• Author / Uploaded
• jadetorres

Citation preview

Outotec® Flotation technologies

Outotec is the world leader in flotation technology. We set new standards for superior flotation performance:

Benefits

mixing, aeration and froth recovery – for every

„„ Case-proven metallurgical superiority

flotation task. Our solutions are tailor-made for each

„„ Minimized capital expenditure through

customer, including flotation packages with support



services, modular process sections and even whole

„„ Minimized operational cost through

concentrators for base and precious metals and



efficient hydro-dynamics, robust designs

industrial minerals.



and advanced materials

optimum cell size and minimal footprint

„„ High availabily throught easy and safe maintanances

002 Outotec Flotation technologies

Flotation technologies for maximizing metallurgical performance and availability Time-proven, innovative and efficient solutions

Our Flotation concept:

Our Flotation offering is based in the earlier mining

„„ Performance driven tailoring

and concentrator operations of the Outokumpu

„„ Flexibility in operation

corporation. Development of in-house flotation cells

„„ Responsive controls

started in the 1960's to satisfy the need for more

„„ High availability „„ Easy and safe maintenance

efficient, more reliable and easy-to-use equipment. This development has led to many innovative products and processes. For decades, we used to call these

„„ Commitment throughout the life span of

flotation technologies with the well-known brand



name ”OK”.

the operation

Outotec continues to offer you the same competitive advantage with flotation technology that has evolved through decades of continuous R&D and experience. Forty years in business prove our commitment to customers as well as the operational reliability and performance of our equipment. Our automation and analyzer solutions offer operators the perfect tools to enhance flotation performance. In addition, our froth management technology and particle-size-specific flotation lead the field for optimizing recovery in every application. We are ready to serve you at any time – in whichever corner of the world you operate.

Outotec Flotation technologies 003

Flotation cell to match your application Flotation is a technology with over 100 years of history, yet now the development in our offerings is more rapid than ever. To yield maximum profits in applications with various particle sizes, we have specialized designs for each in the flotation cell. The heart of the cell is the mechanism which creates the bubble-particle interactions, and equally important critetrion is efficient froth recovery. New Outotec FloatForce ® mechanisms

Optimum aeration at any altitude

To replace and excel on the proven OK-mechanism in

The forced air flotation principle ensures optimum

MultiMix and FreeFlow configurations, a whole family of new FloatForce ® mechanisms has been launched. The FloatForce mechanism maximizes bubble and particle contact in the shear zone between the rotor and stator. The strong shear forces produce sufficient energy for fines to break through the water film energy barrier on the air bubbles. To complement metallurgical performance, the FloatForce is also more energy-efficient than anything before. The mechanism keeps the slurry in motion without excessive turbulence. Coarse particle contact with air bubbles is maintained by strong and gentle mixing to permit maximum recovery by minimizing bubble-particle detachment. This new FloatForce ® mechanism is not only available in new Outotec flotation deliveries, but also for existing installed OK, SkimAir ® and TankCell® equipment to replace MultiMix and FreeFlow mechanisms.

aeration at any operating altitude. Our blower systems are always designed to the specific site conditions. Easy start-up under full load The unique, downward-tapering rotor enables fast start-up under load after a scheduled or unscheduled shut-down. Froth management leads to high recovery with optimal grade Another flotation challenge is to keep the froth in constant motion to ensure high recovery or to make maximum concentrate grade. Our flotation units feature patented froth crowders to flexibly manipulate the froth and keep it in continuous motion. Special launder designs High-capacity internal launders, double launders or flexible high capacity radial launders recover the concentrate quickly, thereby reducing drop-back, especially of the coarsest particles.

Chile ”Successful site tests and TankCell® installations have proven that the cells are easy to operate. Control tools, especially the air control, are very good and the metallurgy is excellent. Operating and maintenance costs are also low. Heavy-duty manufacturing of all flotation units and top-quality components are highly appreciated”.

