Advances in thickened tailings pumping using centrifugal pumps

doi:10.36487/ACG_rep/1263_24_Sellgren

Authors: Sellgren, A

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1263_24_Sellgren

Cite As:
Sellgren, A 2012, 'Advances in thickened tailings pumping using centrifugal pumps', in R Jewell, AB Fourie & A Paterson (eds), Paste 2012: Proceedings of the 15th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 285-295, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1263_24_Sellgren

Download citation as: ris bibtex endnote text Zotero

Abstract:
Reduction in pumping head and efficiency and unstable head observations at flow rates below about 50% of the best efficiency point (BEP) are discussed based on experimental results for solids concentrations by volume of up to 49% with authentic tailings products for a 0.1 by 0.075 m pump with impellers (diameter 0.31 m) of different configurations. Yield stresses were up to 200 Pa as an average and evaluated from pipeline loop testing. It has been reported for highly concentrated slurries that cavitational behaviour with drops in head and efficiency may occur at lower flow rates than that of water in the BEP-region. The experimental data for the tailings above did not cover this region. However, test data were available for the same type and size of standard pump by Kabamba (2007) for a kaolin slurry with a yield stress of 185 Pa. Evaluations here showed incipient cavitation from about 75% of the BEP-flow rate. Deratings in head and efficiency and effects related to unstable head tendencies and suction performance can be expected to diminish for pumps larger than the unit focused on here.

References:

ANSI/HI (2005) Rotodynamic (Centrifugal) Slurry Pump Standard, 12.1–12.6, Hydraulic Institute, May 2005, 110 p.

Bootle, M.J. (2006) Practical Aspects of Transporting Past with Rotodynamic Slurry Pumps, in Proceedings Ninth International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste06), R.J. Jewell, S. Lawson and P. Newman (eds), 3–7 April 2006, Limerick, Ireland, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 413–427.

Cooke, R. (2007) Thickened and Paste Tailings Pipeline Systems-Design Procedure, Part 2, in Proceedings Tenth International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste07), A.B. Fourie and R.J. Jewell (eds), 13–15 March 2007, Perth, Australia, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 129–140.

Fourie, A. (2003) Important material characterisation of thickened tailings, in Proceedings International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste2003), 14–16 May 2003, Melbourne, Australia, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, Section 29.

Kabamba, B.M. (2007) Evaluation of derating procedures or centrifugal performance, Magister Technologiae thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Tecnology, South Africa.

Paterson, A.J.C. (2005) Determining the optimum location of a high rate thickener for a thickened tailings system, in Proceedings International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste 2005), R.J. Jewell and S. Barrera (eds), 20–22 April 2005, Santiago, Chile, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 177–184.

Pullum, L. (2007) Pipelining tailings, pastes and backfill, in Proceedings 10th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste2011), R.J. Jewell and A.B. Fourie (eds), 13–15 March 2007, Perth, Australia, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 113–128.

Robinsky, E.I. (1999) Thickened Tailings Disposal in the Mining Industry, Quebecor Printpak, Toronto, Canada.

Roudnev, A.S. (2004) Slurry pump suction performance considerations, in Proceedings 16th International Conference on Hydrotransport, BHR Group, Santiago, Chile, pp. 137–150.

Sellgren, A., Mustafa A., Addie, G.A. and Whitlock, L. (2011) Performance of Different Centrifugal Pump Impeller Configurations When Pumping Thickened Tailings, in Proceedings 14th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste2011), R.J. Jewell and A.B. Fourie (eds), 5–7 April 2011, Perth, Australia, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 405–416.

Sellgren, A., Addie, G. and Whitlock, L. (2005) Technical-Economical Feasibility of Using Centrifugal Pumps in High-Density Thickened Tailings Slurry Systems, in Proceedings Eighth International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings (Paste05), R.J. Jewell and S. Barrera (eds), 20–22 April 2005, Santiago, Chile, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 195–206.

Walker, C.I. and Goulas, A. (1984) Performance characteristics of centrifugal pumps when handling homogeneous slurries, in Proceedings Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Vol. 198A, No. 1, pp. 41–49.

Warman International (1991) Pumping non-Newtonian slurries, Technical bulletin number 14, Warman International.

Wennberg, T. (2010) Transporting highly concentrated slurries with centrifugal pumps, The thickened minerals tailings example, Licentiate thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Geoscience and Mineral Processing, Luleå University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden, ISBN 978-91-7439-169-5.

Wennberg, T. (2011) Manuscript, Centrifugal slurry pump suction performance evaluations, LKAB, Sweden.

Wennberg, T., Sellgren, A. and Whitlock, L. (2008) Predicting the performance of centrifugal pumps when handling complex slurries, in Proceedings 14th International Conference on Transport and Sedimentation of Solids Particles, June 23–25, Saint Petersburg, Russia, pp. 324–333.

Whitlock L., Sellgren, A. and Wilson, K. (2001) Net Positive Suction Head Requirements for Centrifugal Slurry Pumps, Handbook of Conveying and Handling of Particulate Solids, 10 Elsevier Science B.V., pp. 491–497.

© Copyright 2024, Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au