“Institute “Norilskproekt” LLC, Norilsk, Russia

O. V. Zotikov, Chief Executive Officer, phone: +7 (3919) 42-82-02

Laboratory of Pyrometallurgy, “Institute “Gipronickel” LLC, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Yu. V. Vasilev, Leading Researcher
V. A. Vlasov, Leading Engineer
O. I. Platonov, Leading Researcher
L. Sh. Tsemekhman, Professor, Head of Laboratory

Dynamic specifications of the composition of Vanukov Furnace (VF) waste sulphur dioxide gas were defined, along with analysis of conditions and factors of its formation in order to the development of technical requirements to the means of control and management of technological process at the Elemental Sulphur Production Shop (ESPS) of the Copper Plant (CP) of Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC. During the researches, there was used the Gas Analyzer EMG-30-1, produced by “METTEK” JSC (Saint-Petersburg, Russia) on the basis of the time-of-flight mass-spectrometer. Prior to the researches, the time constant τ of measuring system of the Gas Analyzer EMG-30-1 (including the time for the drying and transportation of sample) was defined during the lab-scale modelling of the ESPU actual conditions. The determined time constant τ value accounted ~30 sec. Frequency specifications of sulphur dioxide gas fluctuations at the ESPS input were determined on the basis of autocorrelation time function for the concentration values [SO₂] in waste gas, registered by the Gas Analyzer EMG-30-1. The interval of sequential counts (Δt) of the analysed concentration of elements (N₂, O₂, SO₂, CO₂, Ar) accounted 30 sec. It was revealed that the “high frequency” fluctuations in the composition of VF waste gas with the periods of less than 5 min are caused by the air inflow into the smelting unit and into the VF waste gas flue. Changes in composition of VF sulphur dioxide gas, which were generated above the VF melt and caused by the changes in the VF process conditions, are the reasons for other variations occurring at relatively low frequency, with the periods of ~15–20 min. There was developed the empirical model of the composition of VF waste gas. This model determines the concentrations of oxygen and sulphur dioxide in the gas flue, based on the concentration of sulphur dioxide gas, generated above the VF melt. The research results were used as the basis for the ESPS Process Control System circuit. Moreover, these results can be used for the diagnostics of the VF smelting process.

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