Outotec (finland) Oy

Outotec Oyj

Outokumpu Oyj

Outokumpu Technology Oy

Outokumpu Oy

Cutokumpo Oyj

Henri K Virtanen

Ari Rantala

Michael H Barker

Duncan Grant

Lauri Palmu

Lauri Nordlund

Leo Lindroos

Olli Järvinen

Ismo Virtanen

Tom Marttila

Tuomo Kivist&ouml;

Sönke Schmachtel

Ville Nieminen

Nikola Anastasijevic

Olli Hyvärinen

Pekka Taskinen

Jean-Paul Nepper

Ilkka Laitinen

Leo E Lindroos

Tuomo Kivistö

Dirk Lohrberg

Rauno Luoma

Heikki Aaltonen

Mari Lindgren

Hannu Pouru

Harri Vanhatalo

Noora Kaakkolammi

Sonke Schmachtel

Martin Koeneke

Jouni Unkuri

Provided is an electrode assembly for electrolytic processing in an electrolysis cell comprising an electrode blade comprising a metallic hanger bar portion, a first lug for supporting the metallic hanger bar portion on a first power supply bar, an insulating piece connecting the metallic hanger bar portion to the first lug. The electrode assembly also comprises an electrical switch unit controlling electrical current supply between the first lug and the metallic hanger bar based on a control signal transmitted to a terminal of the electrical switch unit, a control unit configured to transmit the control signal to the terminal of the electrical switch unit, and a power storage unit configured to supply power to the control unit, the power storage unit being charged from the first lug and the hanger bar when the electrical switch unit switches off electrical current supply between the first lug and the metallic hanger bar.

Apparatus for protection of anodes and cathodes in a system of electrolysis cells

The present invention provides a method of separating precious metals from anode sludge obtained from copper electrolysis, comprising (a) leaching the anode sludge in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to remove leachable chlorides and to obtain a first leaching residue depleted of chlorides; (b) pressure leaching the first leaching residue to dissolve Ag and Se and to obtain a first filtrate comprising Ag and Se and a second leaching residue depleted of Ag and Se; and (c) leaching the second leaching residue with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution to dissolve Au and PGMs to obtain a second filtrate comprising Au and PGMs and a final leaching residue.

Hydrometallurgical treatment of anode sludge

The invention concerns a bubble collector guide for use in an electrolysis process, which comprises a plurality of guide members arranged at a distance from each other, the guide members comprising a lower side. The guide members can be arranged horizontally on the vertical surface of an electrode so that the lower side of the guide member forms a downwards facing surface that is substantially orthogonal to the vertical surface of the electrode, so as to collect bubbles of gas generated at the electrode.

Bubble collector guide and use thereof

The invention relates to a method for electrowinning a metal from an electrolyte in an electrowinning cell that comprises an electrolysis tank, one or more anodes, and one or more cathodes, which anodes and cathodes are housed in the electrolysis tank. The method comprises supplying sulfur dioxide to the anode to depolarize the anode process and to reduce the energy consumption of the electrowinning cell.

Method for metal electrowinning and an electrowinning cell

A method for maintenance of used permanent cathode plates, said used cathode plate having scratches, crud formations and oversize grain boundaries on a surface of the cathode plate. The method comprises removing of scratches and accumulated crud from the surface of the cathode plate. The method further comprises removing substantially completely the oversize grain boundaries from the surface, and thereafter regenerating the grain boundaries of the surface of the cathode plate to an average grain boundary width of 1 to 3 &#x3bc;m and an average grain boundary depth less than 1 &#x3bc;m.

Method for maintenance of used permanent cathode plates

The invention relates to a method and current measuring arrangement for measuring electric current flowing in an individual electrode in an electrolysis system. The electrolysis system comprises a plurality of interleaved electrodes (), cathodes () and anodes (), arranged in an electrolysis cell () and immersed in electrolyte, said electrolysis system having a busbar () disposed on a separating cell wall () between each of the two adjacent cells to conduct electric current to the electrodes via a contact point () between the busbar and a hanger bar () of the electrode, and the current sensing arrangement comprises a magnetic field sensing means () for measuring the magnetic field induced by said current. The magnetic field sensing means () are arranged to sense the magnetic field substantially at the level of the contact point ().

