Chalcopyrite slurry flow measurement
Release time:
2026-06-04
Metal processing plants leverage flow monitoring systems to enhance uptime and efficiency while reducing costs.
1. Benefits
- The sonar flowmeter can provide accurate, repeatable flow measurements for slurries with high solid content, while also enabling more precise mass balance.
- Eliminates maintenance costs associated with cleaning or replacing electrodes and flow tubes due to scaling.
- Clip-on installation eliminates process downtime.
- Compared with conventional electromagnetic flowmeters, clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters deliver a rapid return on investment.
- The sonar flowmeter is mounted on the existing pipeline and, compared with electromagnetic flowmeters used in high-solids-content slurries prone to scaling, delivers superior performance at a lower cost.
2. Process
Approximately 80% of the world’s primary copper is produced from sulfide ores, such as chalcopyrite (copper iron sulfide, CuFeS2), which has an average copper content of 1%. Typically, the ore is crushed into a fine powder and then separated using flotation.
Volumetric flow measurement is required to maintain process control and efficiency.
3. Challenge
In flotation circuits, electromagnetic flowmeters are typically used to measure volumetric flow. However, existing electromagnetic flowmeters suffer from severe scaling on their electrodes and flow tubes, leading to unacceptable changes in performance.
To achieve an acceptable level of performance, we implemented a maintenance schedule that involves regularly cleaning the electrodes and flow tubes to prevent scaling from compromising measurements. After several cleanings, the electrodes and flow tubes had to be replaced. Ultimately, the frequent maintenance cycles took their toll, necessitating the replacement of the entire electromagnetic flowmeter. In addition to the high maintenance costs, process downtime incurs indirect expenses; moreover, with current elevated base-metal prices, increasing plant throughput is essential, making further process shutdowns particularly disruptive.
4. Solution
The customer has replaced the existing electromagnetic flowmeter with an ultrasonic flowmeter. The ultrasonic flowmeter is mounted directly onto the steel pipe and features no components that come into contact with the slurry, thereby eliminating the risk of scaling caused by the process fluid. Furthermore, compared to electromagnetic flowmeters, the ultrasonic model offers improved accuracy because it does not require frequent descaling or cleaning due to electrode and pipe fouling, ensuring consistent performance over time. With no need to replace the flow tube or the meter itself, measurement repeatability is also enhanced. Thanks to lower maintenance costs and significantly improved process efficiency, the customer can expect a rapid return on investment in the ultrasonic flowmeter.
Solution
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