Effect of flotation promoter on the rate of coal slime flotation

Abstract

The new flotation promoter (PGS) was synthesized with natural cottonseed oil and industrial by-products, and the new emulsified flotation agent (ZFC) for coal was prepared by 3% PGS promoter, 27% diesel oil and 70% water. The ZFC and diesel oil were used as collector to do the flotation rate experiments with two 1/3 coking coal samples, and first-level flotation dynamics equation was applied to fit dynamics equation of the two coal samples. By comparing the flotation rate constant, the flotation rate constant of using ZFC as collector was greater than the one of diesel oil. The ZFC agent flotation rate was faster than the diesel oil. The contact angle measurements, FTIR and the wetting heat measurements were processed with raw coal slime and coal slime treated by PGS promoter, it was indicated that chemisorption occurred between promoter and coal particle surface, the non-polar group of the promoter was outside, that improved the hydrophobicity of the coal particleto speed up the spreading of hydrocarbon oil on the coal surface; the adsorption strength and stability between emulsified oil and coal particle were improved, which made the coal particle not easily fall with the bubbles rising, consequently enhanced the flotation rate.