Arrangement for measuring electric current in an individual electrode in an electrolysis system

The invention relates to a method and current measuring arrangement for measuring electric current flowing in an individual electrode in an electrolysis system. The electrolysis system comprises a plurality of interleaved electrodes (), cathodes () and anodes (), arranged in an electrolysis cell () and immersed in electrolyte, said electrolysis system having a busbar arrangement () disposed on a separating cell wall () between each of the two adjacent cells. The busbar arrangement comprises an equalizer busbar () to electrically connect anodes in one cell to cathodes in a next cell providing the current with multiple electrical pathways between electrodes, said electrical connection being formed by contact points () between the equalizer busbar () and hanger bars () of the electrodes. The electric current in the equalizer busbar () is measured by magnetic field sensing means () arranged at measuring points () located between each pair of the adjacently neighboring contact points ().

Measurement of electric current in an individual electrode in an electrolysis system

The invention concerns a system of gas ducts () for transporting gas, for example, into electrolytic equipment, in connection with which there are means () for taking at least gas into the system of gas ducts, whereby there is a suitable number of gas supply holes () in the system of gas ducts in a wall () limiting the system of gas ducts, whereby the material, such as gas, flowing in the system of gas ducts () is prevented at least in part from passing through the wall () of the system of gas ducts (). The invention also concerns equipment and a method for electrolytic recovery of metal, such as copper.

Equipment and method for electrolytic recovery of metal

A permanent cathode that is to be used as electrode in the electro-refining and/or recovery of metals, such as copper, zinc, cobalt or nickel. The permanent cathode comprises a planar mother plate that is made of metal and comprises two sides. The mother plate comprises an edge, which at least partly surrounds the metal plate. The edge comprises a groove portion that is provided with a groove. The groove portion comprises at least one bridging section for joining together, over the groove portion of the edge of the metal plate at the at least one bridging section, the cathode metal halves, such as cathode copper halves, cathode zinc halves, cathode cobalt halves or cathode nickel halves, which are formed on the sides of the mother plate in the electro-refining of the metals.

Permanent cathode

In the method and system, a number of electrolytic cells are arranged as a cell group, which cells are separated by a number of partition walls; in each cell, a number of anodes and cathodes are arranged in an alternating order, so that in each cell, next to each anode, there is arranged a cathode, and so that in each cell, each individual anode is fitted in the same anode line with the anode of the adjacent cell, and in each cell, each individual cathode is fitted in the same cathode line with the cathode of the adjacent cell, and each anode is galvanically connected to at least one cathode of the adjacent cell. The flowing direction of the current passing in the cell group is deviated in different directions in order to make the current flow mainly in the direction of the cell group.

Method for arranging electrodes in an electrolytic process and an electrolytic system

The invention relates to a hydrometallurgical method for separating the precious metals and impurities of anode sludge obtained from copper electrolysis. According to the method, anode sludge copper is separated in atmospheric leaching; calcinated in two steps for separating selenium and for sulfatizing silver; the sulfatized silver is separated by leaching into a neutral aqueous solution, from which it can be separated by reduction or by extraction.

Method for processing anode sludge

The method and furnace according to the invention enable a continuous processing of anode slime and are particularly suited to be connected to a process where anode slime is treated by hydrometallurgic methods after roasting. In the method according to the invention, the slime containing valuable metals and selenium is dried, roasted, sulfatized and cooled. The method includes steps to be carried out in succession, in continuous operation, so that the slime forms a slime layer on the conveyor and is conveyed to be treated in successive drying, roasting, sulfatizing and sulfuric acid removal and cooling units.

Method and device for treating anode slime

The invention is a method for controlling an electrolytic process and plant, utilizing history data collected in the process as well as mathematical and heuristic models created on the basis of empirical knowledge, and by means of said models, there are defined indexes based on real-time process measurement parameters. The method makes use of real-time cell voltage measurements. On the basis of the obtained real-time indexes, there is achieved a correctly focused process control action at the correct point of time.

Method for defining status index in copper electrolysis

The invention relates to a method for the improvement of current efficiency in electrolysis. According to the method, a theoretical cell voltage is first calculated, which is compared with the measured voltage. The cumulative difference between the theoretical and measured cell voltage is monitored constantly and when this difference is proportioned to the current efficiency, information on the status of the process can be obtained continually. A decrease in current efficiency is a clear indicator of short circuits between the electrodes, and by means of the method according to the invention, it is possible to concentrate the short circuit removal work onto the correct cell groups, from the point of view of the current efficiency of the electrolysis.

Method for the improvements of current efficiency in electrolysis

The invention relates to the improvement in the quality of cathodes produced in an electrolysis process. The surface of a cathode lifted from the cell during the cathode cycle is photographed and the physical quality of the cathode can be investigated in real time by means of equipment based on image-analysis. On the basis of the quality of the cathode surface, it is possible to monitor and control the electrolysis conditions in order to improve the quality of the cathode. The method is extremely suitable for the electrolytic purification of copper.

Growing community of inventors

Pori, Finland

Henri K Virtanen