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Title: Applications of air-sparged hydrocyclone technology

Journal Article · · PETC Review (Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center); (United States)
OSTI ID:5333663

A fine-particle separation methodology, air-sparged hydrocyclone (ASH) flotation, has been under development since the early 1980s at the Univ. of Utah and at Advanced Processing Technologies, Inc. (APT), with sponsorship from the USDOE. The technology combines froth-flotation principles with the flow characteristics of a hydrocyclone in such a manner that the system can perform flotation separations in a matter of seconds, compared with minutes required in conventional flotation cells. This feature provides the air-sparged hydrocyclone with a high specific capacity, 100 to 600 times greater than that of conventional or column flotation processes. One of the most promising applications of ASH has been in fine coal cleaning. Several pioneering research programs carried out by the above organizations have demonstrated the effectiveness of ASH technology for a number of US, Canadian, Mexican, and South African coals. In February 1991, APT began a 2-year program to install, test, and evaluate both 6- and 15-inch (ASH-6C and ASH-15C) diameter units at Penelec's Homer City Coal Preparation Plant. Results indicated that with one stage of ASH-15C flotation, a clean coal product containing less than 8% ash was prepared at greater than 90%, combustible recovery from a feed containing about 20% ash.

OSTI ID:
5333663
Journal Information:
PETC Review (Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center); (United States), Vol. 9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English