Abstract

The influence of the parameters feed rate, feed percent solids, air flowrate, washwater flowrate, frother concentration, collector concentration and froth depth on the metallurgy of a pilot flotation column was investigated based on the efficiency index of coal fines ground to 96% < 600 µm. The approach taken was to bring the flotation column’s performance close to optimum using a first order statistical design followed by the steepest ascent technique. A second order statistical experimental design was then employed to examine the influence of the operating parameters on the efficiency index. The study identified feed rate, feed percent solids and frother concentration in that order as having the greatest influence on the efficiency index. It was observed that there is significant interaction between the feed percent solids and air flowrate, feed percent solids and frother concentration, feed rate and froth depth, feed rate and feed percent solids, air flowrate and froth depth, collector concentration and froth depth, frother concentration and collector concentration, and between the washwater flowrate and collector concentration. Three parameter interactions which were statistically significant were between the feed rate, feed percent solids and air flowrate and between the feed percent solids, air flowrate and froth depth.

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