Abstract: An extraction unit of the type having successively in the flow direction of the liquid, a mixer, a pre-settler and a settler, the pre-settler and the settler being separated from each other by several successive perforated partition walls, the perforations of each partition wall being laterally unaligned with the perforations of the following partition wall, the lower section of the mixer having inlets for the heavy phase and the light phase and a mechanical stirrer for mixing the heavy phase and the light phase to form a dispersion, and the upper section having at least one opening for directing the dispersion from the mixer to the pre-settler, the upper section of the settler having members for removing the separated light phase as an overflow from the settler, the lower section of which has an opening for the removal of the separated heavy phase from the settler as a controlled flow, and between the settler and the mixer there are pipes for returning part of the separated heavy and light phase from the set

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a feed mixture, made of several batch components, at one stage in order to feed it into a smelting furnace. The preparation of the batch may include the preheating and drying of the material, the removal of crystal waters and evaporable substances as well as the conduction of the batch into the smelting furnace. According to the invention, a hot inert gas is conducted through a downwards settling batch so that the gas is mixed into the batch as well as possible, but even partial fluidization is prevented. The apparatus of the invention comprises a pretreatment silo (6) which is uniform at the upper part but is divided into several sub-silos (7) at the lower part. At the lower part of the sub-silos there are connected ducts (8) wherealong the batch flows into the smelting furnace (9) located below the pretreatment silo (6).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a feed mixture, made of several batch components, at one stage in order to feed it into a smelting furnace. The preparation of the batch may include the preheating and drying of the material, the removal of crystal waters and evaporable substances as well as the conduction of the batch into the smelting furnace. According to the invention, a hot inert gas is conducted through a downwards settling batch so that the gas is mixed into the batch as well as possible, but even partial fluidization is prevented. The apparatus of the invention comprises a pretreatment silo (6) which is uniform at the upper part is divided into several sub-silos (7) at the lower part. At the lower part of the sub-silos there are connected ducts (8) wherealong the batch flows into the smelting furnace (9) located below the pretreatment silo (6).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a way in which to conduct oxygen or a gas containing oxygen into a counterbubble reactor according to the invention, preferably into the upper part of the reactor, and at all events distinctly above the bottom of the reactor; to disperse the gas in a sludge with high solid content, and to impart to the sludge a flow first in the counterbubble zone of the reactor downward, reversing in the vicinity of the bottom, and in the ascending zone of the reactor upwards, and thereby to achieve rapid dissolving of the gas in the sludge and efficient reacting of oxygen and sludge at low energy cost.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a way to achieve in liquid-liquid extraction in the step of dispersing two different solution phases the transformation of the desired phase, which may also be the phase with smaller volume, to become the continuous phase, with the aid of a primarily vertical circulation flow. The invention also concerns an apparatus serving this purpose, a circulation dispersion contactor, in which the smooth circulation of the dispersion is accomplished by the aid of a radial pump turbine designed for this particular purpose, or of an axial propeller, and of distribution/guide rings on the periphery of the contactor.

Abstract: A certain amount of gas is directed under the liquid surface in a solution reactor, advantageously into the bottom of the reactor, for dispersing the gas into small bubbles and distributing it as evenly as possible over the entire cross-sectional area of the reactor. When the gas discharges and disperses from a flexible-structured member, the reaction force produced by the discharging gas imparts to the dispersing member a whip-like movement having a continuously decreasing radius of curvature. This movement produces strong mechanical mixing in the liquid. This is further enhanced by the strong gas jet discharging from the end of the dispersing member and changing its place randomly. Due to the resultant strong mixing, the solid in the reactor remains in motion and continuously maintains the good degree of suspension and does not accumulate in piles on the bottom of the reactor.

Abstract: A method for directing a desired amount of gas below the liquid surface in a solution reactor, to mix the bubbles as effectively as possible with a suspension of a pulverous solid and a liquid, and to produce in the mixed gas-liquid-solid suspension a strong, suspension-maintaining flow field which is downward in the center of the reactor and upward along its sides, is disclosed. A so-called gls-mixer according to the invention consists of a circular plate fitted at the lower end of a rotating shaft suspended by its upper end, vertical dispersion blades situated radially at the edges of the circular plate, and baffles attached to the dispersion blades by means of arms. An upwardly directed gas-feeding conduit is fitted at the bottom of the reactor, and from this conduit the gas jet discharges to the center point of the circular plate.

Abstract: A method for forming a directional and controlled suspension spray of a pulverous material and a reaction gas is intended for use in metallurgical processes and plants. In flash smelting, reaction gases are fed into a cylindrical vertical reaction chamber centrally through the top of the reaction chamber. The blasting in is via a specific blast-in member, into which the gases are usually directed horizontally for reasons of space use. This results in that the flow in the reaction chamber is asymmetrical. This disadvantage can be eliminated by means of a method according to the present invention.

