High-efficiency smelting method of scrap copper

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of scrap copper smelting technology, specifically to a high-efficiency scrap copper smelting method. The invention employs an integrated treatment technology encompassing raw material pretreatment, smelting, refining, and waste gas and slag treatment. Through classification, sorting, and crushing, the purity of the raw materials is improved, reducing the burden on subsequent processes. Optimized flux and temperature control enhance copper recovery rate and product quality, achieving efficient copper resource recovery. Waste gas and slag treatment meets environmental standards, reducing environmental pollution and energy consumption. This facilitates the efficient recovery of copper resources while minimizing environmental pollution, promoting the resource-based recycling and utilization of scrap copper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of scrap copper smelting technology, and in particular to a high-efficiency scrap copper smelting method. Background Technology

[0002] Scrap copper refers to various waste copper materials generated during production and processing. These materials may include industrial surplus, discarded wires, waste electrical appliances, and machinery, which cannot be reused and require specialized scrap copper recycling. Scrap copper recycling reduces resource waste and also plays a positive role in environmental protection. Recycled scrap copper can be reused, for example, in the manufacture of copper materials, copper products, and electronic products.

[0003] Scrap copper is an important source of copper resources. Scrap copper mainly refers to copper waste generated in industrial production and daily life, including waste wires and cables, copper pipes, copper plates, copper shavings, and copper alloy waste. These wastes can be reused after recycling and are important raw materials for copper smelting. With the increasing scarcity of copper resources and the continuous improvement of environmental protection requirements, the efficient recycling of copper resources from scrap copper has become an important issue for the non-ferrous metals industry.

[0004] Traditional scrap copper smelting processes suffer from high energy consumption, significant environmental pollution, and low metal recovery rates, making it difficult to meet the requirements of modern green metallurgy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for efficient smelting of scrap copper, aiming to develop a new process for efficient and environmentally friendly scrap copper smelting, to achieve efficient recovery of copper resources, while reducing environmental pollution and promoting the resource-based recycling and utilization of scrap copper.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for high-efficiency smelting of scrap copper, the method comprising the following steps: The scrap copper is sorted and then crushed to a suitable particle size using a crusher. The crushed scrap copper particle size is 10-50mm. The oxygen-enriched smelting technology is used to add pre-treated scrap copper into the oxygen-enriched smelting furnace; and the smelting temperature and efficiency are improved by precisely controlling the ratio of oxygen to fuel. Copper is further purified by electrolytic refining; The waste gas generated during smelting and refining is treated using equipment such as bag filters and wet scrubbing towers. The smelting slag is then subjected to flotation or magnetic separation to recover residual copper and to treat the final waste slag in a harmless manner.

[0007] In the process of classifying scrap copper, technologies such as magnetic separation and eddy current separation are used to remove impurities such as iron and aluminum, and wires and cables with insulation layers are finely crushed to separate copper and plastic.

[0008] During oxygen-enriched smelting, the oxygen concentration is controlled at 30%-40%, and the smelting temperature is controlled at 1200-1300℃, so that the scrap copper can be melted quickly and impurities can be initially separated.

[0009] In the electrolytic refining process, smelted crude copper is used as the anode, pure copper sheet is used as the cathode, and copper sulfate solution is used as the electrolyte. Under the action of direct current, copper ions dissolve from the anode and precipitate at the cathode, while impurities remain in the anode mud, thus obtaining high-purity cathode copper.

[0010] Among them, when further refining copper after oxygen-enriched smelting, pyrometallurgical refining can also be used to purify copper.

[0011] In the pyrometallurgical refining process, air or oxygen is introduced into the molten copper to oxidize impurities and remove them as slag.

[0012] Among them, the anode mud produced by electrolytic copper refining is treated by pyrolysis-electrolysis, that is, the anode mud is deeply treated by high temperature and electrolysis technology to separate different metal elements.

