Modeling industrial thickener using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a case study:Tailing thickener in the Sarcheshmeh copper mine

Separation of particles from liquid in the large gravitational tanks is widely used in mining and industrial wastewater treatment process. Thickener is key unit in the operational processes of hydrometallurgy and is used to separate solid from liquid. In this study, population balance models were co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of mining science and technology 2013-11, Vol.23 (6), p.885-892
Main Authors: Ebrahimzadeh Gheshlaghi, Majid, Soltani Goharrizi, Ataallah, Aghajani Shahrivar, Alireza, Abdollahi, Hadi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Computational fluid dynamics
COMPUTER SIMULATION
COPPER RESOURCES
DUSTS
Feedwell
FLUIDITY
HYDROMETALLURGY
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
Liquids
MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS
Mathematical models
Modeling
PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE
Population balance models
Rake
Solid percent
Tailings
Thickener
Thickeners
Torque
Turbulence models
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Summary:Separation of particles from liquid in the large gravitational tanks is widely used in mining and industrial wastewater treatment process. Thickener is key unit in the operational processes of hydrometallurgy and is used to separate solid from liquid. In this study, population balance models were combined with com-putational fluid dynamics (CFD) for modeling the tailing thickener. Parameters such as feed flow rate, flocculant dosage, inlet solid percent and feedwell were investigated. CFD was used to simulate the industrial tailing thickener with settled bed of 120 m diameter which is located in the Sarcheshmeh cop-per mine. Important factor of drag force that defines the rake torque of rotating paddles on the bed was also determined. Two phases turbulence model of Eulerian/Eulerian in accordance with turbulence model of k-e was used in the steady-state. Also population balance model consists of 15 groups of particle sizes with Luo and Lehr kernel was used for aggregation/breakage kernel. The simulation results showed good agreement with the operational data.
ISSN:2095-2686
DOI:10.1016/j.ijmst.2013.11.002