Mining and Metallurgy
Gone are the days of simply picking up gold nuggets in a stream!
From digging the first hole in the ground for ore extraction to the delivery of the finest diamonds, the mining industry involves many complex processes and associated quality management and control equipment that needs to be optimized. The environmental and sustainable goals and regulations by the government have introduced many kinds of pollution control equipment also at an additional cost. Traditionally, all these processes and associated machine parts and tools have been designed and optimized using experimental techniques which itself consume a significant amount of capital cost. Here, Computational Engineering using multiphysics, fluid-thermal and structural analysis can play a very important role in optimization and design at a reduced cost. Paanduv has expertise in CFD, DEM, DPM, CFD coupling with DEM, FEA, and many more types of computational know-how and skills to carry out simulations to assist mining industries in their research exploration.
Improvement in Green anode quality using CFD-DEM coupling
A very complex physics is involved in the interaction of fluid (coal tar pitch or pitch) and particles (calcined coke particles or particles) during the vibro-compaction process of the green anode. Tribology between fluid-particle is also considered to achieve actual interactions taking place during vibro-compaction. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulates coal-tar pitch while Discrete Element Method (DEM) captures the interaction of coke particles. But to simulate the interaction of both pitch and particles in a single computational domain, a true CFD-DEM coupling is required. Here, we have done the CFD-DEM coupled simulation of coal-tar pitch with calcined coke particles for improved green anode quality.
DEM modeling for particle mixing
Rotary drums are used widely for particle mixing in mining, pharmaceutical, food processing, and cement industry. The inclination angle in these reactors affects the particle mixing hugely. Inclination up to a certain extent can improve the mixing index of these particles. The Presence of the specially designed rotor near the inclined wall promotes efficient mixing particularly in the region where the population of particles is more.
As an initial step in the anode-making process, a variety of particles in different size ranges such as coke particles, butt particles, scrapped coke particles, etc. are mixed together in this reactor to optimize the mixing process.
We hold expertise in DEM modeling for such high-fidelity simulations.
Screw conveyors in the mining industry
Screw conveyors or kneaders are used in mining, petroleum and coal industries. These devices comprise of a helical screw rotating in a U-shaped trough the encased pipe. Screw conveyors have simple geometry, but a transport process in this device requires detailed and thorough analysis. These are used to mix calcined coke particles and coal-tar pitch to make green anode paste, that is further used in anode making process.
Numerical models based on DEM approach appeared to be dependable and helpful in getting particle interactions and anticipating blending process for examination of solids mixing. Theoretical development and applications of the DEM modelling and coupled DEM/CFD modeling of the particles is our expertise.
Potential scope of work
Metal Tapping
Tapping is the process of transferring molten materials from a pyrometallurgical furnace into a ladle. Furnace tapping is conceptually similar to drainage of tanks, a simple engineering problem which is often used as a modeling example in introductory classes in fluid mechanics and mathematics to illustrate the basic principles of pressure-driven flow and as an example of first-order differential equations.
Flow of multiple phases liquid metal, slag, particles, inert gases
Pressure optimization and siphon redesigning (in the Metal tapping ladle)
Calculating the mass flow rates of the metal flow
Numerically studying the pressure drop to tackle the suction problem in the tube
Flow distribution of the metal along with turbulence modeling
Temperature distribution includes the heat loss and gains from the tapping tube
Redesigning the siphon tube to get an optimal flow rate and suction
Desulfurization in cast Iron (in an induction furnace)
Species transport, i.e., sulfur transport in the hot metal or transport of sulfur ions in the slag phase
Mechanical metal–slag interactions by stratified flow conditions for metal and slag
Turbulent couette flow modeling
Nitrogen bubbling and mixing in the hot metal
Convective and radiative heat transfer
Temperature distribution inside the induction furnace
Temperature distribution and transient phase distribution (molten metal, slag, inert medium, if any)
Desulfurization reaction and spatial distribution of product species
Bubble dynamics and bubble distribution in the domain, in case of gas-induced desulfurization process (enhanced mixing and increased mass transfer)
Optimization of parameters for gas mass flow rate, buoyancy effects, turbulent dissipation, mass transfer coefficient, and turbulent kinetic energy.
Varying composition of reactants for enhanced S removal.
Furnace modeling
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of pure oxy-methane combustion
Investigation of the combustion characteristics of the CH4/O2 combustor
Effect of different fuel type
Effect of fuel to oxidizer ratio
Optimization of the heat cycle and temperature variation on anode quality
Miscellaneous
Integration of Artificial Intelligence for smart handling and utilization of data
Waste utilization and recycling
Better handling, utilization, and sequestration of toxic and harmful gases like flue gas, SOx, and NOx emissions.
Effective and energy-efficient ways of preheating various equipment