Development of an engineering model for nickel loading onto an iminodiacetic resin for resin-in-pulp applications: Part III — Verification of hybrid correlation

The hybrid correlation was developed in Part II of this work under conditions where the concentration of nickel was held constant in the feed solution (infinite solution volume conditions). In this paper, the correlation is shown to hold for single element loading from synthetic solutions under finite solution volume conditions. This is achieved by using it to predict the performance of batch tests where the nickel concentration in the feed solution varied, and to predict the performance of a five stage resin-in-pulp miniplant. Furthermore, a modified Helfferich number is presented which allows one to estimate the changes in rate-limiting step of an ion exchange resin bead as it loads.

► Ion exchange batch tests with varying nickel concentration. ► Five stage RIP miniplant circuit for copper and nickel. ► Hybrid correlation model validated. ► Modified Helfferich number developed to monitor changes in rate-determining step.