[0013] This invention discloses a method for efficient smelting of scrap copper. The method employs an integrated treatment technology encompassing raw material pretreatment, smelting, refining, and waste gas and slag treatment. Through classification, sorting, and crushing, the purity of the raw materials is improved, reducing the burden on subsequent processes. Optimized flux and temperature control enhance copper recovery rate and product quality, achieving efficient copper resource recovery. Waste gas and slag treatment meets environmental standards, reducing environmental pollution and energy consumption. This method facilitates the efficient recovery of copper resources while minimizing environmental pollution, promoting the recycling and utilization of scrap copper. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the efficient smelting method for scrap copper of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the efficient smelting method for scrap copper of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, but should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0018] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, where Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a high-efficiency smelting method for scrap copper. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a high-efficiency smelting method for scrap copper. The present invention provides a high-efficiency smelting method for scrap copper: The efficient smelting method for scrap copper includes the following steps: S1: Classify the scrap copper and then use a crusher to crush the scrap copper to a suitable particle size. The crushed scrap copper particle size is 10-50mm. S2: Using oxygen-enriched smelting technology, pre-treated scrap copper is added to the oxygen-enriched smelting furnace; and the smelting temperature and efficiency are improved by precisely controlling the ratio of oxygen to fuel. S3: Copper is further purified by electrolytic refining; S4: Use equipment such as bag filters and wet scrubbing towers to treat the waste gas generated during smelting and refining, perform flotation or magnetic separation on the smelting slag, recover residual copper, and harmlessly treat the final waste slag.

[0019] In this invention, step S1 classifies waste copper to achieve raw material pretreatment. The raw materials are classified according to their source, such as pure copper, copper alloys, copper-containing electronic waste, etc. Then, the raw materials are crushed by existing crushers suitable for the corresponding raw materials. After crushing, the raw materials will be conducive to subsequent rapid smelting processing.

[0020] In this invention, an oxygen-enriched smelting furnace is used in step S2 for oxygen-enriched smelting. Oxygen-enriched combustion uses combustion-supporting gases with an oxygen concentration higher than 21%, which will significantly improve combustion efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and reduce pollutant emissions, thus improving environmental friendliness.

[0021] In this invention, step S4 uses equipment such as bag filters and wet scrubbing towers to treat the waste gas generated during smelting and refining, which ensures that the waste gas treatment during smelting meets emission standards and further guarantees environmental protection. At the same time, copper and impurities in the residue are further separated by flotation or magnetic separation, realizing the recycling of waste copper and reducing resource waste.

[0022] In the classification of scrap copper, technologies such as magnetic separation and eddy current separation are used to remove impurities such as iron and aluminum. Insulated wires and cables are then finely crushed to separate copper from plastic. Removing impurities like iron and aluminum through magnetic separation and eddy current separation improves the purity of subsequent copper refining. In reality, scrap copper has numerous sources, such as insulated wires and cables, which mostly use copper cores and are a major source of scrap copper. Mechanical separation is used to separate the inner conductor and insulation of insulated wires and cables. Using crushers and grinders, the cables are broken into small pieces, and then separated based on differences in density and shape between the conductor and insulation using vibrating screens and air separators. Compared to chemical and heat treatment methods, mechanical separation does not generate large amounts of wastewater or waste, making it more environmentally friendly.

[0023] Secondly, during oxygen-enriched smelting, the oxygen concentration is controlled at 30%-40%, and the smelting temperature is controlled at 1200-1300℃, so that the scrap copper can be melted quickly and impurities can be initially separated.

