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

• Published in: 矿业科学技术学报（英文版） 2013 (6), p.876-883
• Main Authors: Majid Ebrahimzadeh Gheshlaghi, Ataallah Soltani Goharrizi, Alireza Aghajani Shahrivar, Hadi Abdollahi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2095-2686

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.