Control aspects of the Mitsubishi continuous process

The Mitsubishi process for the continuous smelting and converting of copper holds many advantages over conventional processes, where reactions must be conducted in numerous steps and melts melts be tapped frequently from the furnaces. The furnaces operate like steady-state reactors vith constant melt volume, composition, and temperature. Therefore, optimal control of the process is straightforward, with one operator controlling smelting and converting simultaneously. Recent improvements in temperature control by using newly developed sensors have extended furnace campaign life, and enhanced control over melt compositions has helped further stabilize operations. Applications of the environmentally clean smelting technology ave increasing internationally.