Titaniferous magnetite (titanomagnetite) deposits are found in many countries throughout the world, including Russia, China, and South Africa. In South Africa, the titanomagnetite deposits are found in the Bushveld Complex. The titanomagnetite deposits typically contain appreciable reserves of iron and vanadium with concentrations in the range of 38-58% Fe and 1.2-2.2% V 2 O 5 , as well as significant titanium concentrations of 12-21% TiO 2 (Gwatinetsa, 2013). Titanomagnetite is typically processed by smelting in the presence of a carbonaceous reductant and flux to produce a valuable vanadium-bearing pig iron and a slag containing significant concentrations of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 , titania). The titanomagnetite slag is generally discarded on waste dumps. The metal is processed further to produce vanadium and steel products (Steinberg et al., 2011). The global depression in the market and prices of metals, and increased operational expenses as a consequence of excessive electrical energy costs in some countries, including South Africa, have prompted the established titanomagnetite smelters to intensify their process technologies or close down. Furthermore, prospective smelters apply caution through comprehensive process feasibility studies before committing to an operational technology. In such cases, laboratory-scale test work is generally adopted as a cost-effective approach for testing a wide range of parameters under controlled conditions (Geldenhuys and Jones, 2011).Mintek gained expertise and experience in titanomagnetite smelting processes as early as in the 1960s (Jochens et al., 1969) and thereafter continued with innovative work on the subject (Boyd et al., 1993). Substantial titanomagnetite processing work is included in numerous reports on collaborative projects conducted by Mintek and its clients over more than 45 years.The intensification of, and likely innovation in, titanomagnetite smelting processes typically involves laboratory crucible tests to maximize vanadium and iron recoveries to metal and the deportment of titania to the slag phase. Laboratory test parameters controlled for the optimization of the extraction of vanadium, iron, and potentially titanium from titanomagnetiteThe effect of magnesia and alumina crucible wear on the smelting characteristics of titaniferous magnetite by M.P. Maphutha*, M. Ramaili*, M.B. Sitefane*, and X.C. Goso*
Blockage of the off-gas duct by dust contained in raw off-gas extracted from a submerged arc furnace (SAF), has been a recurring problem at a South African silicomanganese (SiMn) producer. The problem experienced has prompted an investigation in which sintering of the dust is evaluated as a possible mechanism for the observed blockages. As sintering is heavily dependant on temperature, one of the key factors to the investigation was determining the typical temperatures across the areas of the duct where blockages are commonly observed. Datasets of the measurements of the duct temperatures, across two extreme points in the duct, are hereby presented. Extreme 1 (SAF burden), which represented the hottest zone, was taken on the SAF burden using a calibrated optical pyrometer. Measurements in extreme 2 (duct cap), which represented the coldest zone in the ducts, were taken using a fixed thermocouple. Measurements from both extremes were taken over a period of four days. This dataset was useful in that it defined the minimum and maximum temperatures utilised in a laboratory-scale investigation onto the potential for sintering to be the cause of duct blockages on the SAF under investigation. Furthermore, going forward this data can be used in modelling of raw gas mass and heat transfer or other related dust transportation phenomena along the ducts. Additional foreseeable uses of this data includes applications in duct and baghouse designs where dust-laden off-gas temperature is a factor, energy loss calculations for the process, and researchers or other stakeholders interested in knowing the dust-laden off-gas exit temperature for a SAF operation applying an open or semi-open roof configuration, in SiMn production.
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