Authors: B.R. Broekman and K.J.R. Ford
Proceedings: Tenth International Ferroalloys Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, February 2004
Abstract
Over the last decade significant development and use has been made of a simulation model that describes the HCFeMn smelting operations in Assmang Ltd. This spreadsheet based, semi-empirical, predictive model is derived from data from the submerged arcfurnaces at Assmang's Cato Ridge, KwaZulu-Natal smelter site.
Departures from the empirical base case mass balance due to changes in the ores, reductant feeds and operating parameters are accounted for by use offundamental relationships and heuristic type ratios which are applied in an iterative manner in the model The model performs a sequential set of calculations to iteratively converge on a fully consistent mass and energy balance solution, which predicts Mn alloy and slag output masses and compositions for a given set of feeds. 440 MWhper operating day is used as the basis of energy input.
The paper describes the key model components, assumptions made and calculation approach. Added to the mass and energy balance is a cost and revenue balance, which allows prediction of the economic performance for each simulation.
