Recent WEMCO flotation technology advancements.

Abstract

The WEMCO flotation machine is distinguished from other mechanical flotation machines by its ability to naturally ingest the air required for flotation without the need for an external blower air supply. WEMCO has a long history of industrial acceptance of the "natural air ingestion" machine and has led the successful development of the very large flotation machines (over 20 cu. meters) during the last fifteen years. The paper will discuss the design "scale-up" principles which guide the configuration definition of the WEMCO machines, and which is basic to the rapid industrial acceptance of machines from 28 to 85 cubic meters in volume. The review will include a quantitative consideration of air transfer and dispersion, solids suspension, and internal cell hydrodynamics, as it pertains to flotation machine design. Plant operating performance experience will be discussed, using "flotation kinetics" analysis as the basis for flotation circuit performance analysis and optimization.