Study on the replacement of lead-based anodes by dimensionally stable anodes (DSAs) during zinc electrowinning process

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Canada produces 6% of the world's supply of refined zinc while CEZinc alone produces 265 000 tons at itsValleyfield plant. This process is energy intensive and its need for electricity hits 45 M$ per year. Increasingthe energy efficiency is the key factor to make the company more profitable and competitive. A promising wayto reduce power consumption at CEZinc is to perform a substantial technology change by replacing Pb-Aganodes with coated Ti anodes. Although such a technology change represents a considerable energy saving, itsimplementation is not trivial and a number of issues must be addressed before. This exploratory project aims atidentifying and validating these issues. More specifically, the focus will be made on the effect of newtechnology on the operation conditions of the zinc electrolysis cells, allowing better control of Mn in theelectrolyte since the Mn buildup in the electrolyte is the negative consequence of using Ti anodes.