How Does High Intensity Conditioning Affect Flotation Performance?

An investigation was conducted in terms of the variation of particle size distribution, removing hydrophilic groups from coal surface, reagent dispersion, and formation of particles-bubbles aggregates resulted from the HIC to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for improvement in flotation performance. Results showed that the amount of <0.074 mm size fraction increased after HIC. It would have a negative effect on flotation performance, although the variation was not significant. Reagant dispersion had a marginal effect on flotation performance. The contact angle measurements indicated that HIC improved particle surface hydrophobicity, and the effect was most significant when agitation speed of the HIC was 2000 rpm, but the flotation performance was not as significant as expected. When HIC agitation speed was 1500 rpm, particles-bubbles aggregates were formed; however, the aggregates were destroyed as agitation speed increased to 2000 rpm. This fact was consistent with the experimental results that the flotation performance was optimal with the HIC speed of 1500 rpm and it deteriorated as agitation speed increased to 2000 rpm. It was deduced that the size and structure stability of particles-bubbles aggregates played a dominant role in the improvement in flotation performance.