ERIE, Pa., March 8, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eriez Minerals Flotation Group has manufactured five StackCell® flotation units for three coal processors located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. The units have been installed in three unique applications processing -150 micron (-100 Mesh) coal. The first application uses three StackCells in series as a stand-alone flotation circuit. The other two sites use a single cell to augment the existing flotation circuits, which were substantially overloaded.
Eriez Minerals Flotation Group introduced the StackCell flotation concept in 2009. The innovative technology recovers fine particles more efficiently than mechanical flotation cells. "We've taken the inherent advantages of mechanical flotation and adapted them to a new design that is significantly smaller and requires less energy," explained Eriez Vice President Mike Mankosa. "We focused on reducing the retention time and energy consumption by implementing a completely different approach to the flotation process. The new approach provides all the performance advantages of column flotation while greatly reducing capital, installation and operation costs."
At the core of StackCell a proprietary feed aeration system concentrates the energy used to generate bubbles and provide bubble/particle contact into a relatively small volume. An impeller in the aeration chamber located in the center of the cell shears the air into extremely fine bubbles in the presence of feed slurry, thereby promoting bubble/particle contact. Unlike conventional, mechanically- agitated flotation cells, the energy imparted to the slurry is used solely to generate bubbles rather than to maintain particles in suspension. This leads to reduced mixing in the cell and shorter residence time requirements.
The StackCell sparging system operates with low pressure, energy efficient blowers that decrease power consumption by 50 percent compared to air compressors or multi-stage blowers used in other flotation devices.
The low-profile StackCell design features an annular wash water system for washing froth on the exterior of the cell as it travels to the launder. The new flotation technology also takes advantage of a cell-to-cell configuration to minimize short-circuiting and improve recovery rates. Space requirements for the StackCell design are approximately half of equivalent column circuits, with corresponding reductions in weight leading to reductions in installation costs. Units can be shipped fully assembled and lifted into place without the need for field fabrication. They can be easily retrofitted into existing operations with new cells located directly up or downstream from the current flotation circuit.
Eriez Minerals Flotation Group's technical expertise has secured its position as a world leader in advanced flotation technology. The company is committed to providing state-of-the-art equipment for new and existing mining and processing operations worldwide. Our highly qualified mineral processing engineers bring years of plant engineering experience to each customer's project. The Eriez Minerals Flotation Group Canadian office is located at Unit 1 - 7168 Honeyman Street, Delta, BC Canada, V4G 1G1 and the Brazilian office on Av. Getúlio Vargas , nº 456 – 12º andar, Funcionarios - Belo Horizonte MG, Brasil CEP 30112-020. Eriez' Worldwide Headquarters is located at 2200 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506. More information is available online at http://www.eriez.com/flotation.
Contact: Keith Jones, Eriez 814 8356256 kjones@eriez.com
Serving the Aggregates, Coal and Minerals Processing industries, Eriez Minerals Flotation Group is comprised of a skilled process engineering team with substantial experience in metallurgical testing and process design. Services range from evaluative studies through equipment design, fabrication and commissioning.
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The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | Eriez StackCell® |