Abstract
Flotation is a surface-based separation process whose rate depends on the availability of bubble surface. The flotation column operational parameter controlling the availability of bubble surface is the gas velocity which emerges as a key design and scale-up parameter. The optimum gas velocity for column flotation has been identified to be in the bubbly flow regime [1,2]. By using dimensional analysis, it is shown here that the maximum gas velocity for the existence of bubbly flow conditions in flotation columns is given by Ug,max = 0.11Dc0.5. It is shown that all large diameter flotation columns are being operated in the bubbly flow regime but at gas velocities lower than 50% of the maximum predicted values.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1279-1286 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Minerals Engineering |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1993 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Control and Systems Engineering
- General Chemistry
- Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
- Mechanical Engineering