Design of a shelf pneumatic classifier for separating a polydisperse mixture of granulated superphosphate

The object of this study is a polydisperse mixture of granular superphosphate. It is emphasized that existing technologies of granulation and processing of granules lead to the formation of dusty fractions of small particles. The content of small fractions in the finished product should be minimal and, in connection with this problem, the task is to remove small particles from the mixture. The purpose of the current experimental study is to classify a polydisperse mixture of granular superphosphate in a pneumatic classifier. The device includes an inclined perforated shelf with an unloading space between its end and the wall of the apparatus. It has been experimentally revealed that the maximum efficiency of extraction into the entrainment of small particles is achieved with a width of the discharge space equal to 0.5 of the length of the cross-sectional side of the apparatus; the degree of perforation of the shelf is 5 %; the angle of inclination of the shelf is 25–30°; the speed of the gas flow in the free section of the apparatus is 3.7 m/s. It is shown that the degree of extraction into the entrainment of a small fraction less than 1 mm in size reaches 70–75 %, the content of the small fraction in the carry-over is 96–98 %, and the large fraction is less than 5 %. By processing experimental data, an empirical equation was built that makes it possible to determine the concentration of particles in the gas stream for individual fractions of the material. It is shown that due to the implementation of an active aerodynamic weighing mode, the shelf pneumatic classifier works at specific loads for air flow rate less than the typical designs of fluidized bed separators. It is noted that the effective operation of the shelf pneumatic classifier in the production of granular mineral fertilizers is ensured at a productivity of no more than 10–12 t/h. With greater productivity, there is a need to install several devices in the technological line