Author: Steve EvansAuthor: Steve Evans
Understanding the Baleen Filter
(Self Cleaning Micro Screen) with reference
to the recovery and upgrade of fine coal
from the feed to thickeners.
Research & Development
• Five year program with the University of Australia in
collaboration with industry.•It was conceived by a general need for a cost effective
continuous self cleaning micro screen, capable of screening
non-filterable contaminants.•Hence the birth of the Baleen Filter •Markets extending across the meat, wood, pulp & paper,
wine & beverage, food & dairy, aquaculture, vehicle &
manufacturing, sewage and mining industries.
Unique Self Cleaning Micro Screen
The Baleen technology, protected by International patents
1. Feed to header
tank
2. Filtrate/undersize
3. ‘Double act’ of high
pressure,
low volume spray
bar
4. Screen discharge/
dewatering of
oversize solids
5. Dewatering bin (for
batch operations )
FEED
FILTRATE
SCREEN
Figure 2: Operation of the Baleen filter (a) Filtration (a snapshot without self-cleaning flows)
Filtration Zone
FEED
FILTRATE
SCREEN
Figure 2: Operation of the Baleen filter (b) Cleaning of the filtration zone (by counter flow)
Filtration Zone
FEED
FILTRATE
SCREEN
Figure 2: Operation of the Baleen filter (c) Clearing from the filtration zone (by counter/clearing flows)
Filtration Zone
The Baleen Filter in Operation on fine coal in feed to a thickener
Technical Performance - Filtration Spectrum
Secondary Treatment-Biological & Physico-Chemical
Primary Treatment-Physical Tertiary Treatment - Physico-Chemical
COARSE SCREENING
FINE SCREENING
BALEEN MICRO-SCREENING Physico-Chemical
Micro-Filtration
Ultra-filtration
The Baleen Filter separates both solid & sticky matter to specific micron rating for collection.
PollutantMicronRating
10,000 1,000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
TreatmentMethod
FiltrationMethod
Nano Filtration
The use of the Baleen Filter – Self Cleaning Micro Screen for fine coal separation
.Trials have been run on the feed to a thickener
. The objective was to-
Upgrade the coal.
Maximize mass recovery
To sell coal that is presently being discarded.
Trial 1Thickener FeedScreen Aperture 125 micronAverage ResultsFeed CV Product CV Feed Ash Product Ash Mass RecoveryMJ/Kg Mj/Kg % % %17.66 23.75 41.00 22,16 86.90
Graph Shows individual sample results on the 125 micron screen.Increase in CV of 34.48%Decrease in ash of 45%Mass recovery of 86.9%
Baleen Filter Installation
Screen Aperture 125 micronFlow Rate 580 m3phFeed to plant 35 tphMass Recovery 86.9 %Product Recovered 30.41 tphSaleable coal recovered 21 500 tons per monthBaleen Filter 60W15 – 304SS – T1 Cost Estimate R3 000 000.00 ex vatCoal Price US$45 per ton (Export) or R70
per ton (Local/ power station)Additional Income R7 546 500 or R1 505 000 per
monthPayback 2 weeks or 2 months
(Depending on where the coal is sold)is sold)
Trial 2Thickener FeedScreen Aperture 140 micronAverage ResultsFeed CV Product CV Feed Ash Product Ash Mass RecoveryMJ/Kg Mj/Kg % % %20.65 25.68 32.25 20.82 53.55
Graph Shows individual sample results on the 140 micron screen.Increase in CV by 24.35%Decrease in ash by 35,44%Mass Recovery 53.55%
Screen Aperture 90 micronAverage resultsFeed CV Product CV Feed Ash Product Ash Mass RecoveryMJ/Kg Mj/Kg % % %19.07 24.72 35.96 20.03 62.80
Graph Shows individual sample results on the 90 micron screen.Increase in CV by 29.62%Decrease in the ash by 44.3%Mass Recovery of 62.80%
Baleen Filter Installation
Screen Aperture 90 micronFlow Rate 826 m3phFeed to plant 40 tphMass Recovery 62.80 %Product Recovered 25.12 tphSaleable coal recovered 18 000 tons per monthBaleen Filter 80W15 – 304SS – T1 Cost Estimate R4 000 000.00 ex vatCoal Price US$45 per ton (Export) or R70
per ton (Local/ power station)Additional Income R6 318 000 or R1 260 000 per
monthPayback 3 weeks or 3 months (Depending
on where the coal is sold)
Benefits to Installing a Baleen Filter prior to the Thickener
•Recover saleable coal
•Take solid load off the thickener
•Increase the life of the discard slimes dam
•Reduce size of discard slimes dams
•Improve washing plant yield
In order to understand the full extent of both equipment scale up and economics it is advisable to run a Baleen Filter on site and quantify all the necessary benefits.