Ruilin, China: promoting the Transformation and upgrading of Copper electrolysis Technology in China

SMM News: recently, China Ruilin Engineering and Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Ruilin") completed two projects, "Research and Development and Application of two-way parallel flow High current density Copper electrolysis process and Special equipment" and "key Technology Research and Application of Intelligent Copper electrolysis Special Crane system", both won the first prize of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Science and Technology Award.

Technological innovation is not only the most important tool of the country, but also the key to the industrial transformation of our country at present. In the development of China's non-ferrous metals industry, there is no lack of forerunners on the road of scientific and technological innovation, of which China Ruilin is the representative. Mastering innovative technology with independent intellectual property rights has always been China's unremitting pursuit of Ruilin to enhance its core competitiveness. In the 400000-ton copper smelting base project of Ningde Copper Industry in the southeast of Chinalco, Ruilin of China summed up the successful engineering design experience of many projects and adopted the world's advanced technology and equipment with independent intellectual property rights, such as double-rotating floating copper smelting and non-equilibrium high-concentration sulphuric acid production. In particular, the self-developed new process of "two-way parallel flow high current density copper electrolysis" has realized large-scale industrial application in the southeast copper industry of Chinalco for the first time. All the indicators have reached the international leading level.

At the same time, with Ruilin Zhizhuo as the support, the corresponding domestic equipment has been independently manufactured for the process, forming a good pattern in which the process technology and equipment complement each other and complement each other. It has promoted the strong transformation and upgrading of China's copper industry to science and technology industry, and once again erected a technological monument belonging to the Ruilin people in the history of copper electrolysis in China, which has attracted the attention of the world.

diligently strive after

Lead the strong upgrading of copper industry with science and technology

In the copper electrolysis industry, the use of high current density means higher production capacity per unit area and higher production efficiency. The pursuit of high current density within a reasonable range has become the development trend of copper electrolysis process. However, the current density of conventional stainless steel cathodic electrolysis technology is generally 280 ~ 320A / m ~ 2. If the current density is further increased, there will often be phenomena such as concentration polarization and anodic passivation, resulting in the quality of cathode copper difficult to meet the standard. Energy consumption is soaring. In order to break through this technical bottleneck, great changes must be made in the copper electrolysis technology to change the electrolyte flow field in the traditional electrolytic cell and increase the contact opportunity between the electrolyte and the cathode.

Ruilin people have been striving for it for nearly 20 years, and its technical prototype, "two-way parallel flow cycle", was first applied in Shenxin 100000-ton copper electrolysis project in the early 1990s. Due to the restriction of materials and equipment technology at that time, although the current density and the quality of copper cathode were improved compared with conventional copper electrolysis, the production of high current density could not be realized. In 2012, with the help of the platform of the National Copper smelting and processing Engineering and Technology Center, China Ruilin cooperated with Jiangxi University of Technology, Hangzhou Sanai Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Jiangxi Copper Company Guixi Copper smelter, Ruilin equipment Company and other units to jointly tackle key problems. Through the basic theory and computer simulation research, the hydraulic simulation experiment and the industrialization test carried out in the copper electrolysis production system of Guixi smelter, repeatedly adjusting the process parameters and optimizing the equipment structure, finally overcame the technical difficulties, finally established the copper electrolysis two-way parallel flow circulation mode and the best flow field technology, and developed a special electrolytic cell with two-way parallel flow technology and precise integration of functions. The high precision automatic hoisting equipment and the control system of the loading tank are developed, and the advanced two-way parallel flow high current density copper electrolysis production process and complete sets of equipment are formed by integrating the technologies of balanced conductivity and direct liquid supply in the high position tank.

Honed in the past 20 years

The peacock flies to the southeast and dances gracefully.

In January 2016, China Ruilin put forward an overall solution for the construction of super-large electrolysis project by using "bi-directional parallel flow high current density electrolysis process" in the 400000 ton copper smelting base project of Ningde Copper Industry in the southeast of Chinalco. Through accurate and detailed comparison and demonstration, it shows the advantages of low investment cost and low production and operation cost of "two-way parallel flow high current density electrolysis process". It has been highly recognized by the owners and relevant experts in the industry.

