Countercurrent Copper Leaching With In-Vessel Grinding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for recovering copper from waste materials are inefficient and do not effectively address the increasing demand for copper, particularly in the production of metallic copper from diverse feed sources.
Innovation Solution
A method involving leaching with an ammonia-based lixiviant in a countercurrent flow through a series of leaching vessels, combined with simultaneous grinding and electrowinning, utilizing specific pH, current density, and Eh conditions to recover copper, along with ammonia recovery processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional copper recovery methods are used, then copper can be recovered from waste materials, but the recovery efficiency is low and operational costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing pH levels, redox potentials, and temperature conditions throughout the leaching and electrowinning process. The method maintains specific pH ranges (acidic to neutral) and controls redox potential to favor copper dissolution while preventing unwanted side reactions, thereby improving recovery efficiency while reducing energy consumption compared to conventional high-energy smelting methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous countercurrent leaching through multiple vessels where fresh waste materials continuously contact progressively enriched lixiviants. This continuous operation eliminates idle time between batches and maintains optimal chemical gradients throughout the system, significantly improving copper recovery efficiency while reducing overall operational costs through sustained productive action
2Adaptability or versatility
If simple leaching is used, then the process is simple, but copper recovery from diverse feed sources is ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal leaching system that effectively processes diverse copper-containing waste materials including electronic waste, industrial sludge, and mineral ores. The countercurrent multi-vessel configuration with controlled chemical parameters serves multiple functions: dissolving copper from various matrices, separating copper from different impurities, and adapting to varying feed compositions, thereby achieving high versatility without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the leaching process into multiple serial vessels (typically 3-5 stages) where each vessel performs a specific function in the progressive extraction sequence. This segmentation allows tailored chemical conditions in each stage to address different aspects of copper recovery from diverse feeds, improving overall effectiveness while keeping each individual vessel relatively simple in design
3Productivity
If grinding is added to leaching, then copper extraction is improved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the grinding operation directly into the leaching vessels by incorporating mechanical agitators with grinding media (such as ceramic beads or metal rods) within the same reaction chambers. This combination eliminates the need for separate grinding equipment and transfer operations, improving copper extraction efficiency through enhanced surface area contact while avoiding the additional device complexity that would result from separate grinding and leaching systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the efficiency of copper recovery from waste materials, producing high-quality metallic copper while minimizing waste and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
leaching the feed material with a lixiviant adapted to leach the copper from a feed material feed stream
Implementation Method 2
recovering the copper from the lixiviant
Implementation Method 3
using electrowinning in the recovering of the copper metal from the lixiviant
Implementation Method 4
establishing a countercurrent flow in the leaching circuit by delivering the feed material feed stream to the leaching vessel V1 and moving the feed material feed stream through the leaching circuit in a first direction toward leaching vessel Vn and delivering the lixiviant to the leaching vessel Vn and moving the lixiviant through the leaching circuit in a second direction toward leaching vessel V1
Implementation Method 5
grinding simultaneously the feed material in the feed material feed stream during the leaching in at least one of the plurality of leaching vessels
Data Source
AI summary
A method of recovering copper from a feed material includes steps of: leaching the feed material with a lixiviant adapted to leach the copper from a feed material feed stream in a leaching circuit having a plurality of leaching vessels V1, Vn in series, establishing a countercurrent flow in the leaching circuit, simultaneously grinding the feed material in the feed material feed stream during the leaching in at least one of the plurality of leaching vessels and recovering the copper from the lixiviant.