Manipulating the nature of slurry flows to overcome production and maintenance challenges
DR STEVE ALGIE CONSULTANT, FLOCEP PTY LTD
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What is PROmotion™ Technology? PROmo&on Technology is the basis for:
• a family of devices that
• solve problems arising from the inherent tendency for
• segrega&on of the solids within slurry flows
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Engineering models (usefully) simplify reality
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Newitt’s slurry flow classification (single particle size)
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Fully suspended
Suspended with moving bed
Suspended with salta?on (par?cles ‘hop’ along pipe)
Blocked pipe Len?cular deposits
Sta?onary deposits with ripples In
creasin
g velocity
Increasing solids concentra?on
FLOprep unit
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• Flow prepara?on upstream of hydrocyclone distributor
• Solids loading ≈60%; high abrasion index (47)
• FLOprep installed 2012 • Projected life 188 weeks
• Flow rate changes have not affected performance
• Accepted and performance validated by client
Evolu&on Mining -‐ Edna May Opera&ons
FLOdistributor
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Evolu&on Mining -‐ Edna May Opera&ons
During installa&on in a scheduled 12-‐hour shut-‐down
In use
FLOdistributor
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Evolu&on Mining -‐ Edna May Opera&ons
• Gold recovery increased from ≈90% to ≈ 94%
• Stable performance allows op&mal process opera&ons
• Maintenance costs reduced 95% • uniform wear on cyclones
• Underflow densi&es uniform to 1% solids (74-‐75%) • Maintenance intervals increased from 3 days to 4 months • Cyclone life cycle increased from 3 weeks to 4 months • Rubber-‐lined spools not replaced in more than two years’ opera&on (previous ceramic spools had 16 week life)
MAXbend®
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The situa?on: • Most severe loca?on in the plant for bend wear
• Superheated caus?c slurry entering first flash tank
• Flashing inside bend results in very high erosion
• Standard bend life 120 days
Alumina refinery in southwest WA
MAXbend® performance
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• MAXbend® installed in alumina refinery in 2012 • service to date ≈900 days
• Projected life:1800 days (15 &mes mul&plier) • Accommodated a flow rate increase of ≈20% with no effect on MAXbend® performance
• Acceptance and validated performance by both clients • Rental op?on offered to clients and under considera?on
Similarly spectacular results in Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa copper-‐gold opera&ons
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MAXbend® Performance Timeline
Standard Bend Life MAXbend® Bend Life
Note : Expected life based on inspec&on results from 1 year’s service (April 2013) and 2 year’s service (June 2014)
A PROmo&on™ Technology
Where might you use PROmotion™ Technology? PROmo?on™ Technology pays off in places where the non-‐homogeneous flow inside the pipe might get you into trouble: • Measurement, or sampling • Addi?on of a chemical • Spliang a slurry flow • Where there’s a bend in the pipe
Consider how much easier these opera&ons would be if the slurry were actually homogeneous at these points!
Then …
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Think of PROmotion™ Technology! FloCEP informa?on contacts:
www.flocep.com.au (under construc?on)
Phone: +61 8 9353 3929
Author contacts:
Dr Steve Algie
algie@mul&line.com.au
Phone: +61 8 9385 9969
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