ore, a water pump, and a submersible pump; the water pump is an adjustable pump controlled by a frequency converter, which can adjust the flow rate and pressure; level gauges are installed on the water collection tank and the water storage tank; a flow meter is installed between the water pump and the nozzle; and the water collection tank and the water storage tank are connected.
[0012] This invention simulates spraying operations from a single spray head in a laboratory setting, with a layer of ore of a certain thickness simulating an ore pile. Under the same wind speed, temperature, and humidity conditions as on-site production, the evaporation coefficient is measured, making the measured evaporation coefficient of the spraying system more reasonable. Attached Figure Description
[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of surface spraying in the stockpile. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the solution spray trajectory from the nozzles on the stockpile. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the evaporation measuring device used in this invention; Detailed Implementation
[0014] Factors affecting the evaporation coefficient 'a' include humidity, temperature, wind speed, and droplet size (specific surface area). The solution spray trajectory of the nozzles on the stockpile is as follows: Figure 2 As shown in the figure: The ore is usually secondary crushed ore with a particle size P80=50mm; the nozzle height for heap leaching is 0.5m. The solution is dispersed into small droplets at the nozzle outlet and sprayed out with a certain initial velocity and angle, forming a parabola. The upward height does not exceed 0.5m, and the total height from the ground does not exceed 1m.
[0015] Evaporation of the solution during heap leaching consists of two parts: 1) evaporation occurs as the solution droplets move through the air; 2) evaporation also occurs after the solution is evenly spread on the ore surface, influenced by temperature, wind speed, and air humidity. The evaporation coefficient 'a' is calculated by dividing the total amount of solution lost through evaporation by the total amount sprayed from the nozzle.
[0016] Evaporation measuring device such as Figure 3 As shown in the figure: 1) The bottom of the water-retaining tank is covered with ore (not shown), with a particle size of P80=50mm and a thickness of not less than 30cm. It should be rinsed for 1-2 hours in advance to remove fine particles and prevent clogging of pipes and equipment. After rinsing, it should be dried; 2) The nozzle height is 0.5m away from the ore surface to approximate the actual site conditions; 3) Dimensions of the water-retaining tank: length, width, height If experimental conditions permit, the scale can be appropriately increased.
[0017] The water pump is a frequency converter-controlled adjustable pump, allowing for adjustments to flow rate and pressure to ensure the nozzle inlet pressure and flow rate match actual production conditions. During nozzle operation, water flows naturally from the bottom slope of the baffle tank into the collection tank. When the water level in the collection tank rises to half its capacity, the system automatically starts the submersible pump and pumps the water back into the storage tank. This process is controlled by a level sensor for automatic detection and start / stop.
[0018] Before starting the experiment, fill the water tank to the upper limit of the level gauge and record the initial level. Turn on the valves and water pump to start the nozzles, and adjust the water pump operating parameters to keep the pressure and flow rate at the nozzle outlet consistent with production.
[0019] Water filling phase: The entire water filling phase should last no less than 1 hour to ensure system stability. After the water filling phase is complete, sequentially shut off the water pump, submersible pump, and valves. Finally, record the liquid levels in the storage tank and collection tank at this point to provide baseline data for subsequent evaporation calculations.
[0020] Measurement phase: 1) Environmental Setup: To simulate a natural evaporation environment, electric heating plates were arranged around the water-blocking tank, and a temperature control system was used to stably maintain the temperature of the test area within ±2℃ of the annual average temperature of the production site. Simultaneously, an adjustable-speed fan was installed above the water-blocking tank, maintaining the wind speed at the annual average wind speed of the site. The humidity of the entire test area was adjusted to closely approximate the actual site parameters. Real-time data on ambient temperature, humidity, and wind speed were continuously monitored and recorded by installed sensors to ensure the controllability of external variables during the test and to closely approximate the actual site conditions.
[0021] 2) After completing the environmental setup, restart the water pump, valves and submersible pump, adjust the water pump operating parameters to keep the pressure and flow at the nozzle outlet consistent with production, and start timing.
[0022] 3) Close monitoring of liquid level and environmental parameters is necessary to ensure a stable and reliable test process. Due to the small evaporation coefficient, the system water volume is unlikely to change significantly in a short period of time. Therefore, the test should be conducted for a considerable period until a significant change occurs in the water level in the storage tank.
[0023] This test should be repeated at least three times to ensure the repeatability and representativeness of the results. For each test, the initial and final liquid levels of the collection tank and storage tank, the nozzle operating time, pressure, ambient temperature, humidity, and wind speed should be recorded in detail.
