Alessandro Navarra, Seng How Kuan
Copper smelters have two central operations: smelting, followed by converting. The smelting operation is continuous and is usually over-dimensioned compared to downstream operations, while the converting operation is performed in discrete batches that share a limited set of resources, including offgas handling and oxygen capacity, thus often becoming a bottleneck. Recent technological advancements have focused on enhancing various aspects of copper smelting, including high-pressure injection and expert control systems, though adoption is often contingent upon solid qualitative and quantitative justification. This paper adapts the Theory of Constraints to analyze the bottleneck phenomena in copper smelters and proposes solutions through incremental technological upgrades, with the benefits quantified via a Discrete Event Simulation framework. Sample calculations are presented to illustrate the approach and its effectiveness in improving operational efficiency in conventional copper smelters.
@article{fbeb0155-0a34-4476-a2aa-f423723e6da5,
title={Debottlenecking of Conventional Copper S},
author={Alessandro Navarra and Seng How Kuan},
year={2026},
language={en}
}TY - JOUR TI - Debottlenecking of Conventional Copper S AU - Alessandro Navarra AU - Seng How Kuan PY - 2026 LA - en ER -
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