A new mathematical model for coal flotation kinetics

Abstract

This study describes the development and formulation of a novel mathematical model for coal flotation kinetic. The flotation rate was considered as a function of chemical, operating and petrographic parameters for a global flotation order n. The equation for flotation rate was obtained by dimensional analysis using the Rayleigh method. It shows the dependency of flotation kinetic on operating parameters, such as air velocity and particle size; chemical parameters, such as reagents dosage and solids content; and mineral and maceral composition of coal. The flotation rate equation integrates the kinetic coefficient and the intrinsic characteristics of coal with dimensional consistency, and it is expressed by three dimensionless numbers which have physical chemical meaning. The model also exhibits similarities with traditional transport phenomena models represented by dimensionless numbers and predicts the flotation kinetic constant of a Colombian coal sample showing a good correlation between experimental and calculated values.

Keywords

• coal flotation
• flotation rate
• kinetic model