FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF GRAVITY SEPARATORS FOR COAL

Feed Characteristic: Feed characteristics play important role in selection of gravity separators. One of the critical parameter is feed size and distribution. A certain washer gives best results with a specific sized feed. Therefore, narrow sized feed should be fed to the washers. Example: Washer Dense Media Bath Jig Heavy Media Cyclone Spirals Preferable Size Range Large Size (+25 75 mm) Relatively Small Size (+6-25 mm) Relatively Small Size (+0.5 15 mm) Finer Size (+0.2-6 mm)

Throughput: Plant/feed throughput plays important role in sizing of the washer. More is the throughput; bigger will be dimension of the washer. Cut Density: Cut density is the specific gravity, at which the separation takes place. Every washer performs efficiently in a given range of cut density of separation. Thus, cut density of separation plays important role in washer selection. Washing Equipment Dense Media Bath Dense Media Cyclone Jig Cut gravity of separation 1.25 1.60 1.40 1.75 1.80 2.20

Near Gravity Material (NGM) : NGM plays important role in washer selection. In fact, it becomes limitation for use of certain conventional washers as high NGM. Following thumb rule is followed in India for washer selection based on NGM content: NGM 07 7 10 10 15 15 20 20 25 >25 Nature of Coal Easy Washing Coal Medium Washing Coal Difficult Washing Coal Very Difficult to Wash Coal Extremely Difficult to Wash Formidable Preferred Washer Chance Cone Dense Media Bath Jig Heavy Media Cyclone HMC with closely controlled Cut Density Now days, DMC is used with highly automated controls for maintaining cut gravity.

Organic Efficiency: Organic efficiency is defined as the ratio of actual yield obtained at desired cut ash to the theoretical yield at that particular ash. It is measure of washer performance, how accurately it can separate clean coal from gangue. Different washers have different organic efficiencies. Their selection depends upon value of concentrate to be recovered. i.e. for valuable mineral/coal, we go for higher organic efficiency. Usually, capital price of washer increases wit organic efficiency. Washing Cost: Washing cost is the expenditure made to recover one tonne of clean coal with given washer. Washing cost is also known as operating cost, and it takes into account power consumption, labour wages, land rent, maintenance cost, reagent/lubricant costs etc. In case of Dense Media

Separation, washing cost becomes a little higher as one extra media recovery circuit is also required, at the same time, magnetite is very costly and its loss is detrimental. Ep Value : Ep stands for Ecart Probable Moyen. Ep indicates degree of misplacement of clean coal or ash in vice versa. Ep is generally calculated from partition curve. Its mathematical expression is: Ep : (d25 d75)/2 Where, d25 and d75 are specific gravities at which 25 % and 75 % of the feed report to float (clean coal) respectively. It is generally considered to be independent of feed characteristic; but size of feed affects Ep of washer indeed. Therefore, another parameter, inefficiency is considered for washer selection, which takes into account the cut density of washing. Capital Cost: Capital cost is a major factor affecting washer selection. Small operators have a tendency to go for cheap equipments where as for greater capacity and long life plant, more efficient, and easy washing equipments are preferred over the low cost equipments. Washer Dense Media Bath Jig Dense Media Cyclone Typical washing costs Rs.55pt Rs.40pt Rs.60pt Capital Cost Rs.90crores Rs.100crores Rs.80crores

Footprint: Area required for the installation of the equipment is called its footprint. Less footprint washers are preferred over others, as with increase in footprint, land requirement increases; sometimes leading to major changes in the plant lay out. With increase in footprint, maintenance cost etc. also increases.