Numerical simulation of the in-line pressure jig unit in coal preparation

This paper presents a numerical study of the multiphase flow in an in-line pressure jig (IPJ), which is a high yield and high recovery gravity separation device widely used in ore processing but may have potential in coal preparation. The mathematical model is developed by use of the combined approach of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for liquid flow and discrete element method (DEM) for particle flow. It is qualitatively verified by comparing the calculated and measured results under similar conditions. The effects of a few key variables, such as vibration frequency and amplitude, and the size and density of ragging particles, on the flow and separation performance of the IPJ are studied by conducting a series of simulations. The results are analyzed in terms of velocity field, porosity distribution and forces on particles. The findings would be helpful in the design, control and optimisation of an IPJ unit. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.