Modelling of Slag Freeze Linings to Support Furnace Design and Operation

synopsis

Containment of high-temperature processes is a challenge faced by all pyrometallurgists. One method of protecting furnace refractories is to maintain a freeze lining of solidified slag between the hot slag bath and the refractory walls. When designing for and operating with slag freeze linings, it is helpful to have tools to assess the influence of different design, start-up, and operational parameters on safe containment, tapping, process stability, and process monitoring and control. This webinar will present different types of modelling that can be used to address different questions, ranging from thermochemical calculations and 1D heat transfer models, to process and multiphysics models of the furnace. We look forward to an engaging discussion after the talk.

THE SPEAKER

Dr Johan Zietsman has more than 25 years of extractive metallurgy experience, both in industry and academia, as well as software engineering related to extractive metallurgy. He is the founder and CEO of Ex Mente Technologies, a pyrometallurgy consulting and systems development company. In line with his research and development interests, he has an honorary appointment at the University of Pretoria, as Glencore Chair in Pyrometallurgical Modelling, where he guides Master's and Ph.D. students. His interests in extractive metallurgy include pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes, thermochemistry, computational modelling, slag freeze linings, and new process technology development. In software engineering, he is involved in design and development of information systems, and software for process modelling, financial modelling, operational enhancement, and advanced process control. He has a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Pretoria, and has published several papers at peer-reviewed conferences and refereed journals.