MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF LEACHING PROCESS OF RED MUD IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE KINETICS PARAMETERS

Abstract

The use of the waste of the Bayer process, red mud, is due to its chemical and mineralogical composition that shows a material rich in oxides of iron, titanium and aluminum. Some studies conducted show that this waste can be applied as a source of alternative raw material for concentration and subsequent recovery of titanium compounds from an iron leaching process, which is present in higher amounts, about 30% by weight. To obtain a greater understanding about the leaching kinetics, the information of the kinetic data of this process is very important. In this context, the main objective of this work is the development of a mathematical model that is able to fit the experimental data (conversion / extraction iron, titanium and aluminum) of the leaching process by which is possible to obtain the main kinetic parameters such as the activation energy and the velocity of chemical reactions as well as the controlling step of the process. The development of the mathematical model was based on the model of core decreasing. The obtained model system of ordinary differential equations was able to fit the experimental data obtained from the leaching process, enabling the determination of the controlling step, the rate constants and the activation energies of the leaching process.