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Numerical simulation of vacuum dezincing of lead alloy

Numerical simulation of vacuum dezincing of lead alloy

Djambazov, George Stefanov ORCID: 0000-0001-8812-1269, Bailey, Chris ORCID: 0000-0002-9438-3879, Patel, Mayur K. and Shrimpton, Jennifer (2004) Numerical simulation of vacuum dezincing of lead alloy. In: TMS 2004 133rd TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2004, 14-18 Mar 2004, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Removing zinc by distillation can leave the lead bullion virtually free of zinc and also produces pure zinc crystals. Batch distillation is considered in a hemispherical kettle with water-cooled lid, under high vacuum (50 Pa or less). Sufficient zinc concentration at the evaporating surface is achieved by means of a mechanical stirrer. The numerical model is based on the multiphysics simulation package PHYSICA. The fluid flow module of the code is used to simulate the action of the stirring impeller and to determine the temperature and concentration fields throughout the liquid volume including the evaporating surface. The rate of zinc evaporation and condensation is then modelled using Langmuir’s equations. Diffusion of the zinc vapour through the residual air in the vacuum gap is also taken into account. Computed results show that the mixing is sufficient and the rate-limiting step of the process is the surface evaporation driven by the difference of the equilibrium vapour pressure and the actual partial pressure of zinc vapour. However, at higher zinc concentrations, the heat transfer through the growing zinc crystal crust towards the cold steel lid may become the limiting factor because the crystallization front may reach the melting point. The computational model can be very useful in optimising the process within its safe limits.

Item Type: Conference or Conference Paper (Paper)
Additional Information: [1] This paper was presented at the 133rd TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition, (TMS 2004), within the CFD Modeling and Simulation of Engineering Processes: Process Modeling I session on 17 March 2004.
Uncontrolled Keywords: numerical modelling, zinc, lead
Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics
Q Science > QD Chemistry
Pre-2014 Departments: School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences
School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for Numerical Modelling & Process Analysis
School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for Numerical Modelling & Process Analysis > Computational Mechanics & Reliability Group
School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for Numerical Modelling & Process Analysis > Computational Science & Engineering Group
School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for Numerical Modelling & Process Analysis > Fire Safety Engineering Group
School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences > Department of Computer Systems Technology
School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences > Department of Mathematical Sciences
Related URLs:
Last Modified: 13 Mar 2019 11:30
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/714

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