Assistance and services used most often include training of operators and maintenance staff,

proposals for inspections and preventive maintenance activities as well as spare parts recommendations. We also make suggestions for process improvements. Our customers appreciate that we work as partners with them and give them the service they need. We know the process and can really assist them.

004 Outotec Flotation technologies

Outotec TankCell® flotation units – superior performance TankCell® units as unit reactors meet all the requirements set for superior flotation performance. They are easy to operate, low on power and air consumption and allow for a flexible layout. Further, the TankCell family comprises the widest size range on the market.

Maximum return on investment We have a simple goal – to maximize your return on

Over the lifetime of the Outotec flotation units,

investment. Our design philosophy is to provide you with

operating costs have proven time and again to be by

the best long-term investment. As operators, we under-

far the lowest. High reliability and low maintenance

stand the value of every 1% in throughput, grade and

enable trouble-free operation, contributing to a rapid

recovery.

return on investment. Our flotation units are built to last. Components and electrical equipment are selected for maximum operating life. For instance, our rotors and stators have proven to be the most wear-resistant available. The wide range of available cell sizes permits plant design to be compact, economical and efficient, without fear of short circuiting, even for today’s high-tonnage operations. Fewer units mean substantial savings in construction costs, piping, cables, instrumentation and auxiliary equipment.

Outotec Flotation technologies 005

Availability and Efficiency With large cell size, the reliability of single equipment becomes critical. Countless hours of fluid dynamics analyses and mechanical engineering have allowed us to build ever larger cells that with extremely high reliability. Our flotation cells are designed and built with availability being a key criterion. They tolarate fluctuating feeds and even oversize material without blocking up. Mechanical components are carefully sized to minimize vibration and loading; wear parts provide easy and safe maintenance.

Outotec TankCell® eSeries The cylindrical TankCell excels in performance as a rougher, scavenger or cleaner and currently leads the world in fl otation technology. We use our knowledge of froth crowding and froth transport characteristics to adapt the basic design to the demand of different flotation duties. The wide range of proven cell sizes from 5 m³ to 500 m³ and the symmetrical design allow a flexible layout. Internal dart valves minimize the footprint

The new eDrive has beed built will all of the above criteria. As a result, it combines ease of maintenance,

Superior mixing and minimized short circuiting The cylindrical TankCell with the FloatForce mechanism operates as an ideal mixer and maximizes the number of collisions between the mineral particles and air bubbles, as well as reducing short circuiting. Optimized aeration and froth recovery TankCell units have an optimized froth surface area based on the mineralogy and kinetics in each case. They are designed to handle maximum carrying rates and lip loadings for the specified task.

top-notch efficiency and compact design.

006 Outotec Flotation technologies

Outotec SkimAir® flotation units – profit-makers in the grinding circuit Outotec is known as a forerunner in bringing new technologies to the market. No one comes close when it comes to understanding and utilizing particle dynamics and froth management. Our flotation approach focuses on flexibility and circuit optimization. Our various types of flotation mechanisms have proved capable of handling all kinds of flotation processes. Reliability and ease of use are the keys to our continued success.

Outotec® Flash Flotation In conventional Flash Flotation, we look for grade. The ®

Outotec SkimAir flotation unit is used as a standalone cell in a one-stage process for producing a high-grade concentrate. Outotec® Flash Roughing Outotec ® Flash Roughing is recovery-driven. SkimAir operates using Dual Outlet Technology, which has world-wide patent coverage, to produce a lower-grade concentrate at a high recovery. Flash Roughing can comprise two stages: the SkimAir unit is used as the rougher, and a special TankCell is closely linked as the cleaner.

Outotec Flotation technologies 007

Outotec Flash Roughing® flowsheet.

Outotec SkimAir ® Outotec® Flash Flotation or Flash Roughing by the SkimAir flotation unit takes place in the grinding stage. Main customer benefits of Outotec SkimAir: Minimal overgrinding The Outotec SkimAir ® unit floats the valuable

A lower-grade concentrate with high recovery can be

liberated particles from the circulating load of the

obtained and blended with the higher grade SkimAir ®

grinding process while still relatively coarse. These

concentrate to increase the overall plant recovery.

liberated particles are not ground further and do not enter the main flotation process as slime particles

Increased mill throughput

with poor recovery. Along with flotation improvements, the grinding mill Improved overall recovery

throughput can be increased due to the controlled high density of the SkimAir underflow.