[0024] Then, during electrolytic refining, the smelted crude copper is used as the anode, pure copper sheets as the cathode, and copper sulfate solution as the electrolyte. Under the action of direct current, copper ions dissolve from the anode and precipitate at the cathode, while impurities remain in the anode sludge, thus obtaining high-purity cathode copper. The anode sludge from coarse electrolysis contains some precious metal impurities, such as gold and silver. Physically, the particle size of copper anode sludge is typically between 100 and 200 mesh, exhibiting a grayish-black or light gray appearance. Its phase composition is quite complex; approximately 70% of the copper exists in metallic form, while the remainder appears as copper compounds. Furthermore, silver exists both in elemental and compound forms, while gold is mostly in a free state; platinum group metals are mainly in metallic or alloy states. The industry generally follows a process for treating copper anode sludge: "Pretreatment - Separation of precious and base metals - Recovery of base metals - Extraction and separation of precious metals." The pretreatment stage aims to lay the foundation for subsequent separation and extraction by performing preliminary physical and chemical treatments on the anode slime. Currently, the following three methods are mainly used for pretreated anode slime both domestically and internationally: first, traditional pyrometallurgical-electrolytic treatment, which uses high temperature and electrolysis technology to deeply treat the anode slime to separate different metal elements; second, wet treatment, which uses chemical solutions and chemical reactions to extract and separate metal elements; and third, combined beneficiation and metallurgical treatment, which combines beneficiation and metallurgical technologies to selectively extract and separate different metals based on their physicochemical properties.

[0025] Furthermore, when further refining copper after oxygen-enriched smelting, pyrometallurgical refining can also be used to purify the copper.

[0026] In the next step, during pyrometallurgical refining, air or oxygen is introduced into the molten copper to oxidize the impurities and remove them as slag.

[0027] Finally, the anode mud produced by electrolytic copper refining is treated by pyrolytic-electrolytic methods, that is, the anode mud is deeply treated by high temperature and electrolysis technology to separate different metal elements.

[0028] When using the efficient smelting method for scrap copper according to the present invention, the present invention adopts an integrated treatment technology of raw material pretreatment, smelting treatment, refining treatment, and waste gas and slag treatment. Through classification, sorting, and crushing, the purity of raw materials is improved and the burden of subsequent processes is reduced. By using optimized flux and temperature control, the copper recovery rate and product quality are improved, achieving efficient recovery of copper resources. The treatment of waste gas and slag meets environmental protection standards, reducing environmental pollution and energy consumption. Thus, it can achieve efficient recovery of copper resources while reducing environmental pollution, which is conducive to the promotion of the resource recycling and utilization of scrap copper.

[0029] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for efficient smelting of scrap copper, characterized in that, The efficient smelting method for scrap copper includes the following steps: The scrap copper is sorted and then crushed to a suitable particle size using a crusher. The crushed scrap copper particle size is 10-50mm. The oxygen-enriched smelting technology is used to add pre-treated scrap copper into the oxygen-enriched smelting furnace; and the smelting temperature and efficiency are improved by precisely controlling the ratio of oxygen to fuel. Copper is further purified by electrolytic refining; The waste gas generated during smelting and refining is treated using equipment such as bag filters and wet scrubbing towers. The smelting slag is then subjected to flotation or magnetic separation to recover residual copper and to treat the final waste slag in a harmless manner.

2. The efficient smelting method for scrap copper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When classifying scrap copper, technologies such as magnetic separation and eddy current separation are used to remove impurities such as iron and aluminum, and wires and cables with insulation layers are finely crushed to separate copper and plastic.

3. The efficient smelting method for scrap copper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, During oxygen-enriched smelting, the oxygen concentration is controlled at 30%-40%, and the smelting temperature is controlled at 1200-1300℃, so that the scrap copper can be melted quickly and impurities can be initially separated.

4. The efficient smelting method for scrap copper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, During electrolytic refining, smelted crude copper is used as the anode, pure copper sheet is used as the cathode, and copper sulfate solution is used as the electrolyte. Under the action of direct current, copper ions dissolve from the anode and precipitate at the cathode, while impurities remain in the anode mud, thus obtaining high-purity cathode copper.

5. The efficient smelting method for scrap copper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When further refining copper after oxygen-enriched smelting, pyrometallurgical refining can also be used to purify the copper.

6. The efficient smelting method for scrap copper as described in claim 5, characterized in that, During pyrometallurgical refining, air or oxygen is introduced into the molten copper to oxidize impurities and remove them as slag.

7. The efficient smelting method for scrap copper as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The anode mud produced by electrolytic copper refining is treated by pyrometallurgical-electrolytic methods, which involves deep treatment of the anode mud through high temperature and electrolysis technology to separate different metal elements.

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