Aggloflotation of Bituminous Coal in a New Designed Cell

Abstract

This study investigated the enrichment of high-ash bituminous coal by aggloflotation technique implemented within a new designed experimental cell. At the same time, this paper aimed to introduce the newly designed aggloflotation cell. This novel cell uniquely integrates the agglomeration and flotation processes into a single, unified unit, thereby simplifying the overall processing sequence. A coal sample, sourced from the Zonguldak & Ccedil;atala & gbreve;z & imath; coal preparation plant, was subjected to a series of tests under varied operational conditions including pH levels, agglomeration time, binder dosage, mixing speed, frother dosage, and dispersant. The performance of the aggloflotation process was evaluated by examining key metrics such as the concentrate's ash content, weight yield, and the combustible recovery. Notably, the experimental outcomes demonstrated that the new designed cell was efficient in processing ultra-fine bituminous coal in a single-stage operation. The process reduced the agglomeration time from 30 minute to just 5 minute, indicating substantial potential for both time and energy savings. Preliminary observations indicate that integrating both processes in one cell may also simplify process control. The outcomes suggest that this experimental setup represents a viable option for coal enrichment, inviting further investigation to determine its potential benefits.