Abstract: A device for blowing gas and a finely-divided solid into a metallurgical melt is disclosed, the device having a blast pipe which has at one end an inlet connected to a gas source and at the opposite end an outlet immersed below the melt surface in order to blow the gas into the melt. A cooling device surrounds the blast pipe, the cooling device having, at that end which is near the blast-pipe inlet, inlets and outlets for the cooling medium, and a mantle of ceramic material which surrounds at least the lower part of the cooling device. In the outlet of the blast pipe there is a Laval nozzle which is at an angle to the blast pipe and extends through the thermally insulating mantle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a directioned and controlled suspension spray of a pulverous material and reaction gas in such a manner that the reaction gas directed along one, often horizontally approaching channel is divided into three or more partial channels by means of mainly radial partition walls. When necessary, guide blades or a venturi-like mixing and guide member is used. The reaction gas is deflected so as to have the desired direction, often vertically downwards so as to be parallel to the central axis of the reaction chamber, such as a flash-smelting furnace. The thus formed partial flows of reaction gas are often caused, furthermore, to discharge, divided further into two or more parts, as an annular flow encircling on each side the member for feeding pulverous material, situated in the middle of the flow, into the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A method for forming a turbulent suspension from a pulverous material and reaction gas by causing the pulverous material to flow downwards as an annular flow into the reaction chamber and by directing the reaction gas downwards inside the annular flow of the pulverous material, in which the suspension is produced by bringing the reaction gas into a high-force rotary motion and by then causing it, throttled, to discharge into the reaction chamber so that in the reaction chamber it meets on its outside a substantially vertically downward annular flow of the pulverous material, this flow being formed by utilizing the kinetic energy of the falling pulverous material on a convergent conical glide surface.

Abstract: A molten metal matte low in iron is oxidized by blasting oxygen or air into the metal layer to produce raw metal.

Abstract: An immersion evaporator is disclosed having, connected to its evaporation vessel, a pipe for feeding a solution to be concentrated by evaporation into the evaporation vessel, a riser pipe for withdrawing the concentrated solution and any crystals from the evaporation vessel, a pipe for withdrawing flue gases and vapors from the evaporation vessel, and an immersion pipe extending vertically inside the evaporation vessel, the upper end of the immersion pipe being connected, by means of an angle joint piece to the outlet of the combustion chamber, there being at the opposite end of the combustion chamber, a burner for liquid or gaseous fuel, the burner having a cylindrical combustion gas turbulence chamber for an oxygen-bearing combustion gas, at one end of which there is a substantially tangential combustion gas inlet conduit and a fuel dispersion pipe extending coaxially into the turbulence chamber, the opposite end of the turbulence chamber being convergent.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for refining a melt by means of a pulverous solid material and a carrier gas, in which the pulverous solid material and gas are injected into a reactor while melt is poured into the reactor, the kinetic energy of the melt created by falling being utilized for mixing the pulverous reagent and the gas with the melt, and the agitation of the melt surface being attenuated by causing the flow of the injected pulverous reagent and gas and the flow of the melt being poured to impinge against each other from opposite directions in the reactor.

Abstract: A suspension of a powdery substance and a reaction gas is formed by allowing the powdery substance to fall as an annular flow into a reaction space, feeding the reaction gas downwardly to encircle the annular flow of powdery substance, the kinetic energy of the annular flow of descending powdery substance being utilized towards its gradual spreading to the sides with the aid of a sliding surface disposed within the reaction space, so that the flow of powdery substance which has been spread to be laterally directed will meet the reaction gas flow substantially at right angles in the reaction space.

Abstract: A process for the suspension smelting of sulfide concentrates by causing a suspension flowing downwards in a suspension reaction zone to impinge against the surface of a melt below the suspension reaction zone in order to unload the solid and molten particles of the suspension into the melt and by causing the gases to flow further in the suspension reaction zone countercurrently in relation to the suspension in order to discharge the gases from the upper section of the suspension reaction zone, in which sulfide concentrate and oxygen or oxygen-enriched air are fed into the suspension reaction zone symmetrically and in the form of so dense a suspension spray that the iron oxide of the high-temperature suspension is in a molten state and absorbs the free oxygen present in the suspension before the suspension, at a temperature of at least 1400.degree. C.

Abstract: A suspension of a powdery substance and a reaction gas is formed by allowing the powdery substance to fall as an annular flow into a reaction space, feeding the reaction gas downwardly to encircle the annular flow of powdery substance, the kinetic energy of the annular flow of descending powdery substance being utilized towards its gradual spreading to the sides with the aid of a sliding surface disposed within the reaction space, so that the flow of powdery substance which has been spread to be laterally directed will meet the reaction gas flow substantially at right angles in the reaction space.