Effect of two-stage stirred pulp-mixing on coal flotation

Stirred pulp-mixing is performed before coal flotation. In this study, a two-stage stirred pulpmixing tank was designed based on the single-stirred process to intensify the mixing effect of pulp and flotation reagents. A tank has a pitched-impeller opening-type turbine. Stirred pulp-mixing and flotation experiments were conducted on a sample of anthracite fine coal (-0.5mm) from the Xuehu Coal Preparation Plant in Henan Province, China. The results of the two-stage stirred pulp-mixing were compared with those of a single-stage stirred pulp-mixing in terms of flotation performance. Compared with the single-stage stirred pulp-mixing, two mixing areas and double-layer impeller were able to strengthen the energy input to the stirred system, thereby improving the mixing efficiency of flotation reagents and coal particles in the pulp. The two-stage stirred pulp-mixing significantly increased the flotation feed rate of the cyclone-static micro-bubble flotation column and concentrate yield, enhanced the combustible matter recovery effect of coarse particles at a suitable flotation feed rate, and ensured the recovery effect of fine particles at high flotation feed rate.