CFD Simulation of Gas-Liquid Flow in a Large Scale Flotation Cell

Abstract

The actual performance of a new flotation cell is commonly examined through industrial tests. Since the controlled environment of industrial tests differ from laboratory tests, we cannot know the hydrodynamic features in flotation cells and these features are difficult to examine in the industrial test situations. CFD simulation of flotation cells provides a tool that can predict the hydrodynamic features and analyse the influence of variations in design features and operating conditions on the performance of flotation cells. A large scale flotation cell designed by BGRIMM has been modelled by using the Eulerian two-fluid method. Complex gas-liquid flow fields within the cells and the gas volume fraction are predicted. The surface velocity of gas, the power required at varying impeller speeds and gas flow rates have been found and compared against measured values obtained from industrial tests. The effects of some boundary conditions, such as the outlet setting and the timescale, which are important to the model, have been discussed. The effects of impeller speed and gas flow rate on the flow fields in the large scale flotation cell have been investigated using computational modelling. In general, the modelling method is suitable for the large scale flotation cell, and the model can give good information for investigations on the design and operation of flotation cells.