Patent ID: 8801830
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: C22B

Abstract:
1. A pyrometallurgical method for continuous reduction of oxygen contained in oxidized copper, comprising: a. Continuous loading of oxidized liquid copper into a packed bed reactor; b. Injection of a liquid or gaseous reducing mixture into the packed bed reactor; c. Reduction of oxygen contained in the oxidized liquid copper with hot reducing gases generated by incomplete combustion of the reducing mixture, to obtain reduced copper and dispersing the oxidized liquid copper through gravitational flow from ceramic grains to other grains with neutral chemical means; d. Continuous evacuation of educed copper from the packed bed reactor; e. Injection of air over the packed bed reactor for post-combustion of hot reducing gases released from the packed bed reactor; f. Evacuation of post-combustion .gases from the sacked bed reactor; and reduction with hot reducing gases released in countercurrent from the partial combustion of natural gas, propane, diesel oil or bunker oil.