SkimAir recovers considerable amounts of valuable minerals, resulting in a more stable feed to the

Improved dewatering

conventional flotation circuit. This creates extra capacity and improved control in the existing flotation

Dewatering improves because the final concentrate

process.

P80 is coarser due to the elimination of fines.

Australia ”Outotec is number one in Australia due to the development, successful testing and installation of large TankCell units. The largest Flash Flotation SkimAir cells have also been developed and successfully installed for the Australian market”.

Our locally-based technical and engineering team, operating with ISO 9001 certification, can quickly

respond to customers and engineering companies. This applies to bid requests as well as solving on-site issues. Our quotations have general arrangement drawings in electronic form for further processing as initial plant layouts.

008 Outotec Flotation technologies

All under control Outotec offers the widest range of flotation solutions available to meet all application needs. Each flotation unit can be delivered complete with a customized package of our automation or on-stream analyzers. Outotec's range of flotation equipment nn TankCell for rougher, scavenger and

cleaner flotation

nn SkimAir for conventional Flash Flotation or

Flash Roughing in the grinding circuit

nn Conventional flotation cells for rougher, scavenger

and cleaner flotation

Modular Process Sections Sub-assembled process sections are cost-effective and fast to bring into operation. These modules are practical for transportation, and easy to assemble and install in the fi eld; customized automation, sampling arrangements and analyzers are included. Supervision services and training complete the package. Service across the globe Our first class equipment is backed up by first class people. We provide rapid service to help you achieve high availability and optimized production rates. We have highly-trained personnel dedicated to serve you on all continents and geographical areas where mining and ore beneficiation are taking place.

Outotec Flotation technologies 009

Outotec CellStation™ Operator Interface We also offer a unique control solution for flotation units – the CellStation™. As a stand-alone control panel positioned on the deck of the flotation cell, it replaces conventional field controllers and performs a variety of additional functions. It can be linked to the Outotec family of analyzers and any plant process control system. The PLC based CellStation has easy to use graphical touch screen display to follow control loop status, trends and to adjust set points for flotation air and slurry levels. EXACT level Top safety

In real life, periodic and uncontrolled plant surges

Operational safety is one of the primary design criteria and it also applies to the choice of components All units carry the European CE mark. Reducing environmental impact is always the starting point in the design of all Outotec systems. Our equipment is designed for the highest operational cleanliness. Outotec® FrothMaster Froth Image Analysis and Control

and large fluctuations in the flotation feed are not uncommon. The EXACT level control solution is designed to monitor upstream processes and feeds a compensation signal to the cell level controller before disturbances interfere flotation performance. The EXACT level is based on feed forward control principles and unique automatic tuning functionality. It is conveniently embedded into the CellStation as a “plugin”, and requires no extra instrumentation.

The on-line Outotec ® FrothMaster froth image analysis and advanced controls further enhance the operation of the cells. Froth motion and bubble analysis coupled with higher-level controls for air feed, froth depth and reagents provide a unique way to optimize the concentrate mass pull and grade. The FrothMaster high quality live video feed and easy readouts provide the operator an accurate feel of the process continuously.

The CIS countries ”Outotec has had long experience of modernizing existing plants in the CIS. The company has also delivered complete new plants, comprising equipment for flotation, thickening and filtration as well as related automation and analyzers. Years of experience in this market have facilitated timely deliveries and smooth co-operation”.

Our designers and specialists all have plant metallurgical backgrounds from similar ore processes.

We have a long tradition in equipment manufacturing, which is complemented by easy railway transportation from Finland to the CIS.

010 Outotec Flotation technologies

Proven to be superior

Most efficient technology available TankCell is known to have the fastest flotation kinetics available; this has been proven by fullscale tests in South America, Canada, Europe and Australia. In the flotation kinetics case study depicted below, Outotec TankCell was able to make the required gangue reduction from the feed with 10 minutes' retention time, which is much faster than competitors' 15 minutes' retention time.

