Improving the performance of the dynamic air separator of the pelletizing plant of the GoleGohar Mining and Industrial Company

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Dept. of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

This study focuses on improving the performance of a dynamic air separator in the pelletizing plant of GoleGgohar Mining and Industrial Company. The research combines simulation tools such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Discrete Element Method (DEM), laboratory measurements, and field observations to analyze the separator's performance and identify operational issues. The study investigates the impact of various operational parameters on the separator's efficiency and sensitivity to each parameter. Two control strategies for adjusting the cage rotation speed were tested, revealing that constant cage speed resulted in a finer product with less fluctuation in the Blaine number in compare with the variable cage speed (from 1154±240 to 1195±72 cm²/g). The accumulation of fine particles (average size of 7 μm) in the volute chamber was identified, attributed to issues such as improper discharge valve operation, uneven air distribution, and reduced bag filter efficiency. Corrective measures, including adjusting the cyclone discharge valve, repositioning damper plates, increasing air velocity, and modifying the cage guide vanes, reduced material deposition in the volute chamber from 30% to 10% of the cross-sectional area. DEM simulations highlighted the importance of uniform feed distribution on the separator's efficiency, leading to a proposed design modification that improved feed distribution and improved particle distribution relative standard deviation from 30% to 5%.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 16 April 2025

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