A magnetically assisted particle bed performance for mass transfer: Copper recovery from aqueous solution by cementation--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Petrova, T. M., Fachikova, D., & Hristov, J. (2026). A magnetically assisted particle bed performance for mass transfer: Copper recovery from aqueous solution by cementation. Particuology, 110, 195-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2026.01.013

A magnetically assisted particle bed performance for mass transfer: Copper recovery from aqueous solution by cementation

Tanya M. Petrova^a, Dimka Fachikova^b, Jordan Hristov^c *

a Institute of Catalysis, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria
b Department of Inorganic Technology and Corrosion, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria
c Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria

10.1016/j.partic.2026.01.013

Volume 110, March 2026, Pages 195-210

Received 20 June 2025, Revised 5 November 2025, Accepted 12 January 2026, Available online 22 January 2026, Version of Record 30 January 2026.

E-mail: jordan.hristov@mail.bg; jyh@uctm.edu

Highlights

• Magnetically assisted beds in an axial magnetic field are applied for copper removal by cementation in one-pass and recirculation flow modes.

• The cementation process is considered from a general point of view as a surface-controlled mass transfer operation in packed beds with variable structures.

• Copper recovery from aqueous solutions has been evaluated by the process efficiency and correlated to both the particle Reynolds number and the Rosensweig number.

• This allows the creation of a link to the well-known relationships for packed bed mass transfer through the Scherwood number.

• Copper cementation was analyzed in different particle bed structures created in an axial magnetic field under a simultaneous action of the fluid flow.

Abstract

Results of experiments on iron cementation of copper from aqueous solutions in magnetically controlled particle beds are presented in this study. The Helmholtz pair's axial magnetic field was employed. Despite the particle bed structures created for cementation, an increase in fluid flow rate results in a decrease in external mass transfer resistance, which raises copper recovery. In a typical fixed bed with constant fluid velocity, the field intensity significantly increases the copper recovery.

When iron is utilized as a particle bed in column operation, the bed structures play a significant part in the cementation process's effective operation. The mass transfer coefficients and separation efficiencies of the frozen beds (using the Magnetization LAST mode) and the moderately enlarged magnetically stabilized beds (MSB) are nearly comparable. Nonetheless, the frozen beds outperform MSB at modest particle Reynolds and Rosensweig numbers in the one-pass flow mode (no recirculation), while MSB is more suitable for long-time operations with flow recirculations.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Copper cementation; Aqueous solutions; Magnetic field

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