MIPThickenerDesign

Thefollowingisashortcuttodesigningyourownthickener:

(a) SizeofThickener

Asafirststabwecaneitherusethethickenerflux(m2/tpd)ortheriserate,dependingifsolidsloadingis
thedominant(eg.PlatinumTailings)orfeedflowrate(e.g.Clarificationorlowfeedsolids).

Say,wehaveacoaltailingsapplicationandtestworkshowsariserateof2m/hwithapulpfeedflow
rateof200m3/h.

Thus,RiseRate = PulpFlowRate
Area

Thus,Area = D2 = PulpFlowRate
4 RiseRate

D = 4xFlowrate = 4x200
xRiserate3.14x2

= 11.3

Use12mdiameter

(b) Torquerequirement

Inordertoselectthedriveweneedtocalculatethetorquerequired.Afactor(ZFactor)isusedbased
onthefollowing:

Materialtype
Particlesizedistribution
Sizerange
Thickenertype
Underflowdensityrequired
Rheology

So,youneedtocheckwithcleverprocessguysatMIPbeforeusingavalue!!

Now,

T=Torque = KxD2

Where T = Maxoperatingtorqueinft.lbs

D = Thickenerdiameterinfeet

TypicalKFactorsare:

Lightduty: 510
Mediumduty: 1020
Heavyduty: 2035
Extraheavyduty: >35

Thereforefora12mdiameterhighratethickenerwiththecoaltailingsduty,wecanusemediumduty
(KFactorof15)

Note:

Torque = 15x(12x3.281)2 1m=3.281ft.

= 23252x1.35Nm
1ft.lb=1.35Nm
= 31390Nm

FromtheMIPrangeofgearboxes,(below),wewouldselectaRR2500,withamaximumTorquevalueof
36000Nm.

MIPPROCESSTECHNOLOGIESTHICKENERGEARBOXTABLE

GearboxType InstalledTorque(Nm)
RR70 1200
RR120 2000
RR220 2500
RR320 5500
RR520 7000
RR620 8500
RR820 14500
RR1200 17500
RR1800 24000
RR2500 36000
RR3200 45000
RR5200 62000
RR6500 105000
RR8000 155000
RR15000 300000
RR20000 330000
RR25000 420000
RR30000 460000
RR40000 720000
RR55000 900000
RR65000 1300000
Thus,actualKfactor=17.1


(c) Gearboxoutputspeed

Wegenerallyoperateatathickenerrakespeedof8to12m/min

Thusgearboxoutputrpm=

= raketipspeed(m/min)
xdiameter(m)

= 8
X12

= 0.21rpm

(d) Electricmotorsizing

Tosizeanelectricmotor,wewouldusethefollowingcalculation;

P = 2NT N=ActualGearboxoutputspeedrpm
60xEx1000 T=Triptorque(Nm)
E=Overallefficiency=0.5
P=Power(kW)

Therefore,forour10mthickener,

P = 2xTTx0.21x36000
60x0.5x1000
= 1.6kW

= Use2.2kW

Wewouldnotrecommendbeingtightinmotorselectionsincethepricedifferenceofbeing
conservativeinelectricmotorselectionisminimal.