Modern Mining May 2017 Final

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PRODUCT News
54 MODERN MININGMay 2017
REFLUX™ Classifier (RC™) technology is
reported to be rapidly gaining popularity
in coal processing applications in Africa
because of its ability to easily handle vary-
ing feed conditions which are a reality in
mining operations.
According to FLSmidth, traditional
technology cannot accommodate these
feed variations resulting in recovery losses
whereas the RC™ is a lot more forgiving
of solids feed rate variations. This allows
a consistent separation and, as a result, a
higher separation efficiency.
FLSmidth has an installed base of RC™
technology in coal applications in the
Waterberg and in Mozambique.
Terence Osborn, Commercial Manager
of Minerals sub Saharan Africa at FLSmidth,
says that as the coal processing industry
has grown in Mozambique, so too has the
adoption of FLSmidth’s RC™ technology by
multiple mines in this country.
The first four RC™ 3000 units sold in
this region are the largest in the FLSmidth
range and were among the first such units
to be sold globally.
Each of these units, now installed and
commissioned, is capable of treating
approximately 200 t/h of raw fine coal.
Significantly, the success achieved by
the RC™ technology in the second phase
of this coal processing plant resulted in it
being chosen as the technology of choice
for retrofit to the original plant. Prior to
this, test work was conducted on site by
FLSmidth using its mobile test RC™ 300 rig
to validate the expected performance of
the larger RC™ units.
The results from the pilot plant test
work proved a business case to replace
REFLUXTM Classifier technology gains popularity in coal
This photo illustrates the underflow arrangement
of a REFLUX™ Classifier.
the existing spiral technology, leading to
the sale of four additional RC™ 3000 units
to the mine. These will be commissioned
when the extension to the existing plant
is completed.
Osborn says the success achieved with
the technology can be attributed to the
fact that it offers far greater process flex-
ibility in operation and generally has a
higher efficiency which produces higher
recovery at similar ash content.
The RC™ incorporates a ‘laminar high
shear rate’ mechanism, which represents
the latest in fine particle gravity-based
separation technology. The lamella sec-
tion enhances the efficiency/capacity of
the RC™, producing a more compact and
efficient separation unit when compared
to competing fine coal and mineral pro-
cessing equipment.
FLSmidth offers commercial units from
the RC™ 850 (850 mm diameter, 18 to
20 t/h) up to the RC™ 3000 (3 m diameter,
200 to 250 t/h), with actual unit capacities
related to the feed material and the feed
material sizing.
Terence Osborn, FLSmidth, tel (+27 10) 210-4820