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UNIVERSITY OF NATAL
KING GEORGE V AVENUE D U R B A N 4001 TELEPHONE: 359192
INTRODUCTION
The aim of the work was mainly to determine the optimum working
conditions which could give maximum retention and minimum pol loss.
Illovo mill has three new filters of adequate capacity for their
crushing rate. All analyses considered necessary for a good control
have been carried out. Optimum operational recommendations are made
in this report. It is hoped that they will prove to be helpful.
PROCEDURE
Each test was conducted over 2 hours. Samples of primary mud. feed
cake and filtrates were collected at 10-12 minute intervals.
Primary mud samples were taken from the mud pumps on the clarifiers.
Filter feed was sampled at the overflow of the filter feed tank.
Filter cake was taken across the whole length of the filter drum
at vacuum breaking point.
The amount of bagacillo added to the clarifier mud was weighed and
a representative sample was kept for a screen test to obtain size
distribution.
Time taken for one complete revolution of the drum was noted
for each filter. Temperature of feed and wash water were also
recorded. The quantity of wash water used on cake was calculated
from brix of feed and filtrates.
The distribution of feed across the whole length of the filter was
noted as well as the speed of the mud agitator.
Low and high vacuum, which are closely associated with good operation
of filters, were noted during investigations.
DISCUSSION
Consequently low pol percent cake will show good performance only
if it is accompanied by a filtrate of reasonably high purity. Data
from analyses carried out at Illovo are listed, below in Tables 1,
2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
TABLE 1
o,
Brix Purity % mud Fibre/mud "5 Total
solids ratio fibre insoluable solids
TABLE 2
Feed Cake
% Fibre/ Fibre/
Brix mud mud Pol
mud Fibre
o. Solids M.solids % Solids in Filters
Feed Purity solids 'o
i
ratio in cake fibre ratio cake
2,40
10,14 85,2 4,77 3,10 0,649 11,10 8,70 0,783 1,70 2
1,40 3
1,83 Average j
TABLE 3
FILTRATE ANALYSIS
TABLE 4
TABLE 5
OPERATING CONDITIONS
TABLE 6
2,36 mm 1,0
1,00 mm 7,0 14 1,17 4,0
0, 60 mm 23,8 22 0,77 22,0
0, 30 mm 41,2 44 0,33 46,0
passing thro' 27,0 passing thro 1
28,0
100.0 100,0
2. Mud solids in feed was very near the optimum (5,0 - 5,5 %) .
5. Low and drying vacuum which are closely associated with pol
in cake and retention were within the recommended range.
REC OMMENDATIONS
The fibre mud solids ratio in feed averages 0,649. It should be kept
around 0,400 which has proved to be the optimum at a relatively low
drum speed.
More wash water could also be applied on cake if the filtrate pumps
were of adequate capacity.
SMRI TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 1141 .6
The amount of water required for a good washing at 160 tch will
3
be 15-16 m / h r or about 16 tons/hr.
3
Pump capacity required for filtrates will be m / h r at the above
dilution. It is also strongly recommended that lime be added to mud
before the feed tank. The use of lime saccharate will be preferable
because of better reaction time, better floe and no possible
clogging of screens.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PH/DM
SMRI
23/6/78