Direct Nickel Flash Smelting
Direct Nickel Flash Smelting
Direct Nickel Flash Smelting
Outotec® Direct Nickel Flash Smelting Process is a continuous Flash Smelting operation for
nickel production, eliminating the need for converters. This unique process provides high
recovery for valuable metals, while at the same time low operating and capital costs.
The Direct Nickel Flash Smelting Process provides several advantages over the conventional nickel
smelting route, such as:
Low investment and operating costs for the smelter and acid plant
No converting (investment, operating and maintenance) is required
No ladle transportation of liquid matte is needed and revert generation is minimal
The costs for converter gas treatment and fixation of sulfur in the acid plant are eliminated
Simplified flow sheet, only two process steps
High recovery of nickel and other valuable metals (copper, cobalt, PGMs).
The recovery is improved by the elimination of unnecessary molten material circulation
(elimination of the converting step)
High sulfur recovery to continuous single stable gas flow, i.e. minimum emissions to the
environment and working atmosphere
These features of the state-of-the art Outotec® nickel smelting and refining technology lead to the
possibility of optimizing the process concept and the operation mode for the treatment of a wide range
of sulfide nickel concentrates. The outcome is low investment and operating costs at the smelter, acid
plant and refinery.
In Direct Nickel Flash Smelting technology, high-grade nickel matte with low iron content is produced
in the Outotec® Flash Smelting Furnace directly without subsequent converting. The metal values in
the smelting slag are recovered in an electric furnace as an iron containing Ni-matte.
The dried feed mixture, oxygen-enriched process air and distribution air are mixed in the concentrate
burner to assure an even distribution of the feed in the reaction shaft. The concentrate ignites and
burns in the turbulent gas/solid suspension resulting in controlled partial oxidation in the reaction
shaft. The oxidation process generates a large amount of energy causing the melting of the charge. In
the settler, molten particles separate from the gas stream and settle at the bottom of the furnace as
distinct matte and slag layers, based on their specific densities. The high-grade matte thus produced
is channeled out of the furnace through the launders to water-granulation.
The slag is tapped along the slag launders directly into the electric Outotec® Slag Cleaning Furnace.
Reduction is carried out using lumpy coke as a reducing agent. Reduced metal droplets settle through
the slag layer to the bottom of the furnace to form the matte layer with the cleaned slag on top.
Injecting concentrate into the melt can be used to increase the sulfur content of the matte and
thereby maintain lower operating temperatures. The matte is tapped from the furnace and directed to
water-granulation.
The high-grade matte and the matte from the Slag Cleaning Furnace are transported to the refinery
for further treatment. The waste slag can be stored or used as in landfill.
The rich SO2gas from the Flash Smelting Furnace is conducted through the uptake shaft of the Flash
Smelting Furnace to the heat recovery boiler for cooling and partial dust separation. Final dust
removal takes place in the electrostatic precipitator and thereafter the gas is conducted to the sulfuric
acid plant.
Outotec provides complete tailored process solutions for customers’ needs. Decades of experience in
the supply of Flash Smelting plants have resulted in extensive metallurgical know-how that ensures
the most profitable process choice and its optimal performance. Outotec’s life-cycle technology
partnership with the customer spans from the early stages of the process solution design all through
the supply and commissioning of the entire process chain with integrated process control and holistic
service and support concept. Continuous research and development ensure that the customer is
provided with the latest advancements in process and equipment solutions.
In addition to copper and nickel smelting, Flash Smelting is also adaptable to the smelting of pyrite
concentrates and non-reactive materials, such as jarosite wastes. It can even be applied to the
smelting of totally different metal concentrates or metal containing secondary materials. Most Flash
Smelter operators also use their Flash Smelting Furnace for smelting crushed reverts, matte skulls and
secondary raw materials, such as leach residues and precipitates, in addition to concentrate smelting.
Copper Flash Smelters have been designed, built and operated for copper concentrates ranging from
14 % to 55 % copper and also having high impurity contents. Outotec® Direct Blister Flash Smelting
Process can be considered for concentrates containing more than 30 % copper or having a high
copper-to-iron ratio.
Flash Smelting-Flash Converting
Direct Blister Copper Smelting
A wide variety of raw materials for nickel smelting has been tested, studied and successfully used.
Nickel Flash Smelters have been built with two different process concepts:
Outotec® Direct Nickel Flash Smelting - DON
Nickel Flash Smelting
Concentrate drying
Outotec® Direct Nickel Flash Smelting Furnace
Outotec® Direct Nickel Flash Smelting Feeding System
Outotec® Concentrate Burner
Auxiliary burners
Outotec® Direct Nickel Flash Smelting Furnace Cooling System
Launders
Granulation
Process gas and dust handling
Process control
Outotec® Slag Cleaning Furnace
Today Outotec® Flash Smelting has achieved a clear leading position as the world’s number one
primary copper smelting technology.