Enhanced Bauxite Recovery Using a Flotation Column Packed with Multilayers of Medium

Pengyu Zhang,Yuteng Zhu,Wencai Zhang,Zicheng Zhu,Leming Ou

doi:10.3390/min10070594

Abstract

An innovative self-designed medium was packed in a bench-scale flotation column to study its influence on the flotation recovery of bauxite. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was conducted to reveal the impact of the packing medium on the turbulent characteristics of collection zone in the column. Simulation results show that multilayer packing of the medium divides the collection zone into small units having different turbulent intensities, which is more suitable for flotation separation. The packing medium decreases the turbulence kinetic energy (from 1.08 × 10−2 m2/s2 to 2.1 × 10−3 m2/s2), turbulence eddy dissipation (from 3.71 × 10−2 m2/s3 to 9.8 × 10−3 m2/s3) and axial fluid velocity of fluid in the column. With three layers of packing, the recovery of Al2O3 increased by 2.11% and the aluminum to silicon content ratio of the concentrate improved from 5.16 to 9.72.

Highlights

Unlike the intensively turbulent environment formed in conventional flotation cell, counter current flotation column usually develops a mild fluid environment [1,2]
Column flotation tests were performed on the bauxite ore to evaluate the impact of the packing medium on flotation performance
When slurry enters the flotation column, particles that are easy to float are collected in the upper low turbulence unit, while particles that are difficult to float can be collected in the high turbulence unit at the bottom

Summary

Introduction

Unlike the intensively turbulent environment formed in conventional flotation cell, counter current flotation column usually develops a mild fluid environment [1,2]. Traditional packing media used in flotation column include sieve plates [12,13] and multiple board ripple packings [14]. Multiple board ripple packings are usually comprised of corrugated plates in a staggered arrangement. In this way, the collection zone of a flotation column is divided into several narrow spaces, thereby mineral particles and bubbles collide in a counter current manner. Farzanegan et al [16] investigated the Minerals 2020, 10, 594; doi:10.3390/min10070594 www.mdpi.com/journal/minerals

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