The Nature of Reactions Between Sodium Sulphide Slag and Carbon-Saturated-Iron and -Copper Alloys

Abstract

<p>The nature of reactions between sodium sulphide slag and carbon-saturated-iron and -copper alloys were studied to obtain a more clear understanding of slag/metal reactions as well as to enhance the knowledge with respect to decopperization and desulphurization reactions. A model has been developed for the kinetics of reactions, taking into consideration the chemical reactions at the gas/slag and metal/slag boundaries as well as diffusion of sodium vapour in the gas phase. The rate constants have been determined by comparing the experimental results with the proposed model of the system using a CDC 6400 computer. Some understanding of the thermodynamics of sulphide solutions, never studied before, was accomplished through calculations. Suggestions were made for the most efficient use of sulphide slags for removing copper and sulphur from carbon-saturated iron melts. It is hoped that this work will open a new area of research on the fundamentals of slag/metal reactions involving sulphides. Such investigations may be helpful in understanding the slag/metal systems involving oxides.</p>