lied Science : Chemist Mechanical

4.7
Metals Allo s Cement and Refracto Materials
(iil working of the blast furnace :
, The hot blast of air is introduced from the 1wy r ·
cup .an d cone arrangement e s into the furnace and charge is fed from the top of the furnace through

, Near the lwyers, the coke burns in the blast of h0 t · f

. . air to orm carbon dioxide with the evolution of large amount of heat
(i.e. exothenrnc reaction).

C + 0 2 -> CO 2 i + 97 kcal
, When CO goes up it is reduced to CO (ca b "d b · ·
2 r on monox1 e) y coke present in the charge along with absorption of heat
(i.e. endothermic reaction).

CO 2 + C-, 2CO - 39 kcal

The temperature at the blast furnace goes on decreasing from bottom to top.
, This CO reduces most of the iron oxide into iron metal.
Fe20 3 + 3CO === 2Fe + 3C0 2
Simultaneously, with the process of reduction, a part of metallic iron reacts with CO to form ferric oxide. The backward
reaction can be prevented by continuous supply of hot blast of air.
Flux (lime) forms slag with impurities (silica) . .
, Thus, blast furnace has two functions :
(a) To reduce the ore to metallic iron and . .
(b) To remove the impurities in the form of slag.
, The molten iron from the blast furnace is collected in moulds and on solidification, forms pig iron or cast iron.
It is the most impure form of iron containing highest, percentage of carbon (2-5%) which makes it hard and brittle and
hence unsuitable for commercial use.
1
Pig iron is used to make wrought iron (pure form of iron) and steel (an alloy of iron with carbon or various metals).
4.3,2 Extraction of Copper from Copper Pyrite Ore
• Coppe; is extracted mostly from copper pyrite (CuFeS2) which is a sulphide ore of copper.
• The different steps in extraction of copper are as follows.
(1) Crushing : The ore obtained from mines are broken down into small pieces by jaw crusher and then pulverized.
(2) Concentration :
(i) Physical concentration :
The ore being sulphide ore is concentrated by froth floatation process.
Pulverized ore is kept in water containing little pine oil in a tank.
The mixture is agitated by passing compressed air.
Ore forms froth with pine oil and comes to the surface and is skimmed off while impurity (gangue) are left in water.

Compressed_.
...:;,.._ _ Sulphide ore froth
air

Sulphide ore ccccccccc !_ccccc

l
Exit for gangue G_angue
\"J'"'"'
ccccccccccccccc
ccccccccccccc
ccccccccccccc
cccccccccccc

Fi . 4.6 : Froth floatation

..:..A,.,p~p'.!!ll~
ed~ S~c!!:le!!!n£Ce~ : !!C!),he~m
~lsl!!tryY.(!(M~ec~h~a!!!n~lc~a)l
l)_ _ _ _ _ _~4.~8_ _ _ _~M~et~a~ls~,.::
A"-'
11=-
oyi..:sci.,..;;Cccece-
m~e"'"'
n-'-ta
=n-'-'d'-R
~e
=f-'-'ra=-=c:.::to:c,ry
..,__~

(ii) Chemical concentration :

• It is _done by roasting process .
• The concentrated ore is heated in excess supply of air on the hearth of reverberatory furnace below its melting point.

• The different changes during roasting are :

(1) Moisture and volatile impurities like sulphur, arsenic, antimony are removed as th_eir volatile oxides.

S + 02 S02 i
4As + 02 2As20i i
4Sb + 30 2 2Sb20i i
(2) Copper pyrite decomposes to form cuprous and ferrous sulphides.
2CuFeS 2 + 0 2 Cu 2S + 2FeS + S02i
A part of these sulphides get oxidised to corresponding oxides.
2Cu2S + 302 2Cu20 + S02 i
2FeS + 30 2 2Fe0 + S0 2i
(3) Reduction by smelting :
• The charge (mixture of roasted ore, coke and silica (flux)] is heated in the presence of excess of air in a water jacketed
blast furnace.