[0024] The evaporation rate E is calculated based on the changes in the liquid level of the water collection tank and storage tank, using the following formula:
[0025] In the formula, V I , V F The figures represent the liquid volumes before and after the test in the water collection tank and water storage tank, respectively.
[0026] The formula for calculating the evaporation coefficient is: a=E / V In the formula: a is the evaporation coefficient, E is the measured evaporation rate, and V is the cumulative amount of solution passing through the nozzle (equal to the average flow rate measured by the flow meter). (Test time).
[0027] By adjusting factors such as temperature, wind speed, and humidity, the spray evaporation coefficient can be measured for different seasons, which can better guide on-site production management.
Claims
1. A method of determining the evaporation coefficient of a sprinkler system, characterized by: The device comprises a water baffle tank, a nozzle, a water collecting tank, a water storage tank, ore, a water pump and a submersible pump; the water pump is a variable frequency controlled adjustable pump, which can adjust the flow and pressure, so that the inlet pressure and flow of the nozzle are consistent with the actual production; The bottom of the water baffle tank is paved with ore with a particle size of P80=50mm and a thickness of not less than 30cm, and is washed for 1-2h in advance to remove fine particles and prevent the pipeline and equipment from being blocked, and is dried after washing; Water baffle box size: length, width and height not less than ; During the operation of the nozzle, water flows naturally from the slope at the bottom of the water baffle tank into the water collecting tank, when the water level in the water collecting tank rises to half of its capacity, the system automatically starts the submersible pump, and the water is pumped back to the water storage tank, the process is controlled by the liquid level sensor to realize automatic judgment and start-stop; Determination method: Before the experiment, water is injected into the water storage tank to the upper limit scale of the liquid level meter, the initial liquid level record is made, the valve and the water pump are opened, the nozzle is operated, and the water pump operation parameters are adjusted to keep the pressure and flow at the nozzle outlet consistent with the production; The water filling stage: the duration of the whole equipment water filling stage is not less than 1 hour to ensure the stability of the system state, after the completion of the water filling stage, the water pump, the submersible pump and the valve are closed in turn, and the liquid levels of the water storage tank and the water collecting tank at this time are recorded to provide reference data for subsequent evaporation calculation; The determination stage includes the following steps: 1) Environmental setting: in order to simulate the natural evaporation environment, electric heating plates are arranged around the water baffle tank, and the temperature control system is used to stably control the temperature of the test area at the average temperature of the production site in a year ±2℃; at the same time, an adjustable speed fan is arranged above the water baffle tank, and the wind speed is kept at the average wind speed of the site in a year; the air humidity of the whole test area is adjusted to approach the site parameters; the real-time data of the environmental temperature, humidity and wind speed are continuously monitored and recorded by the installed sensors to ensure the controllability of external variables in the test process and to approach the actual situation of the site as much as possible. 2) After completing the environmental setting, the water pump, valve and submersible pump are reopened, the water pump operation parameters are adjusted to keep the pressure and flow at the nozzle outlet consistent with the production, and the timing is started; 3) Pay close attention to the changes of liquid level and environmental parameters to ensure the stability and reliability of the test process, and the test time should be kept for a long time until the liquid level of the water storage tank changes obviously; 4) Repeat steps 1-3) not less than three times to ensure the repeatability and representativeness of the results, and record the initial and final liquid levels of the water collecting tank and the water storage tank, the running time of the nozzle, the pressure, the environmental temperature, the humidity and the wind speed parameters; Evaporation coefficient calculation: The evaporation amount E is calculated according to the change of the liquid level of the water collecting tank and the water storage tank, and the calculation formula is as follows: wherein V I , V F respectively the liquid volume before and after the water collection tank and the water storage tank test The evaporation coefficient calculation formula is: a=E / V where: a is the evaporation coefficient, E is the measured evaporation, V is the cumulative volume of solution passed through the nozzle, equal to the average flow measured by the flow meter Test time.
2. A method of determining the evaporation coefficient of a sprinkler system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method is completed by using the device for determining the evaporation coefficient of the spraying system, the device comprises a water baffle tank, a nozzle, a water collecting tank, a water storage tank, ore, a water pump and a submersible pump; the water pump is a variable frequency controlled adjustable pump, which can adjust the flow and pressure, liquid level meters are installed on the water collecting tank and the water storage tank, a flow meter is installed between the water pump and the nozzle, and the water collecting tank and the water storage tank are connected.