In the process of copper electrolysis production, the problem of copper particle residue has always
been the “invisible killer” that restricts product quality and production efficiency. The traditional
manual cleaning method is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also has hidden
dangers such as incomplete cleaning and secondary pollution. With the rapid development of
industrial intelligent technology, copper electrolytic copper particles automatic cleaning technology
came into being, through the “zero residue” precision control and intelligent operation, is reshaping
the process standard of copper electrolytic production, and has become a breakthrough in the
industry to improve quality and efficiency.
The problem of copper particle residue in copper electrolysis
production
Electrolytic copper, as a basic material for electric power, electronics, new energy and other fields, its purity
directly affects the performance of downstream products. However, in the electrolytic refining process, the
copper particles attached to the surface of the copper cathode (particle size usually between 0.1-2mm) if
not cleaned up in a timely manner, may lead to two major problems:
Decrease in purity: the residual particles are mixed into the copper liquid in the subsequent melting and
casting process, affecting the conductivity and ductility of the finished copper;
Loss of equipment: the accumulation of copper particles may clog the electrolyzer or scratch the pole plate,
increasing the cost of equipment maintenance.
Traditional treatment relies on manual scraping and high-pressure water rinsing, low efficiency and the existence
of cleaning blind spot, and a new generation of intelligent copper particles automatic cleaning technology
from the root to solve these pain points.
The core principle and workflow of automatic cleaning technology
The technology through the “perception + decision-making + implementation” of the closed-loop system to
achieve unmanned operation of copper particle cleaning, the core modules include:
1. High-precision visual recognition system
Adopting industrial-grade camera and AI algorithm, it scans the surface of cathode plate in real time, accurately
recognizes the distribution position and particle size of copper particles, and controls the positioning error
within ±0.05mm.
2. Adaptive cleaning robotic arm
According to the data feedback from the vision system, the robotic arm is equipped with flexible cleaning head
(such as ultrasonic vibration brush or negative pressure adsorption device), which automatically adjusts the cleaning
strength according to the particle density in different areas to avoid damaging the surface of copper cathode.
3. Closed-loop recycling system
The cleaned copper particles are transported to the sorting module through the closed pipeline, utilizing the
difference in density and particle size to separate copper powder and impurities, with a recovery rate of more
than 98%, which reduces the waste of raw materials.
4. Cloud Intelligent Monitoring Platform
The production data is uploaded to the management background in real time, and analysis reports on cleaning
efficiency, energy consumption and fault warning are automatically generated to support remote operation and
maintenance and process optimization.
Four core advantages brought by technological breakthrough
Compared with the traditional process, the intelligent automatic cleaning technology has realized a comprehensive
upgrade in four dimensions: efficiency, environmental protection, cost and quality:
1. Efficiency increase of more than 30%
A single machine can handle 20-30 cathode plates per hour, and the cleaning cycle is shortened to 1/3 of the t
raditional manual cleaning, which is especially suitable for large-scale continuous production.
2. Zero residue and pollution
Through negative pressure adsorption and closed recovery, copper powder is eliminated, and the dust concentration
in the working environment is lower than 1mg/m³, which is in line with international environmental standards.
3. 25% reduction in overall cost
While reducing labor dependence, the recycling rate of copper particles is increased to 95%, saving more than
one million yuan of raw material costs per year (measured by a 50,000-ton annual production capacity of
electrolytic copper plant).
4. Quality stability breakthrough
The surface roughness (Ra value) of copper cathode is stabilized at below 0.8μm, and the purity can reach 99.99%,
which meets the stringent requirements of high-end copper foils, superconducting materials and other fields.
Application Scenarios and Future Trends
At present, the technology has been verified in several electrolytic copper production bases:
Large smelters: linkage with electrolysis tanks to realize fully automatic assembly line operation, with a daily average
of more than 2,000 cathode plates;
Recycled Copper Recovery Line: efficiently sorting copper materials containing impurities and improving the quality of
recycled copper to Grade A standard;
Special copper production: customized cleaning parameters for ultra-thin copper strips, shaped copper materials, etc.
to reduce the defect rate of subsequent processing.
In the future, with the deep combination of industrial IoT and AI algorithms, the technology will further develop in the
direction of **“predictive maintenance” and “process self-optimization ”**. For example, by analyzing historical data to
predict the wear and tear cycle of the equipment, or dynamically adjust the cleaning strategy according to the
composition of the electrolyte, and ultimately build the whole process of copper electrolysis production
intelligent factory system.
Conclusion
The popularization of automatic cleaning technology for copper electrolytic copper particles marks a key step in the
transformation of the traditional metallurgical industry into intelligent and green. It not only solves the practical
problems in production, but also provides a new paradigm for the sustainable development of the industry through
the efficient utilization of resources and low carbon emissions. For enterprises, the early layout of intelligent
transformation is not only an inevitable choice to reduce costs and increase efficiency, but also a strategic
investment to seize the future market high ground.