เกจ์วัดแก๊สหุงต้ม pumping remains some of the advanced engineering challenges in mineral processing. Here, Weir Minerals presents recommendation for dealing with the key challenges in this operation, how to maximise pump availability and minimise maintenance in operators’ flotation circuits.
To counteract declining ore grades, increasingly mine operators are investing in methods to extend the minerals reclaimed from froth pumping. However, when these methods are deployed with out making allowances for the design of the mine’s froth pumping tools, it can end result in the lack of priceless minerals and earnings.
Froth pumping remains one of the complicated engineering challenges in mineral processing. This is largely due to the reality that air administration points within the hopper, sump and pump itself can sometimes result in inefficient pumping, increased upkeep and even lost product.
“We’ve started to notice a pattern among our clients who are having hassle with their froth pumps,” said Les Harvey, regional product manager for Slurry Pumps at Weir Minerals. “By using extra flocculants and other chemicals designed to enhance mineral restoration, they’re exacerbating current issues in circuit design and decreasing the returns they’re looking for.”
Close examination of the froth’s makeup and physical qualities is often needed to resolve points. Ensuring operators’ froth dealing with gear adheres to greatest design practices is an important first step in resolving problems.
Maintaining pressure The key challenge in froth pumping is coping with air in the pump itself, as it tends to naturally centrifuge into the impeller’s eye, where it builds up into an “air lock” which impedes the motion of slurry by way of the pump.
In addition to decreasing the pump’s effectivity, the air build-up within the pump will cut back its flow and improve the slurry stage within the suction hopper. The increased slurry stage could push the pocket of air by way of the pump, inflicting surging and excessive vibration which may harm the pump bearings, impeller and shaft. “The greatest way to manage air in a froth pump is to spend cash on a froth pump with a steady air removing system (CARS), which we’ve in our Warman AHF, MF and LF pumps,” says Harvey.
This system allows air to maneuver from the pump’s impeller eye to an air assortment chamber within the back by way of a vent hole in the impeller. From the chamber, a flow inducer removes the air from the pump through a vent pipe. “It’s also necessary to position the pump’s discharge pipe on the high of the pump, or at a 45° angle as this can give air trapped on the top of the casing a method to escape the pump.”
Solving issues “A persistent drawback we see is when hoppers designed to fulfill the demands of slurry pumping are used in a froth pumping software. Slurry hoppers require turbulence to prevent the mineral content material from settling, while turbulence in a froth pump prevents the air from escaping and results in blockages,” said Harvey.
Tanks designed for froth pumping promote steady round motion, the place solids and liquids are sent to the surface of the sump for further transport whereas air centrifuges into the centre where it might be removed. This ‘whirlpool’ movement could be inspired by introducing the slurry from the highest of the tank at a tangential angle. Conical designs, quite than those with a flat or rounded floor, additional enhance the move of minerals and froth into the pump.
Smooth crusing To prevent blockages, the intake pipe which hyperlinks the tank to the pump ought to have a large diameter and slope downwards towards the pump. This design allows escaped air to separate and travel back up the pipe where it could escape from the sump, quite than building up into blockages.
“The shorter your intake pipe, the harder it’s for blockages to construct up. However, in addition to a maintenance spool and isolation valve, it’s a good idea to go away enough area for a water injection port, which is helpful for flushing out any solids construct up,” said Harvey.
“To make upkeep easier, a dump valve may be included on the suction aspect of the pump, between the pump and the isolation valve. This will enable users to empty slurry from the pump and the discharge pipe system when stopping the pump for upkeep.”
Tenacious froths Froths are often categorised as either brittle, with large air bubbles that break easily, or tenacious, where air types tight bubbles round minerals and is difficult to separate. Froth being extra tenacious than was accounted for is a frequent explanation for blockages as air can’t successfully be eliminated.
“Two things are taking place available within the market right now. On one hand, mine operators are grinding the product much finer than before to liberate more from the waste rock. They’re additionally using flocculants that produce much smaller bubbles which lock up the air a lot more than brittle froths,” stated Harvey. “We’re working along with customers to seek out methods to handle these extra tenacious froths, by taking a glance at their circuit design and dealing with areas where the air may accumulate and block the system, paying explicit consideration to their pumps, pipes and sumps.
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November 3, 2023
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