Optimization and Thermodynamic Modelling of the Leaching Process of Nickel, Copper, Zinc and Cadmium from Low-Grade Filter Cake: Experimental and response surface methodology

Kolbadinejad, Somayeh; Ghaemi, Ahad

doi:10.22034/ijche.2025.520816.1519

Optimization and Thermodynamic Modelling of the Leaching Process of Nickel, Copper, Zinc and Cadmium from Low-Grade Filter Cake: Experimental and response surface methodology

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Somayeh Kolbadinejad ¹

Ahad Ghaemi ²

¹ School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

² Iran University of Science and Technology

10.22034/ijche.2025.520816.1519

Abstract

Providing resources and reducing pollution in environment are the reasons for recovering metals from secondary sources such as filter cakes. Optimization, thermodynamic and kinetic modeling of effective parameters for the simultaneous leaching of four metals from low-grade filter cakes have been carried out. Temperature, particle size, time, pH, solid-to-liquid ratio and air or ozone injection rate on the leaching process are important. These parameters were checked by response surface methodology at five levels. 84.66% nickel, 85.87% copper, 74.86% cadmium and 86.13% zinc were recovered from filter cakes by endothermic and spontaneous acid leaching process. The optimal conditions are: pH 2.5, time 2.5 hr at 50 °C with 88 mic particles and ratio of solid-to-liquid 0.08 g/ml and without air/ozone injection. Four quadratic equations were proposed to relate the independent parameters for maximum recovery. The nickel and copper extraction were controlled by diffusion mechanism. The leaching of zinc and cadmium were controlled by both chemical reaction and diffusion mechanisms.

Keywords

Acid leaching

low-grade filter cake

response surface methodology

thermodynamic and kinetic modeling

Subjects