Pyrometallurgical slag properties and phenomena
One of the challenges nowadays is the increasing demand of precious and valuable metals because of the ongoing digitization of society as well as the need for climate neutrality. The production of novel electronics and modern green energy require a lot of these precious metals which increases their demand and costs significantly and makes them even more scarce. In order to keep up with the demand, new primary production routes and recycling becomes more important in the future. For this reason, research is required regarding new metal production processes in an efficient and environment-friendly way.
Our focus is put on fundamental knowledge of pyrometallurgical processes, in particular how slag properties govern the design and operation of such high temperature reactors. Slag properties are determined in our group using lab-scale experimental equipment as well as from simulations. The combination of (thermodynamic) modelling with accurate slag properties gives a better understanding of how future processes should be designed and how we can make current processes more efficient and safe and lower their impact on the environment.
Current research projects
- Impact of solid particles on high temperature slag electrical conductivity through a combination of experiments, slag property modelling and process simulations
- PROCSIMO: Crucial slag properties for clean slags and critical and strategic metal recovery
- CircSmeltSteel: Low carbon and circular valorisation of secondary materials in electric furnaces for proving high quality steelmaking with excellent product properties
- From Measurement Discrepancy to Predictive Accuracy: Establishing Reliable Slag Thermal Conductivity
- LUMOCX: sustainable LUnar Metal, Oxygen and Cement eXtraction methodology development
- Relation between foaming behaviour and electrical conductivity of slags via conductivity and viscosity experiments