The main goal of this project is separation of mineral using combined flotation and centrifugal mechanisms. These two processes are used in mineral processing plants for minerals concentration separately. So, to run this operation is needed to build a device to allow it features the two mechanisms can be used. Geometry and dimensions of the cell was designed and then the measurements obtained (before making the device) required simulations using CFD software FLUENT 6.3 simulation was performed and the geometric parameters using the simulation system were determined. Then the measurements obtained from the simulation, the desired system was manufactured. Mineral separation experiments were performed using it.
To performe the centrifugal flotation tests the samples was taken from the feed of Alborz-e-Markazi coal washing plant with d80=105 mm and 21.3% ash content, tailings of Alborz-e-Markazi with d80=125 mm and 22.2% ash content and tailings of Alborz-e-Sharghi with d80=120 mm and 33.8% ash content was used.
In the initial experiments conducted by centrifugal flotation device, maximum weight recovery of concentrate was 35.5% and minimum ash content in concentrate was 7.7%. Optimization experiments showed that increasing and decreasing in the solid percent in the pulp, increasing in the cell rotation speed and decreasing in the cell diameter, decreased the weight recovery of concentrate. However, increasing in flow rate of feed, weight recovery of concentrate increased (up to 36.6%) and the ash content in the concentrate reached to 12.1%.
Important result obtained in this project is that (according to experiments were performed in this project) time needed per unit of feed in the centrifugal flotation much less than the time needed in the conventional flotation for process with the same weight recovery and the ash content. In the other words, at the same time in the conventional and centrifugal flotation, the weight recovery of concentrate and the ash content in the centrifugal flotation, concentrate is much better than conventional flotation. Therefore, recommended that this equipment be used in the first stage of the flotation process. Then, the tailing to be transferred to conventional cells to recover the valuable materials remaining in it. This way, reduce the total residence time of ore flotation.