TECHNOLOGIES IN USE FOR THE PROCESSING OF FINE COAL

W Erasmus and F Bornman; J de Korte*

Multotec Process Equipment (Pty) Ltd, Spartan, South Africa, 1619
CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa, 2000*

ABSTRACT

Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel and about 42% of the world electricity is generated through coal fired
power stations. However, mechanized mining has led to an increase in the quantity of fine coal production.
The value of the fine coal necessitated the selection of the correct equipment for the gravity beneficiation of
this coal. On the other hand, fine coal might be unwanted; it all depends on the coal, the market and the
decision makers. Each technology in use for the processing of fine coal therefore has its own place in the
process flow diagram. Technologies have improved, DMS cyclones can treat the particle range spirals
would normally do, while efficiency still remains good. Spirals have low capital and operating costs, the
teeter bed separator offers a low cut point and water only cyclones are cheaper to operate than froth
flotation. The paper addresses the different technologies available for the beneficiation of fine coal and
their space and place in the coal processing industry.

KEYWORDS

Teetered bed separator; Reflux classifier; Spiral concentrator; Water only cyclone; Dense Medium;
Flotation; Coal; Beneficiation

INTRODUCTION

The increase in the amount and value of fine coal led to a need in the industry for a reassessment of the
principles for the selection of the correct equipment for the gravity beneficiation of fine coal particles. With
the increase in fine coal production caused by mechanised mining and the need to utilise as much of the
mined coal as possible, increased attention is being given to the beneficiation of this material. Up to 15% of
run - of - mine coal can be in the minus 0.5mm fraction and economically this material should not be
discarded or sold at a low price as an inferior product.

On the other hand, coal in South Africa is difficult to separate. In some instances, fines might be unwanted.
For Medupi power station the -4mm fines are not washed. Eskom does not want the fines and have put a
limitation on the % fines which can be present in the feed. It is not always necessary to beneficiate all the
coal. The technologies in use for the processing of fine coal include teetered bed separators; reflux
separators; spiral concentrators; water only cyclones and fine dense media cyclones. The application of
these technologies depends on the market, it depends on the requirement to beneficiate the fine coal or not.

TEETERED BED SEPARATORS

The teetered bed separator (TBS) is also known as a hindered settling classifier. The TBS uses a continuous
upward current of water to suspend particles of a predetermined size (-3+.25mm) or gravity (density). The
water introduced at the bottom of the column has the greatest velocity. When the falling feed particles
achieve the same velocity as the upward current they will not fall any longer. In this teetered state, coal
particles will classify themselves so that the coarse particles report to the bottom of the

Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 129

V. Litvinenko (ed.), XVIII International Coal Preparation Congress,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-40943-6_19
130 W. Erasmus et al.

column. The finer particles disperse to the higher levels of the column where they stay suspended. An
overflow allows for the discharge of the finer or lighter material from the classification. A pressure
sensitive device is inserted into the teetering pulp to give an indication of its specific gravity, which is used
to control the separation taking place in the device. The pressure sensitive device is used to provide a
variable signal to operate a valve that controls the discharge of the coarse/heavy material that has
accumulated at the bottom of the column. The fundamental operation of the TBS is simple but the TBS is
sensitive to particle size. The teetered bed, however, is able to obtain a low cut-point.

Figure 1: Teetered bed separator

REFLUX CLASSIFIER

A reflux classifier separates small particles based on a difference in density or particle size. The feed
distributor delivers the slurry into the reflux classifier then undergoes a sorting process due to the force of
gravity and the up flow of fluidisation water.

At the bottom of the mixing chamber, a higher density bed of settling solids is formed. The high density
bed is kept in suspension by sets of incoming fluidisation water at the base of the chamber. The coarse and
fine low density particles that may be trapped in the dense fluidised bed tend to be sorted upward due to the
turbulent motion created by the fluidisation water injected from below. The high density particles sink to
the bottom of the fluidised bed due to gravity and migrate to the central underflow valve.

The density of the middle section in the mixing chamber is measured and used to determine when to allow
high density solids to be discharged from the bottom of the reflux classifier fluidisation chamber via the
central underflow valve. The low density particles are held in the slurry suspension and migrate to the
lamella section for the reflux classifier. The lamella channels enhance the settling rate of any misplaced fine
high density solids, which slide down the plates and slowly re-circulate back into the bed zone of the
mixing chamber. The low density and small particles tend to overflow from the reflux. The overflow from
the reflux classifier contains most of the process water, the low density solids and any misplaced slimes in
the feed.
SPIRAL CONCENTRATORS

Spirals are a flowing film concentrator. The capital cost is relative low with virtually no operating cost.
Spirals are robust and simple to operate, however they do not always get the attention they should. Spirals
need to be washed regularly, one needs to check for blockages and they should not be overfed and not be