Dense Medium Cyclone Plant - Operation

Dense medium cyclones used for very accurate separation of particles of different density.  Particles smaller than 0.5mm are removed from the mixture before it enters the cyclone.  Magnetite is added to the water/particle mixture to allow precise control of density.  The dense medium cyclone is mounted at a 15° angle.  The lighter particles (coal) come out the upper end and the heavier particles (shale) the lower.

Cyclones can be used alone or in a system with dense medium drums.  Larger plants may include banks of cyclones operating together.  Cyclone-only plants are suitable for the cleaning of small coals of less than 40 mm

Operation

In cyclones, the small particles are separated by centrifugal and vortex action (the cyclone itself does not move).  The water/particle/magnetite mixture is pumped into the side of the cyclone tangentially (1) and swirls around creating a vortex in which the lighter particles are drawn out through the central vortex tube (2).  The heavier particles are thrown by centrifugal force to the wall of the cyclone and are discharged at the opposite end (3).