Chinalco Southeast Copper is the first super-large electrolysis project in the world to implement the process of "two-way parallel flow high current density electrolysis". China Ruilin has a great responsibility as the EPC contractor of the electrolysis project. There is no doubt about the advanced nature of the new process, but the implementation of large-scale industrialization for the first time faces many challenges. For example, in the case of high positioning accuracy of the plate in the two-way parallel flow technology, how to improve the efficiency of the loading slot? How to reduce the energy consumption of the circulation system under the condition of large circulation? When the electrolysis system adopts long-span and double-span configuration, how to solve the balanced distribution of solution volume and pressure in more than 1000 electrolytic cells? In view of these problems, China Ruilin has repeatedly discussed and optimized in the process of design and project implementation, and formulated a sound solution. The project also makes full use of the advanced three-dimensional design means to design and optimize the pipeline layout of the electrolysis workshop, which greatly reduces the design changes during the construction period and saves the project cost and time limit.

From the beginning of piling construction in February 2017 to the completion of the production of qualified high-purity cathode copper, it took only 18 months for the project team to work with the owner to create an acceleration for the design and commissioning of a large copper smelter. After the project was put into operation, it fully demonstrated the high quality and high efficiency of the "two-way parallel flow high current density electrolysis" process. Under the condition that the current density was as high as 360A/m2, the cathode copper met the LME A standard stably, and the silver content of the cathode copper was as low as 3ppm, which greatly improved the recovery rate of silver. In the case of the same current density, the comprehensive power consumption per ton of copper is lower than that of the conventional electrolysis process. Compared with the conventional process, the investment can be saved by more than 20%, the operating cost can be reduced by nearly 10%, and the main process indicators have reached the international leading level.

Ruilin Zhizheng

For the equipment, tailoring and craftsmanship complement each other.

If technology is the soul of technology, then equipment is the body to achieve process goals. In order to achieve the innovative goal of "two-way parallel flow high current density electrolysis" process, China Ruilin equipment Company has developed a series of intelligent electrolysis equipment: robot automatic peeling unit, anode shaping unit, residual electrode washing unit, electrolytic high precision special driving, anode unit oblique lifting transport line, etc. One by one in the past need to rely on imported large-scale electrolysis equipment, in the southeast copper project to achieve a comprehensive localization.

As a fully automatic assembly line with the functions of receiving plate, washing, stripping, stacking, weighing and packing in copper electrolysis equipment, robot automatic peeling machine has complex mechanical structure and high degree of automation. it is one of the most technical equipment in copper electrolysis equipment. This time, the two sets of robot automatic peeling units supplied by Ruilin equipment Company have achieved comprehensive localization and one-time joint adjustment for the first time. The actual running speed of the unit can reach more than 500 pieces per hour, and the peeling efficiency has reached the international first-class level. And the production is stable, and has been widely praised.

From birth to maturity, new technology requires generation after generation of Ruilin people to study technology without distractions, as well as the never-ending pursuit of improving the level of technology and equipment. The successful application of the "two-way parallel flow high current density copper electrolysis" process independently developed by China Ruilin in the Southeast Copper Project of Chinalco is a strong impetus to the strategic goal of "becoming an international engineering company with independent intellectual property rights and core competitiveness". The Southeast Copper Project of Chinalco has become a bright business card for the application of "two-way parallel flow high current density copper electrolysis" process, which has played a good demonstration effect for the further popularization and application of the technology. In April 2019, with the commissioning of the first phase 300000 ton copper electrolysis project of Guangxi Nanguo Copper Industry, the "two-way parallel flow high current density electrolysis" process has made new achievements, and the 400000 ton copper electrolysis project of the second phase of Nanguo Copper Industry continues to adopt this process. At present, the "two-way parallel flow high current density copper electrolysis" process has achieved large-scale industrial application of one million tons in China, and has become an important milestone in the progress of copper electrolysis technology in China and even in the world.