AGENDA

MECHANICAL DESIGNS

SALES BENEFITS

MIXING

AIR HOLD UP

POWER

AIR CONTROL

CASE STUDY-FREEPORT
INSTALLATIONS
COMPETITION OVERVEIW

TYPES OF FLOTATION CELLS

WEMCO SMARTCELLS

PYRAMID COLLUMNS

WEMCO 1+1

AGITAIR CELLS

MAJOR FLOTATION APPLICATIONS

BASE METALS
COPPER
LEAD
ZINC

INDUSTRIAL MINERALS
POTASH
PHOSPHATE
CLAYS

PRECIOUS METALS
GOLD
PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM
SILVER

COAL
IRON ORE

Elevated Rotor

Self-induced air
Easy Restart under Load
Non-plugging design
Lower Maintenance Cost
Rotors can be Inverted
Fine Bubble Production

Disperser/
Stator
Provides Optimum
Particle / Bubble
Contact
Provides Quiescent
Separation Region
Easy maintenance

Disperser
Hood
Dissipates Pulp
Energy
Establishes Surface
Stability

Standpipe and Crowder Plate

Internal Chamber to
Provide Self -induced
Aeration
Support for Hood
Increase Froth Mobility
Reduces Froth Transport
Time

Hybrid Draft Tube and False

Bottom
Managed circulation
Maintains Solids
Suspension
Reduces short
circuiting

Mechanism
Assembly
Rotor being
installed in 1+1

WEMCO SmartCell

New Design Features

Radial Launders and Vertical Baffles

225 Mechanism with

diagonals

WEMCO Flotation
Improved Mechanism
Design

Mechanism Assembly
Maximum Design
Clearances
Individual Mechanism
Can be Removed without
Shutting Down the Entire
Row
Lowers Operating costs
Maximizes Production
Time

Mechanism Assembly

Rotor being
installed in 1+1

Circular Box Layout

Circular Connection Box

Benefits
Shortens Row Length
Decreases The Number of
Required Dart Valves
Can Be Changed off Line
Provides Linear Flow
Control
Can Be Changed Quickly

Internal Dart Valves

Hinged Darts
allow tanks close together
minimum moving parts
low maintenance

RECTANGULAR DISCHARGE AND CONNECTION BOXES

Flotation Kinetics
Plug Flow:

R = Ro [1 - e-KT]

Klimpel:

R = Ro [ 1 - (1-e-KT)/KT ]

Well Mixed:

R = Ro [KT / 1 + KT]

RESIDENCE
TIME

Flotation Kinetics
Klimpel:

T- Residence Time
Variables:
Design volume
Mixing
Air hold up
Power

R = Ro [ 1 - (1-e-KT)/KT ]

Flotation Kinetics

Recovery, %

120%
100%
80%
60%

Plug Flow
Well Mixed

40%

Klimpel

20%
0%
0

10

15

KT

20

25

MIXING

RTD ANALYSIS

Octave Levenspiel, Chemical Reactor Omnibook, Page 62-6, 1996

Review Results of CODELCO Residence Time

Testing at Chuquicamata

Hydrodynamics (RTD)
The Chilean Commission of Nuclear Energy
Determined Both Liquid and Solid RTDs

Liquid RTD Tests--Tracer Br82

Solid Tracer Tests--Tracer Activated Na24

Solid Sample (Composite)

Solid Sample (+100 Mesh)
Solid Sample (- 100 +325 Mesh)
Solid Sample (- 325 Mesh)

Hydrodynamics (RTD Solids)

Chilean Commission of Nuclear Energy Report--Page 34

Hydrodynamics (RTD)
Evaluating Residence Time Distributions
Levenspiels Important Parameters
Look for:
Short Circuiting-Characterized by Sharp
Early Peak
Stagnant Areas-Characterized by the
Observed Residence
Time, tobs, being much
less than the Theoretical
Residence Time, ttheo.

Hydrodynamics (RTD)
Observed Mean Retension Time

Minutes

7
6

Dorr Oliver

Outokumpu
WEMCO

4
3
2
Liquid

Solids
(All)

Solids
(325)

Solids
(100-325)

Solids
(100)

Comparison of 150, 160, & 160 cubic meter cells at 15,000 tpd

Hydrodynamics (RTD)

Comparison of Observed and Theoretical Mean Residence Times, Min.