Fire bricks

Air blast main

'll Molten matte out

Fl
• The oxidation of ferrous sulphide, started during roasting, proceeds further and (arm ferrous oxide.
2FeS + 302 2Fe0 + 2S0 2i
• The ferrous oxide so formed, combines with sand to form fusible slag.
Fe0 + Si0 2 FeSi0 3
flux slag
• As Jong as FeS is present in the mixture, Cu20 cannot be formed as copper has higher affinity for sulphur than oxygen.
Thu s cup (formed du ri ng roasting) combines with FeS and is changed back into its sulphide.
Cu 20 + FeS Fe0 + Cu 2S
AEB-lled Science : Chemistry (Mechanical) 4.9 Metals, Alloys, Cement and Refractory Materials

• Most of the iron is converted into the oxide, which is removed as slag from the exit provided for slag.
• While the molten mass, containing mostly cuprous sulphide (Cu 2s) with a little ferrous sulphide (remaining unchanged)
called "matte" is taken out from the exit at the bottom of furnace. Th~s "matte' is a mixture of ,:nolten Cu2S + FeS.
• The 'matte' so produced is then converted to blister copper by bessemerisation.
sessemerisation :
• The molten matte is now transferred to ·a Bessemer converter.
• It is a pear-shaped furnace made up of steel plates and lined wiJh basic lining of lime or magnesia.
• It is mounted on trunnions and can be tilted in any position.
• The furnace is provided with pipes known as twyers through which sand and hot air is blown into it.
• The twyers are fitted in the sides (not in the base) and sufficiently high above the bottom so·that the molten metal
drops below the level of twyers and escapes the oxidising action of air.

Blast of
sand and air ~ld--t'9r- Molten matte

Fi . 4.8 : Bessemer converter for co er

• Followipg reactions take place in the Bessemer converter :

(a) Conversion of FeS to slag.
2FeS + 302 2Fe0 + 2S02 i
Fe0 + Si02 FeSi03
slag
(b) Partial oxidation of Cu2S to Cu20.
(A part of Cu 2S is oxidised to Cu20)
2Cu 2S + 302 2Cu20 + 2S02 i
(c) Reduction of Cu 20 by Cu 2S to metallic copper.
(Rest of Cu 2S combines with Cu 20 to form blister copper)
2Cu 20 + Cu2S 6Cu + S02 i
 Applied Science : Chemistry (Mechanical) 4.10 Metals, Alloys, Cement and Refractory Materl~

Electrolytic Refining :

• ·
The tough pitch (containing 99.2-99.6% Cu) may be further refined to· obtarn
· 99 ·9%0 pure copper by electrolytic refining.

• Electrolytic refining is carried out in a large lead lined rectangular tank.

• ·
The tough pitch ·
(or impure copper) ·1s cast rnto
· · are ma de anode, which are suspended into the tank at
blocks which
intervals.

• Cathodes are thin plates of pure copper and each is suspended between two blocks of anode. .

• The electrolyte consists of 15% CuS04 and 5-10% H2S04 acid.

• The cathode and anode are connected either in multiple system or in series system.

15% CuS04 + Pure Impure copper

5-10% H2S04 copper

Fig. 4.9 : Electrolytic refining of copper

• On passing an electric current, copper from the crude anodes go into the solution and pure copper is deposited at the
cathode.

• The impurities of more active metals (like Zn, Ni, Fe etc.) go into the solution as metallic ions.
• While impurities of less active metals (like Au, Ag, Pt etc.) are not ionised but crumbles down from the anodes and settle
below anodes as 'anode mud'.

From the anode mud, the precious metals like Ag, Au, Pt are recovered. These costly metals pay the cost of the
electrorefining process.

• At the applied voltage, Cu .. ions alone are discharged at the cathode (as copper is very low in the activity series of
metals) and thus pure copper is cteposited at the cathode.
• The cathodes grow in size and copper deposited can be removed from cathodes.
• The electrorefined copper is about 99.99% pure.
4 .4 PROPERTIES"OS: Mr;TAl''. ~:f!4\