Optimum flotation cells configuration for Zarnd coal washing plant

Document Type : research - paper

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Abstract

The optimum flotation cells configuration is sought in order to achieve the desired metallurgical objectives. At the coal washing plants, metallurgical parameters such as yield and ash content of the concentrate are considered in reaching the optimum circuit. Modelling is used to calculate the metallurgical parameters of any possible configuration. Considering the operation objectives, some of parameters are superior to others. In order to implement this, by using the sum-of-weighted method and allocating higher weights to more important parameters, an optimum circuit configuration is found which provides a product with the desired characteristics. At Zarand coal washing plant, to calculate metallurgical parameters the first order kinetics approach was used. Since by variation of particle size, their flotation rate also change, it was decided to use the particle size as the criterion to separate various feed species. Results showed that with a 95 % confidence the absolute difference between the modeled and plants values were between 2.9 and 5.5% for the yield and 0.4-1.1 % for the concentrate ash content. By using the sum-of-weighted method all possible combinations of weights were evaluated. Among the three recommended flotation circuit configurations, one was implemented in the plant because of its practicality. The monitoring of the implemented circuit showed that a product with an acceptable quality (ash content lower than 11%) along with an increase from the original yield of 57.6% to 65.8% was achieved.
 

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References

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  • Receive Date: 20 July 2014
  • Revise Date: 16 September 2014
  • Accept Date: 29 September 2014

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