Dorr Oliver

Tracer Test
Obs.

5.3
3.2
3.4
Interm. Solids 2.9
Coarse Solids 3.9
Liquid
All Solids
Fine Solids

Average Solids

Outokumpu

WEMCO

Theory

Obs./Theory, %

Obs.

Theory

Obs./Theory, %

Obs.

Theory

Obs./Theory, %

5.2
5.0
5.2
5.3
5.1

101.9
64.0
65.4
54.7
76.5
65.1

3.2
3.1
2.6
3.0
3.1

5.6
5.6
5.5
5.6
5.2

57.1
55.4
47.3
53.6
59.6
54.0

6.2
5.1
5.5
5.0
5.2

5.6
5.7
5.5
5.5
5.8

110.7
89.5
100
90.9
89.6
92.5

Early Curve (Early Observed Mean Residence Time with

Respect to Theoretical) Means Stagnant Fluid. Octave
Levenspiel, Chemical Reactor Omnibook, Page 62-6, 1989

Analysis of cells by Octave Levenspiel

No Evidence of Short Circuiting in Wemco

No Evidence of Stagnant Areas in the
WEMCO SmartCell
Significant Stagnant Areas in Blown Cells
Stagnant Vessel Fraction, %
Tracer Material
Liquid
All Solids
Fine Solids
Intermediate
Coarse Solids
Average Solids

Dorr-Oliver
15
37
38
42
45
41

Based on tests on large cells in Chile in 1999

Outokumpu
48
39
53
40
40
43

WEMCO
0
0
0
0
0
0

Wemco Smartcells provide up

to 50 % more residence time
than force air cells

POWER

Power Consumption

Flotation Primarily Occurs in and Around the Rotor

The Rotor:
Air Aspiration
Bubble Formation and
Dispersion
Bubble/Particle
Contact

Average Flotation Cycle = (Vn/Qf)/(Vn/ Qp) = Qp/Qf

QP is a Function of
the Power Input.
Greater Power Input
results in a Higher QP
and an Increased
Probability of Flotation.

Pulp Reynolds number

CFD Modeling of WEMCO 1+1

REYNOLDS NUMBER VS RECOVERY

100%

Recovery

75%

50%

25%

0%
10

100

1000

10000

Reynolds Number
Glass spheres

Quartz particles

Courtesy of Prof Laurindo Leal Filho-Brazil

100000

CODELCO Power Measurements

Dorr-Oliver
Outokumpu
WEMCO

Average Power Input,

kW
120.1
124.2
184.6 (175)

Higher Power Input Makes Money!

AIR HOLD UP

CONVENTIONAL SIZING
AIR HOLD UP

WEMCO 10-15%
FORCED AIR -22%-28%

EL TENIENTE MEASUREMENTS JUNE 2001

130 m3 cells

WEMCO
OUTOKUMPU (APPROX)

LIQUID HEIGHT MEASURED

MM
DROP-MM
4470
4470

MEASURED ESTIMATED
AIR HOLD UP AIR HOLD UP
300
1000

6.71%
22.37%

Measured drop is the liquid drop from overflow lip in the cells after the air is shut off
Note: OK liquid height is estimated

7-8%
15-22%

FORCED AIR

WEMCO

Flotation Kinetics
Klimpel:

R = Ro [ 1 - (1-e-KT)/KT ]

K - Flotation Rate Constant

Variables:
Mineralogy
Particle size
Chemistry
Bubble size
Air volume

AMIRA Model
Concept of the bubble surface
area flux

area (A)

surface (S)
Q

AMIRA Model
Correlation of Model Predictions with Measured Values
of Bubble Surface Area Flux
90

At higher air-flow
rates, WEMCO
machines produced
high values of Sb,
averaging 20%
higher than those
predicted by the
AMIRA model.

80

Sb, measured

70

60

50

Outokumpu
Batequip
WEMCO, low air
WEMCO, high air

40

30
30

40

50

60

Sb, predicted

70

80

90

Relationship of Bubble Surface

Area Flux to Superficial Gas
Velocity
Consistent bubble
size for WEMCO
machines results in a
linear relationship.

Relationship of Bubble Surface Area

Flux to Superficial Gas Velocity
Forced-air Machines, a Logarithmic
Relationship
Bubble
coalescence in
forced-air
machines will
result in a
maximum flux
value.

