A Simulation of Slime Circulation and the Effect of Circuit Design

Abstract

The accumulation of slimes in coal preparation plant circuit causes inefficient operation of the coal cleaning equipment, loss of coal, increases in product coal ash, and increased maintenance and operating costs. To maximize the plant operation, control of the plant circuit slimes content and slimes removal are needed. To accomplish this, a simulator model, based on accumulation and production of the slimes, feed fluctuations and real-time circuit operation was developed. This program makes it possible to simulate and analyze prep plant flowsheets of water circulation to maximize plant operation. Testing of the program showed that slimes accumulation can be reduced by about 50% and the time for attaining slimes equilibrium in the plant water circuits is reduced by about 66%.

Key words:

• Coal plant flowsheet
• slime accumulation simulation