Lecture 7 Classification

MP 121 INTRODUCTION TO MINERAL PROCESSING
(10 CREDITS)
Lecture 7
Classification
Instructor: Mr. Sospeter Maganga
([email protected])
College of Earth Sciences, UDOM
July, 2020
Topics covered
 Meaning and objectives of classification
 Types of Classifier
 Operation Principles of Mechanical, Hydraulic and Centrifugal
classifier
 Separation Efficiency of Centrifugal classifier
Introduction of Classification
Classification is a method of separating mixtures of minerals into two
or more products on the basis of the velocity with which the grains
fall through a fluid medium.
 In mineral processing, this is usually water, and wet classification is
generally applied to mineral particles which are considered too fine to
be sorted efficiently by screening.
 Since the velocity of particles in a fluid medium is dependent not
only on the size, but also on the specific gravity and shape of the
particles, the principles of classification are important in mineral
separations utilising gravity concentrators.
Principles of classification
When a solid particle falls freely in a
vacuum, it is subject to constant
acceleration and its velocity increases
indefinitely, being independent of size
and density.
In a viscous medium, such as air or water,
there is resistance to this movement and
the value increases with velocity.
 When equilibrium is attained between
the gravitational and fluid resistances
forces, the body reaches its terminal
velocity and thereafter falls at a uniform
rate.
Figure 1: Classifier sorting column
Free settling
Refers to the sinking of particles to the volume of fluid which is very
large compared to the total volume of particles, hence particle
crowding is negligible.
Note: Stoke’s law is valid for particles below 100

microns in diameter
Free settling Cont…
 Therefore, most wet
classification is performed on
intermediate size range where
neither laws fits experimental
data.
Note: Newton’s law is valid for particles

greater than 3 mm in diameter
Hindered settling
 As the proportional of solids in  The resistance to fall is mainly
the pulp increases, the effect of due to turbelence.
particle crowding becomes more  Hence the modified version of
apparent and the falling rate of Newton law ca be applicable.
particles begins to decreases.
 Thus the system start behaving
as heavy liquid whose density is
that o pulp that that of carrier
liquid.
Effect of hindered settling on separation
Hindered settling reduces the
effect of sizes and increasing the
effect of density in separation.
Source: (Wills, 2006)

Types of Classifier
Classifier can be grouped into two broad classes depending on the
direction of flow of the carrying current.
 Horizontal current classifiers such as mechanical classifiers are
essentially of the free-settling type and accentuate the sizing
function;
Vertical current or hydraulic classifiers are usually hindered-settling
types and so increase the effect of density on the separation.
Hydraulic classifiers
These are characterised by the use of water additional to that of the
feed pulp, introduced so that its direction of flow opposes that of the
settling particles.
They normally consist of a series of sorting columns through each of
which a vertical current of water is rising and particles are settling
out.
The rising currents are graded from a relatively high velocity in the
first sorting column, to a relatively low velocity in the last, so that a
series of spigot products can be obtained, with the coarser, denser
particles in the first spigot and the fines in the latter spigots.
Principles of Hydraulic Classifier
Hydraulic classifiers Cont…
Hydraulic classifiers may be free- or hindered settling types. The
former are rarely used; they are simple and have high capacities, but
are inefficient in sizing and sorting.
They are characterised by the fact that each sorting column is of the
same cross-sectional area throughout its length.
The greatest use for hydraulic classifiers in the mineral industry is for
sorting the feed to certain gravity concentration processes so that the
size effect can be suppressed and the density effect enhanced.
Mechanical classifiers
Several forms of mechanical classifier exist in which the material of
lower settling velocity is carried away in a liquid overflow, and the
material of higher settling velocity is deposited on the bottom of the
equipment and is dragged upwards against the flow of liquid by some
mechanical means.
 Mechanical classifiers have widespread use in closed-circuit grinding
operations and in the classification of products from ore-washing
plants.
Mechanical classifiers Cont..
In washing plants they act more or less as sizing devices, as the
particles are essentially unliberated, so are of similar density. In
closed circuit grinding they have a tendency to return small dense
particles to the mill, causing overgrinding.
Principle of Mechanical Classifer
Mechanical classifiers Cont…
The rake classifier utilises rakes actuated by an eccentric motion,
which causes them to dip into the settled material and to move it up
the incline for a short distance. The rakes are then withdrawn, and
return to the starting-point, where the cycle is repeated; the settled
material is thus slowly moved up the incline to the discharge.
Mechanical classifiers Cont…
(a) Spiral classifier (b) Rake classifier

Centrifugal Classifiers
Rapid settling and classification
is achieved by increasing the
force acting on the particles by
replacing the gravitational force
by centrifugal forces. E.g.
Hydrocyclone
Typical dimensions of the hydroyclone
Operation Principle of Centrifugal classifier
The feed, in the form of a slurry, on entering the feed chamber is
divided into two streams as a result of the inlet pressure of the slurry
and the swirling action inside the feed chamber and the conical section
of the hydrocyclone.
The denser particles which settle faster are forced down by the
combined gravity and centrifugal forces while the less dense and lighter
particles remain near the central axis of the cyclone and exit through
the vortex finder.
Some lighter particles however are entrapped in the heavier particle
stream and are lost through the apex while some heavier particles are
similarly lost to the overflow stream.
Hydrocyclone cont...
Operation of hydrocyclone depend on:
1. the characteristics of the feed scream and
2. Geometry of the cyclone
Characteristics of the feed stream includes:
3. size and size distribution of solids in the feed stream,
4. pulp density (percent solids in the slurry) and pulp viscosity, and
5. Inlet pressure (pressure differential between inlet and vortex finder
outlet)
Hydrocyclone cont...
The geometry of the cyclone involves:
1. inlet shape and inlet area,
2. cyclone dimensions (length of cylindrical section, total overall length,
cone angle)
3. Inlet, vortex finder and apex diameters.
Cyclone Efficiency
The cyclone efficiency is usually determined by means of partition
curve
The partition coefficient relate the weight fraction or parcentage of
each particle size in the feed report to the apex or underflow of
 Four efficiency parameters can be defined as follow
1) Separation size = d50
2) Probable error of separation, Ep = (d75-d25)/2
3) Imperfection of separation, I = (d75-d25)/2d50
Cyclone Efficiency
Hydrocyclone Effeciency
Let us assume that a hydrocyclone is fed with slurry and at steady state
the operating conditions are:
• Feed rate= 55.0% solids at 206.5 t/h
• Overflow rate= 19.6% solid at 29.4 t/h
• Underflow rate 78.2% solids at 177.1 t/h
Partition coefficient Calculations
Typical performance curves of a
hydrocyclone(1 -actual, 2-corrected).
Water Calculation in different streams
Correction according to Kelsall
Corrected Partition coeficient

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MP 121 INTRODUCTION TO MINERAL PROCESSING

Note: Stoke’s law is valid for particles below 100

Note: Newton’s law is valid for particles

Source: (Wills, 2006)

(a) Spiral classifier (b) Rake classifier

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