AIR VOLUME
AND
CONTROL

15.8 m3/min
Range-20.2-10.2

15.8 m3/min
Range-20.9-10.7

Summary of Air Intake Conditions

Number of Tests
Air Rate, M3/Min.
Average
Maximum
Minimum
Elevation

Outokumpu WEMCO Dorr Oliver

73
75
78
15.8
20.9
10.7

15.8
20.2
10.2
2730 meters

12.8
17.6
10.9

Component Function

The Ambient Air Intake is the point where ambient air

is drawn into the flotation air control assembly.

WEMCO Flotation
Manual or Automatic Air Control
Individual Cells Can
Be Fined Tuned to
Increase Metallurgical
Performance
Optional Automatic Air
Control Valve with Air
flow Meter Allows Real
Time Optimization

FORCED AIR

WEMCO

Excess air gives poor froth

surface

FORCE AIR MACHINE

Toquepala- Southern Peru Copper, Oct 2001

Low air-no flow

Excess air -poor surface
Small range of air control

WEMCO SMARTCELL
Toquepala- Southern Peru Copper, Oct 2001

Low air-Good flow

Excess air Good flow
Large range of air control

WEMCO Flotation

When the Percent Solids Changes, WEMCO

SmartCells are Self Adjusting
WEMCO Air Intake
Normalized to 142 RPM Rotor Speed

Air Intake, Sm3/min.

22
19
16
13
10
30

35

40
45
Tails % Solids

CODELCO Report, Appendix 2

50

55

METALLURGY

Metallurgical Performance (Castro)

Predicted Copper Recovery, %

Alogorithm

Cell Conditions 1 (Dorr Oliver) 2 (Outokumpu) 3 (WEMCO)

1 (Dorr Oliver)
2 (Outokumpu)
3 (WEMCO)

69.4
67.6
68.0

72.5
72.8
71.3

Dr. Castros Prediction Indicates that the

WEMCO SmartCell Produces the Highest
Recovery at all Conditions Investigated.

73.9
77.0
71.8

WEMCO 130 M3 CELLS AT EL TENIENTE

4-130 cells
(118 m3)
Recovery 92%

Head to Head tests

El Teniente--2001

Participants

Outokumpu--4 x 130m3 = 520 m3

WEMCO--4 x 118m3 = 472 m3

Multiple Cell Tests (4 Cell Rows
Short Test Campaign (1 Month)
Simultaneous Operation
Feed Distribution Verified
Sampling, Auto
Metallurgical and Residence Time Tests
Determine Row Flotation Kinetics
Analyze Recovery by Particle Size
Mineralogical Evaluation
Data Analysis
Data Availability

WEMCO HAD 1.5 % BETTER RECOVERY ON THE COARSE SIZE

OVERALL 0.2 % AT 126,000 TPD

WEMCO- Worlds leader in flotation

Elevated rotor/disperser

Better availability

Positive Froth removal

Maximum power input

Better mixing and kinetics

Highest Retention Time

Highest Bubble Flux

Self adjusting Air

Low chemical consumption
Best Metallurgy

CASE STUDY

Industry Problem
Sag Mills cause upsets
Cyclones overflow rocks to
flotation
Large cells sand up

Chile- (59) 130 cubic meter cells

Oversize
from SAG
mill upset
in WEMCO
130 m cell

Coarse rocks from WEMCO 130 m Cell in Chile

SAG Mill
Upsets
Wemco Cells Aug 99
Without Beveled
Bottoms

OK cells May 99 in Chile

Wemcos Solution

Improved hydrodynamics

CASE STUDY

4500 ft3 Wemco SmartCells

CASE STUDY

Installation of beveled bottoms

WEMCO
Flotation

SmartCell Design Features

Beveled Tank Bottom
Hybrid Draft Tubes
Radial Launders
Vertical Baffles
Air Control
Improved Mechanism
Design

WEMCO SmartCell

New Design Features

CASE STUDY
After installation of
beveled bottoms the
sanding was eliminated
Beveled bottom
installed on
Wemco 4500 cell

CASE STUDY
Consumed Power
(Hp)

Cell Power
250
200
150
100

Row A
Row B

50
0
Cell-Beveled bottoms in A, C, D

CASE STUDY

Consumed Power
(Hp)

