Title

CONVERTING FERRONICKEL INTO NICKEL MATTE IN A PEIRCE-SMITH CONVERTER

CONVERTING FERRONICKEL INTO NICKEL MATTE IN A PEIRCE-SMITH CONVERTER

Authorship

TASSIS, FABIO PASSOS DE; ADIASA, DAMARA; HECKER, ERIK; REUTER, MARKUS A.; MAREIEN, FRANK

TASSIS, FABIO PASSOS DE

I am this author

ADIASA, DAMARA

I am this author

HECKER, ERIK

I am this author

REUTER, MARKUS A.

I am this author

MAREIEN, FRANK

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-5300-41918

Downloads

Abstract

The nickel market has experienced significant changes due to the growing demand for nickel in battery production, especially for electric vehicles. Manufacturers of batteries are increasingly seeking high-grade nickel and nickel chemicals, moving away from lower-grade products such as classical ferronickel. This shift, coupled with a decrease in stainless steel production, has led to an excess supply of ferronickel, thereby influencing its price. Nevertheless, this situation presents an opportunity for ferronickel producers to upgrade their offerings to higher-quality nickel products. The Peirce-Smith Converter, commonly used in the conversion of primary copper and nickel (PGM) matte, is also applicable for ferronickel smelting and matte conversion processes. SMS Group has designed and implemented a Peirce-Smith Converter capable of sulfidizing and converting ferronickel into high-grade nickel matte, which can undergo further hydrometallurgical processing to produce battery-grade nickel chemicals. This conversion process involves a multi-stage batch method that yields nickel matte with low iron content and iron-rich slag from metallic ferronickel. This paper explores the industrial application of ferronickel sulfidation and conversion, addressing theoretical assessments of the multi-stage process chemistry, static and dynamic process design, engineering design, and industrial validation through dynamic simulation models during plant operations.

THE NICKEL MARKET HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES DUE TO THE GROWING DEMAND FOR NICKEL IN BATTERY PRODUCTION, ESPECIALLY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES. MANUFACTURERS OF BATTERIES ARE INCREASINGLY SEEKING HIGH-GRADE NICKEL AND NICKEL CHEMICALS, MOVING AWAY FROM LOWER-GRADE PRODUCTS SUCH AS CLASSICAL FERRONICKEL. THIS SHIFT, COUPLED WITH A DECREASE IN STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCTION, HAS LED TO AN EXCESS SUPPLY OF FERRONICKEL, THEREBY INFLUENCING ITS PRICE. NEVERTHELESS, THIS SITUATION PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FERRONICKEL PRODUCERS TO UPGRADE THEIR OFFERINGS TO HIGHER-QUALITY NICKEL PRODUCTS. THE PEIRCE-SMITH CONVERTER, COMMONLY USED IN THE CONVERSION OF PRIMARY COPPER AND NICKEL (PGM) MATTE, IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FERRONICKEL SMELTING AND MATTE CONVERSION PROCESSES. SMS GROUP HAS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED A PEIRCE-SMITH CONVERTER CAPABLE OF SULFIDIZING AND CONVERTING FERRONICKEL INTO HIGH-GRADE NICKEL MATTE, WHICH CAN UNDERGO FURTHER HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING TO PRODUCE BATTERY-GRADE NICKEL CHEMICALS. THIS CONVERSION PROCESS INVOLVES A MULTI-STAGE BATCH METHOD THAT YIELDS NICKEL MATTE WITH LOW IRON CONTENT AND IRON-RICH SLAG FROM METALLIC FERRONICKEL. THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF FERRONICKEL SULFIDATION AND CONVERSION, ADDRESSING THEORETICAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE MULTI-STAGE PROCESS CHEMISTRY, STATIC AND DYNAMIC PROCESS DESIGN, ENGINEERING DESIGN, AND INDUSTRIAL VALIDATION THROUGH DYNAMIC SIMULATION MODELS DURING PLANT OPERATIONS.

Keywords

Peirce-Smith Converter (PSC), Nickel Matte Smelting, Industrial Operation, Ferronickel, Nickel

Peirce-Smith Converter (PSC), Nickel Matte Smelting, Industrial Operation, Ferronickel, Nickel