The Application of a Novel Horizontal Frame Paddle Reactor to Remove Metallic Iron from Reduced Ilmenite in the Becher Process

The leaching process of reduced ilmenite in the traditional vertical tank reactor (VR) is extremely inefficient. This study reports a new horizontal frame paddle reactor (HR) to enhance the oxidative leaching process. The oxidative leaching experiments and the hydraulic model experiments were carried out and compared in the two reactors HR and VR. Under the conditions of the leaching experiment, the oxygen transfer coefficient (k(L)a) of the HR reached 6 times that of VR. The results of the leaching experiment show that under the optimal conditions, the leaching time is shortened from 6 h for the VR to 3 h for the HR. Under the conditions of 1.5% (w/v) HCl, specific stirring power input per liter 67 W/L, liquid-solid ratio 2 L/kg, oxygen flow rate 0.125 m(3) kg(-1) h(-1), the content of TiO2 and Fe in synthetic rutile obtained from the HR reached 86.1% and 4.6%, respectively.