Cell Power
250
200
150
50

Row A
Row B
Row C

Row D

100

Cell-Beveled bottoms in A, C, D

FREEPORT CASE STUDY

Beveled Bottom

Air Flow Rates 4500 ft3 cell

(A1 & D1 Beveled bottoms)
Air Flow (acfm)

1600
1200
800
400
0
A/1

A/4

B/4 B/5
Row/Cell

D/1

D/4

D/5

FREEPORT CASE STUDY

Metallurgical results of the Cu/Au plant modifications*
Process Variable
Cu rougher feed assay [%]
Cu rougher tail assay [%]
Cu rougher concentrate assay [%]
Cu rougher recovery [%]
Cu rougher mass yield [%]
Au rougher feed assay [gpt]
Au rougher tail assay [gpt]
Au rougher concentrate assay [gpt]
Au rougher recovery [%]

8 months prior
to modifications
1.09
0.135
16.4
87.6
5.86
1.65
0.247
18.9
84.8

11 months following
modifications
1.03
0.106
14.2
89.7
6.57
1.14
0.140
12.4
86.3

Variance
-5.2 %
-21.4 %
-13.6 %
2.4 %
12.2 %
-31.2 %
-43.3 %
-34.5 %
1.7 %

* Harry Siewert, Rougher Flotation Improvements at P.T. Freeport Indonesias

Grasberg Operation, Proceedings of the 33-rd Annual Meeting of the Canadian
Mineral Processors, January 23-25, 2001, Ottawa, Canada, pages 239-252

BATU HIJAU CONCENTRATOR

TAILS GRADE VS CELL POSITION
1.2

Line #1
1

Line #2

Grade Cu %

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
Feed

Cell 3 Tail

Cell 4 Tail

Cell 5 Tail

Cell 6 Tail

Cell 7 Tail
Cell

Cell 8 Tail

Cell 9 Tail

Cell 10 Tail

Final Tail

INSTALLATIONS

Batue Hijau (50) - 130 cubic meter cells

BATUE HIJAU -MADE IN CHINA

Kennecott-(50) 3000 cubic foot cells

Over 90 % recovery

Collahuasi

MTPD
69,000

Grind-mesh
30 + 100 # Ty

Residence time
28

Feed grade
1.99

Global recovery
91

Phelps Dodge
Candelaria mill, Chile

MTPD
69,000

Grind-mesh
15 + 100 # Ty

Residence time
24

Feed grade
0.98

Global recovery
96

FRANCISCO I MADERA-MEXICO

Escondida Phase IV Expansion Project

Courtesy of Minera Escondida and Bechtel Corporation

QINGHAI POTASH

39 - Wemco 1+1 1500 ft3 cells (42m2)

8- Eimco 3.2 x 66 m2 Extractors
4- Eimco 3.2 x 55 m2 Extractors

Kennecott-(50) 3000 cubic foot cells

Over 90 % recovery

WEMCO 130 M3 CELLS AT EL TENIENTE

4-130 cells
(118 m3)
Recovery 92%

Escondida Phase IV Expansion Project

Courtesy of Minera Escondida and Bechtel Corporation

Escondida Phase IV Expansion Project

160m3 WEMCO SmartCell

Courtesy of Minera Escondida and Bechtel Corporation

ESCONDIDA PHASE 4

WEMCO 160 CUBIC METER CELLS

Company

Size-ft3

Installation
List
Qty

Location

Falconbridge Nickel

4500

59

Collahuasi, Chile

Freeport Indonesia
also, 1500;s and OK cells

4500
3000

36
48

Iran Jaya
Indonesia

RTZ-Kennecott

3000

50

Salt Lake City

Phelps Dodge Mines

4500

Escondida-BHP

5650

94

Codelco

5650

Chuqui

Codelco

4500

El Teniente, Chile

Los Pelambres

4500

48

Chile

Phelps Dodge

4500

16

La Candalaria
Chile

Chino Mines
New Mexico
Chile

WEMCO-work in progress
Rotor engagement
10% to 30%
Rotor size
Larger gives better
mixing and kinetics
Rotor submergence
45 % to 100 %
250 cubic meter cell

TANK DIMENSIONS

250 cubic meter

160 cubic meter

5.99 m

8.25 m diameter

5.41 m

6.872 m diameter

160 m3- 1143 mm

250 m3- 1397 mm