KINETICS OF COPPER PRECIPITATION BY H2S FROM SULFATE-SOLUTIONS

The kinetics of copper preciPitation by H2S from sulfate solutions wer e investigated by bubbling the ps through an aqueous solution. It was observed that the rate of precipitation increases as the solution pH i ncreases. It was shown that the reaction rates and mass transfer coeff icients were increased by either increasing the ps flow rates with con stant bubble diameter or by decreasing the bubble diameter at constant ps flow rates. This was due to the increased interfacial area between the ps and liquid phases. The average diffusion coefficient of H2S wa s calculated from the experimental data and was found to be 1.987.10(- 9) m2 s-1, which is very close to that in water (1.61.10(-9) m2 s-1).