ColumnCell™

Unprecedented flotation metallurgy and energy efficiency

Leveraging legacy and modern-day practices, our column flotation solutions deliver superior metallurgical flotation performance and energy efficiency for a wide range of applications and duties.

Benefits

The ColumnCell™ is the result of thorough research, proven expertise and two combined legacy technologies. As a tailored solution, the ColumnCell is customizable to suit every customer’s individual needs.

Superior metallurgical flotation performance for fine ores
High concentrate and froth quality
High availability and high capacity
Easy and safe operation
Reduced energy consumption and small plant footprint

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Unbeaten technology

The ColumnCell is available with three sparger options, giving the customers extra flexibility within their operations. These include the Microcel™ Static mixer, SonicSparger™ Vent and the SonicSparger™ Jet.

All three sparger options allows for online replacements maximizing equipment availability and production rate. For added flexibility, the sparger can be retrofitted not only to Metso equipment, but to competitor cells as well. It is these benefits, amongst other valuable features, that supports the ColumnCell in giving customers the best flotation performance for their fine ores across all duties in flotation circuits.

More than recovery

By providing superior metallurgical flotation in selected applications and duties, customers will experience cleaner circuits and significantly finer bubbles with the ColumnCell. Optimized grade is especially important in cleaner circuits, and can lead to significantly higher throughput.

Flotation of fines requires specific features: high collection with smaller bubbles to guarantee good recovery, a less turbulent regime and good slurry distribution to avoid bypass, as well as a thicker and more selective froth to generate better product quality. ColumnCell is designed to provide all of these features, whilst also considering the ore type and the specifics of each project.

With the online sparger replacement, uptime and availability are kept at an optimal high level. This efficiency then leads to reduced energy consumption, further reducing the environmental footprint of the plant’s operations.

Microcel™ Static mixer

Consists of in-line static mixers and a centrifugal pump.

Tailings slurry is pumped from the base of the column through the static mixers, where air and slurry are mixed under high-shear conditions to create bubble dispersion. As the air-slurry mixture passes through the stationary blades located inside the mixer, the air is sheared into very small bubbles by the intense agitation.

SonicSparger™ Vent

Uses cavitation to generate microbubbles.

A Venturi tube – which promotes cavitation and creates small size bubbles – comprises of a constricted section that is typically centralized within a pipe. After this, the tube gradually returns to the original diameter. Air is introduced before the cavitation constriction, as air injection creates the best bubble size distribution for flotation.

SonicSparger™ Jet

Operates with inlet air pressures between 5-7 bar.

The maximum flowrate of each sparger is determined by the size of the outlet nozzle orifice. The nozzle size and the number of spargers are calculated to suit the specific application. The SonicSparger Jet has up to three different lengths, and in large tanks/columns, they are alternately distributed to provide even air injection through the cross-section area.