Market leader Outotec is the technology and market leader. Our

100

commitment to clients and their needs, continuous

Tankcell®

R&D and proven ability to commercialize novel

Other

technologies and improvements have resulted in us holding a majority share of the market.

50

The best, all the time We have experience beyond others. Our client plant audit services have contributed to optimized plant 0 Fraction size, microns

developed solutions for many specific flotation tasks,

Case study: superior size-by-size recovery of Outotec TankCell®.

from base metals to oil sands separation. In all of the independently organized comparative studies between competing flotation technologies, Outotec has always been reported to be superior in

3 Tankcell®

2.5

Other

terms of metallurgical performance. 2

The chart above illustrates the difference in recovery between TankCell and competing technology in actual plant operation. The size-by-size results show that in some size fractions the increase in recovery was over 20 percentage units. Based on four cell comparative test, the client decided to retrofit the competing technology. The total plant recovery was improved as a consequence, and the payback time for the

1.5 1 0.5 0

0 5 10 15 Case study: fast kinetics of Outotec TankCell®.

improvement was very short.

Canada ”We value the Outotec flotation units because they suit the specific purpose and have a metallurgically beneficial design, meeting or exceeding metallurgical expectations in terms of grade and recovery. Operation is trouble-free. Compared with competitor units, the Outotec units operate at low power consumption”.

As a company, our expertise in recommending the cells, cell sizes and cell placement is recognized,

along with our design and application competence. Similar application references, quality of after-sales performance and on-site service are highly appreciated by our customers.

Target reduction below one

performances. From the 1970's onwards, Outotec has

Outotec Flotation technologies 011

Outotec services improve your process performance

Outotec's comprehensive technology transfer package

What is more, we can make it much easier for you to

can be completed with expert services and support. Our

fulfill current and future legislation, by ensuring that

customer service operates through a global network of

your plant and processes are running as efficiently as

local units that offers not only assistance meeting the

possible, and that maintenance is being carried out

customers' needs but also a commitment to providing

proactively. New Virtual Experience Training enhances

advanced customer support whenever needed.

users’ knowledge and skills to manage the dynamic

Our service experts provide punctual spare parts logistics, maintenance and training, as well as

environment of operating a flotation circuit and the entire concentrator plant.

assessment and consulting services that generate a

Total service package from Outotec:

competitive advantage for you.

Equipment services nn Spare parts and spare parts management

We can tailor services efficiently to your specific needs,

nn Equipment inspections and maintenance

when considering the necessary operational and

nn Training

maintenance services already from the beginning of the project. As your trusted service partner, Outotec ensures an optimized operation for the entire lifetime of your plant. Equipment services Obtaining all spare parts and maintenance from the same organization as process and equipment design ensures that your plant runs optimally. We make

Process support services nn Process assessment nn Process control analysis Plant services nn Plant assessments nn Operation and maintenance support services nn Upgrades and modernizations nn Shutdown maintenance services

sure that you receive only the highest quality parts, consumables and upgrades, that can be seamlessly integrated into your plant. Plant and process support services

Benefits of Outotec services „„ Critical original spare parts in stock „„ Process and equipment know-how

Outotec's advanced plant and process assessment,

„„ Minimize downtime and unscheduled

ef-X® Efficiency Explorer, indentifies the areas for

stoppages

potential improvements, e.g. equipment, automation

„„ Maximum operating performance

systems, metallurgical processes and complete plants.

Finland, November 2011.

Outotec develops and provides technology solutions for the sustainable use of Ear th’s natural resources. As the global leader in minerals and metals processing technology, Outotec has developed over decades several breakthrough technologies. The company also offers innovative solutions for the chemical industr y, industrial water treatment and the utilization of alternative energy sources. Outotec shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.

[email protected] www.outotec.com Copyright © 2011 Outotec Oyj. All rights reserved.