Beneficiation studies on high ash Indian coking coal using heavy medium cyclone test rig

Heavy medium coal processing technology has been widely used in coal preparation industries in the world since it is the most accurate and efficient coal preparation process to obtain clean coal with a highest possible yield. Separation of coal and impurities using this technology is based on density differences. Tests were carried out on a 100mm dia heavy medium cyclone test rig treating coal in the size range -6 + 0.5mm. A total of twenty seven experiments were carried out by varying the parameters like vortex finder diameter, spigot diameter and inlet feed pressure for each cyclone dia. The results indicate that for 100mm dia H.M. cyclone it is possible to achieve about 24% clean coal at an ash content of 17.3% from feed ash of 35% at a feed pressure of 0.35 kg/cm2, vortex diameter of 42.5mm and spigot diameter of 28mm.