Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant PJSC, Chelyabinsk, Russia:

V. M. Terentiev, Lead Process Engineer at the Engineering Centre, Candidate of Technical Sciences
V. V. Usov, Foreman, Zinc Dust Site, Zinc Electrolysis Facility

Ekspert TM LLC.
S. V. Lagutkin, Technical Director, e-mail: info@expert-tm.com

This paper describes the results of a series of pilot tests that aimed to boost the performance of the current zinc dust line which uses the spray method. The tests helped improve the quality of the product due to an increased share of fine dust. Due to a changed size distribution, the separation equipment can be efficiently used to separate particles smaller than 10 μm from zinc dust. The obtained results are due to the application of new spray nozzles with an air swirler designed by Ekspert TM LLC. They are also due to the use of ceramic nozzles with an outlet diffuser. The conducted tests helped determine optimum combinations of design and dimensions with regard to the swirler with a gas distributor. It was established how the nozzle capacity and the size distribution of the dust are governed by the geometry and the inner diameter of the ceramic nozzle. The new nozzles can be quickly changed out, which conforms with the requirement. And with the new nozzles in place, one can utilize the existing equipment of the zinc sprayer. Ceramic nozzles of three different sizes have been designed for the zinc sprayer operated by the Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant, which sprays liquid zinc at the temperature of 550–580 ^оС. The nozzles are designed to ensure different outputs. A 6 mm nozzle ensures the capacity of 10,000 t/y, with the particles smaller than 63 μm accounting for 88% of the output. The use of an 8 mm nozzle helps raise the capacity to 15,000 t/y, and the share of the particles smaller than 63 μm would be at 70%. Due to the increased capacity of the zinc sprayer and the output of fine dust reached, the sprayer equipment can be expanded to enable air classification and production of other commercial products — i. e. zinc dust with the particle size smaller than 10 μm, with the annual output reaching 2,000 tons. This product can be used as a reagent to help recover precious metals. It can also be used to produce corrosion-resistant zinc-rich coatings.

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