CFD modeling of the launder of settler of an industrial copper solvent extraction plant: A case study on Sarcheshmeh copper complex, Iran

In this study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling accompanied by experimental field measurements has been applied to study the behavior of aqueous-organic dispersion on the performance of the launder of the settler of the copper solvent extraction plant at the Sarcheshmeh copper complex, Iran. Fluid flow field has been calculated by solving the continuity and Navier Stokes equations along with the standard k-epsilon turbulence model. The simulation results have been compared with the field measurements data to check the accuracy of the CFD work. The effects of picket fence on the launder performance and pressure drop over the picket fences in the launder have been investigated. The model predicts that by setting the picket fences, flow pattern becomes uniform, and turbulent eddies disappear. The results also show that by installing two picket fences without dam in the launder, the phase separation is improved and the performance of the launder is optimized. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.