Improvement in the performance of hydrocyclones in a chrome ore beneficiation plant

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.