Fluidized hydrocyclone for continuous centrifugal concentration

The continuous centrifugal concentration for heavy minerals of high mass weight has been a major challenge in the development of centrifugal concentrators. A pilot-scale fluidized hydrocyclone concentrator operating on hydrocyclone and fluidized bed separation was developed for continuous centrifugal concentration of a magnetite-feldspar mixture. It realized a continuous centrifugal concentration for the mixture and achieved an apparent concentration for heavy minerals; its separation performance is greatly related to the feed and water inlet pressures, the number of concentrating rings and the feed solid concentration, which is accordance with the theoretical description on the concentration process. It was concluded that this novel method may provide a potential in the continuous centrifugal concentration for heavy minerals.