Modeling of the effect of falcon concentrator parameters on lignite deashing with Taguchi orthogonal design

ABSTRACT

In this study, the deashing of Sivas-Kangal (Turkey) lignite was carried out under different conditions. Solids ratio (20%, 30%, 40% and 50% by weight), centrifugal force (20, 100, 176 and 300 G), feed rate (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 L/min) and particle size (−300, −212, −150 and −75 µm) were selected as experimental parameters. Taguchi experimental design was used to optimize Falcon parameters. The orthogonal array design plan was determined as L16 according to the available variables. Since the study aims to obtain clean coal, ash contents (AC) from the results are taken into consideration. And signal/noise (S/N) ratios of each test condition were calculated. As a result of the Falcon tests performed under the optimization conditions for Taguchi, it was determined that the S/N ratio was 27.38 and the AC was 13.68% (expected AC 13.43%). The minimum ash content was achieved using the optimized conditions were: solids ratio of 30%, centrifugal force 100 G, feed rate 2 L/min and particle size −75 µm. As a result of Falcon experiments with Taguchi design, AC decreased from 43.66% in raw coal to 13.68% in clean coal.

KEYWORDS:

• Falcon concentrator
• centrifugal separation
• Taguchi design
• lignite
• deashing

Acknowledgments

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could influence the work reported in this paper