"Ajuste de modelos e previsão do desempenho de hidrociclones na classificação de partículas".

Abstract

The industry o f ore improvement has evolved as a basic economical activity, each more efficient, insurance and ambiently correct. Numerous they are the equipments used at the plants of ore improvement in which most of they are hydrocyclone The hydrocyclones appeared as an efficient and economic alternative in the separation of particles for be cheap, without mobile parts, low maintenance cost, operation simplicity and need a small space for installation The main proposal of this work is the study of an appropriate model of easy handling for the separation of hydrate obtaining a classification of particles as the specifications demanded in the industry. Three configurations of the hydrocyclones were used, nominated of hydrocyclone I , I I and I I I respectively, available in the industry for classification of hydrate. They were made 8 run, led in industrial plant, where the material used was a paste composed of caustic liqueur and crystals of hydrate. To quantify the performance of hydrocyclone in each experiment it was necessary to measure the pressure in the duct of the feeding, the flow in the duct of the feeding and underflow, concentration in the feeding and underflow, beyond the attainment of the grain sized distribution in the feeding and underflow. For estimate the efficiency three models has been chosen: PLITT(1976), LEITH and LICHT (1972) and SANTANA (2001). The simulations were developed in Microsoft Excel software with creation of macros in VBA.The results showed that the model suggested by Plitt had an acceptable fit, where was observed for hydrocyclone I I an efficiency o f up to 61%. The correlations aided in a satisfactory way the estimate the efficiency of the hydrocyclone. It evidenced that there was a good adjustment of the experimental data of the curve of grain sized distribution o f the underflow with the foreseen curve.