An Efficient Process for Recovery of Fine Coal from Tailings of Coal Washing Plants

• Published in: Energy sources. Part A, Recovery, utilization, and environmental effects Vol. 30; no. 18; pp. 1716 - 1728
• Main Authors: Çiçek, T., Cöcen, İ., Engin, V. T., Cengizler, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2008
• Subjects: 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; ASH CONTENT; COAL FINES; COAL PREPARATION; CONCENTRATORS; fine coal; fine coal recovery; fine particle processing; gravity separation; LIGNITE; MATERIALS RECOVERY; SEPARATION PROCESSES; TAILINGS
• ISSN: 1556-7036; 1556-7230
• DOI: 10.1080/15567030701443533

Gravity concentration of hard lignites using conventional jigs and heavy media separation equipment is prone to produce coal-rich fine tailings. This study aims to establish a fine coal recovery process of very high efficiency at reasonable capital investment and operational costs. The technical feasibility to upgrade the properties of the predeslimed fine refuse of a lignite washing plant with 35.9% ash content was investigated by employing gravity separation methods. The laboratory tests carried out with the combination of shaking table and Mozley multi-gravity separator (MGS) revealed that the clean coal with 18% ash content on dry basis could be obtained with 58.9% clean coal recovery by the shaking table stage and 4.1% clean coal recovery by MGS stage, totaling to the sum of 63.0% clean coal recovery from a predeslimed feed. The combustible recovery and the organic efficiency of the shaking table + MGS combination were 79.5% and 95.5%, respectively. Based on the results of the study, a flow sheet of a high-efficiency fine coal recovery process was proposed, which is also applicable to the coal refuse pond slurry of a lignite washing plant.