Studies were carried out to improve the performance of hydrocyclones at Tat
a Steel's chrome ore beneficiation plant in Sukinda, India. The optimal cut
point of the hydrocyclones was determined in the laboratory using a stub cy
clone. In the tests, the operating and design variables, including spigot d
iameter, density of Seed slurry and inlet pressure, were varied. Subsequent
ly, plant trials were carried out, and attempts were made to develop a mode
l of the hydrocyclone using the Rao, Lynch and Plitt model. The cyclone eff
iciency was represented by the partition curve, and the performance was eva
luated mathematically from a reduced efficiency curve, represented by the e
quation:
Y = 100{1-exp(-ax(b))} where x is d/d(50(c)), Y is the corrected efficiency
(%) and a and b are constants.
The model was then used to calculate the size distributions of overflow and
underflow at the determined optimum conditions.