A fine coal circuitry study using column flotation and gravity separation. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995

Abstract

Column flotation provides excellent recovery of ultrafine coal while producing low ash content concentrates. However, column flotation is not efficient for treating fine coal containing significant amounts of mixed-phase particles. Fortunately, enhanced gravity separation has proved to have the ability to treat the mixed-phased particles more effectively. A disadvantage of gravity separation is that ultrafine clay particles are not easily rejected. Thus, a combination of these two technologies may provide a circuit that maximizes both the ash and sulfur rejection that can be achieved by physical coal cleaning while maintaining a high energy recovery. This project is studying the potential of using different combinations of gravity separators, i.e., a Floatex hydrosizer and a Falcon Concentrator, and a proven flotation column, which will be selected based on previous studies by the principle investigator. During this reporting period, an in-plant Box-Behnken test program of the Floatex hydrosizer has been conducted at Kerr-McGee`s Galatia preparation plant. The results have shown that the Floatex hydrosizer can be successfully used to reject most of coarser ({plus}100 mesh) pyrite and mineral matter in the coal stream to the plant. With a single operation, ash rejection of 63% and total sulfur rejection of 43% have been achievedmore » while maintaining a combustible recovery as high as 90.5%. A long term duration test under the optimum operating conditions determined from Box-Behnken test results has also been conducted. The feed samples for the following enhanced gravity - column flotation studies, which will be carried out in the next reporting period, have been collected.« less