Dynamic modeling of mineral bed mobility in centrifugal concentrators

The article discusses a method for determining the effective parameters of centrifugal concentrators with fluidization of a mineral bed with water through holes in the walls of a rotating cone. The device and the principle of operation of a laboratory setup for studying the constrained movement of mineral particles in a centrifugal field are described. Also, the optimization of the degree of loosening of the mineral bed in the centrifugal concentrator is considered. It was established experimentally that with existing water flow rates the condition of the mineral bed was close to the pressed state. Using the developed method of optimizing the ratio of water pressure in the fluidization system and the separation factor, the optimum water pressure and its flow rate were calculated in laboratory conditions. As a result, it was possible to raise the extraction during the first stage of gravity concentration by 2%. Therefore, it was determined that the degree of loosening depends on the correlation of the separation factor and the water pressure in the fluidization system. Based on the proposed approach, it is possible to develop an automation system to adjust the parameters of the centrifugal concentrators. Based on the results of calculating the balance of the concentration process in the gold extraction plant at the Kedrovskoe deposit, it was established that the application of the proposed methodology helped to improve the efficiency of the centrifugal free-flow concentrator.