In the field of copper electrolysis production, the residual copper particles are like “invisible killers”,
which not only reduce the purity of copper cathode, but also aggravate the loss of equipment
and raise the cost of energy consumption. The traditional manual cleaning method is inefficient
and risky, while the emergence of a new generation of high-efficiency copper particle automatic
cleaning machine is promoting the copper electrolysis production to the intelligent and lean
direction. This article will analyze the core technology behind the equipment, revealing how
to achieve efficiency and cost of the revolutionary breakthrough.
The efficiency dilemma of copper electrolysis production
When the electrolyzer is running, the copper particles (0.1-2mm in diameter) generated by the reaction
between anode mud and electrolyte will cause three major production pain points:
Quality defects: copper particles adhering to the cathode plate lead to uneven thickness of the copper
layer, and the surface roughness of the product exceeds the rate of 15%-20%.
Soaring energy consumption: the deposited copper particles increase the resistance of electrolyte, and
the power consumption per cubic meter of electrolyte rises by 8%-12%.
Loss of equipment: metal particles accelerate the wear and tear of pumps and valves, shortening the
replacement cycle of key components by 30%-40%.
Industry research shows that for enterprises using traditional cleaning methods, about 6.8% of the
production cost per ton of copper is used to deal with the loss of copper particles, while fully automated
cleaning technology can compress this ratio to less than 2%.
Four core technologies
The innovation breakthrough of the high-efficiency automatic copper particle cleaning machine comes
from the synergy of four core technologies:
1. Multi-modal intelligent sensing system
Capacitive-visual fusion detection: 32 groups of capacitive sensors are deployed on the side wall of the
electrolyzer to monitor the concentration of copper particles above 0.5mm in real time; the top industrial
camera (2 megapixels) captures the particle distribution image synchronously, and the fusion precision
of the dual-system data reaches ±0.3ppm.
Adaptive threshold algorithm: Dynamically adjust the trigger threshold according to the electrolyte
temperature (40-65℃) and flow rate (0.2-0.5m/s) to avoid false triggering or missed detection.
Three-dimensional modeling technology: build the digital twin of electrolysis tank through point
cloud scanning to precisely locate the hot spot of particle deposition.
2. Ultra-low pressure vacuum suction system
Bionic nozzle design: adopting octopus tentacle type flexible titanium alloy nozzle array, adapting to
different tank structures and improving sealing by 70%.
Dual power vacuum source: main vacuum pump (-0.08MPa) is responsible for large particles suction,
and micro-venturi (-0.05MPa) cleans up residuals in the corners.
Energy-saving control strategy: real-time adjustment of vacuum degree by PID algorithm, 40% power
saving compared with traditional equipment
3. Five-stage gradient filtration system
Pre-interceptor layer: 20 mesh stainless steel mesh to retain particles >1mm.
Cyclone separation module: centrifugal force is utilized to separate 0.5-1mm medium particles, with a
separation efficiency of 95%.
Ceramic membrane fine filtration: 0.2μm aperture ceramic tube filtration to remove fine suspended
particles, filtration precision up to NAS 5 level.
Self-cleaning mechanism: every 2 hours of work to start the reverse pulse blowing, with ultrasonic
vibration cleaning filter element
Waste compaction device: hydraulic briquetting machine compresses the collected copper particles
to a density of 6.5g/cm³, reducing the volume by 80%.
4. Intelligent operation and maintenance management platform
Digital twin monitoring: 3D visualization interface displays real-time status of equipment operation,
and abnormal parameters are automatically marked red for warning.
Predictive maintenance: based on equipment vibration, temperature, current and other data, AI
algorithms predict failures 72 hours in advance.
Remote collaborative system: support multi-plant equipment data interconnection, expert team
can diagnose complex problems online.
Quantitative verification of performance improvement
In a benchmark plant with an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons of copper cathode, the
technology shows significant advantages:
Quality dimension: the Ra value of copper cathode surface finish is reduced from 3.2μm to 0.8μm,
and the rate of A-grade products is increased by 18%.
Energy-efficiency dimension: the power consumption of tons of copper is reduced by 120kW-h, and
the annual electricity cost is saved by more than 8 million yuan.
Environmental protection dimension: the amount of electrolyte carried out is reduced by 92%, and
the concentration of copper dust in the workshop is controlled to be below 0.5mg/m³.
Operation and maintenance dimension: equipment failure downtime is compressed from 16 hours
to 2.3 hours per month.
Long-term stable operation guarantee strategy
1. Intelligent lubrication system
Key transmission components are equipped with a centralized lubrication system that automatically
refills acid-resistant grease every 500 hours.
Adoption of oil status sensors, real-time monitoring of lubricant viscosity, water content changes.
2. Modularized maintenance design
Cyclone separator, filter element and other wear parts adopt quick-disassembly structure, a
single person can complete the replacement within 20 minutes.
The electrical control cabinet is equipped with drawer-type modules, supporting hot-swap replacement.
3. Data-driven optimization
Establish equipment health index model, comprehensively evaluate sealing, vacuum, filtration
efficiency and other parameters.
Generate monthly performance analysis reports to guide the tuning of process parameters.
Technology Iteration
Material innovation: develop graphene reinforced ceramic cartridge to extend service life to 8,000 hours.
Energy recovery: installing a micro-turbine in the vacuum pipeline to recover the residual pressure and
generate electricity for use by the sensor.
In-depth application of AI: training special large models to realize copper particle cause analysis and
process self-optimization.
Cross-system integration: forming an intelligent linkage network with the electrolyte circulation system
and the pole plate processing unit.
Conclusion
The technological breakthrough of high-efficiency automatic copper particle cleaner marks the entry of
electrolytic copper production into a new era of “intelligent cleaning”. Its value lies not only in solving
specific process pain points, but also in building a closed-loop production system of “monitoring-cleaning-optimization”.
For copper electrolysis enterprises, grasping this core technology upgrade is not only a necessary option to cope
with the strict regulation of environmental protection, but also a key move to enhance global competitiveness.
It is recommended that the production unit in the selection of equipment, focusing on the examination of the
system's level of intelligence, energy-efficiency indicators and compatibility of expansion, to reserve space
for the future continuous upgrading.