Process Flowsheets

Code:

MEMG0002

Acronym:

DP

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Technologies, Applied Sciences, Project

Instance: 2009/2010 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Mining Engineering Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Mining and Geo-Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEMG	15	Plano de estudos oficial a partir de 2008/09	1	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Development of a quantitative point of view of Treatment diagrams in operations.
Study of the indicators which describe separation processes performance.

Program

1. Introduction to the course unit
1.1 Objectives of ore processing: preliminary characterization of ores properties and definition of the desired properties of the final product.
Process design: structural optimization and parametric optimization.
Notion of Process flow diagram: chaining rules of unit operations.
1.2 Concepts of separation and discharge, stages of mineral operations and general mineral diagram
1.3 Technical and technical-economical points of view. Sales agreement
Economic benefit and net smelter return.
2. Introduction to treatment flow diagrams – base treatment flow diagrams
2.1 Classification base diagrams
Classification diagrams: sand and kaolin
Solid mass and water balance. Dimensioning problem.
2.2 Base fragmentation diagrams
Fragmentation diagrams: crushing and crushed stone, inerts and pyrites granulation; Limestone milling for cement and corrective, talc; milling diagrams by humid via; autogenous milling diagrams.
2.3 Separation base diagrams. Concentration diagrams: general concepts of application (metallic ores vs. non-metallic; high-grade ores vs. low-grade ores); concentration units
3. Treatment diagram analysis: an operational point of view over a running facility
3.1 Theory of separation methods
3.3.1 Problem proposition
3.3.2 Partition or Tromp curve: ideal separation and real separation; types of inefficiencies
3.3.3 Heidenreich curves
3.3.4 Washability curves: limit or potential washability and real washability
3.2 Fragmented ores sampling
3.3. Mineral balances: analysis of recovery calculation variance
3.4 Reconciliation of superabundant data in mass balance calculation
3.5 Analysis of complex circuits
4. Knowledge in treatment diagrams
4.1 Qualitative and quantitative diagrams
4.2 Different types of diagrams presented as “studied cases”:
Flotation (global and differential of sulphides and non-sulphides); magnetic separation; gravity concentration.
4.3 Diagrams which operate on Portuguese ores: Cu-Pb-Zn in Aljustrel; Cu and Cu-Sn in Neves-Corvo; WO3- Sn-Cu in Panasqueira, special sands in Rio Maior and Seixoso; Coal in Pejão.
4.4 Diagrams used in industrial and urban waste treatment, sludge treatment and water and effluent treatment.

Programme of the practical classes
1st Part – Data collection
Aims:
- (Empirically) handle distribution properties
- Carry out a separation operation (rigorously define operation variables and their influence on process performance)
- (Experimentally) determine properties distributions of products resulting from separation using the following techniques:
- Granulometric analysis by sieving
- Granumoletric analysis by cyclosizer
- Granumoletric analysis by laser ray diffraction
- Grain counting using a magnifying glass
- Point counting using the microscope
- Analysis by dense liquid
- Analysis by the magnetic separation (discs, or Dings tube or Frantz)

2nd part – Circuit analysis
Aims – To develop mass balance and data reconciliation calculation, making use of experimental determinations:
- Determination of Partition, Heidenreich and Washability curves (comparison with Mayer curves)
- The concept of transfer function and its use in forecasting

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes – Presentation of the fundamental concepts of the design of process flow diagrams, ore preparation and study of mathematical concepts which enable the use of quantitative approaches.

Practical classes- Experimental assignments to determine properties distributions- classification by sieving and cyclosizer and distributions of contents by microscope point counting.
Separation tests – sieving, hydroclassification (Akins)
Resolution of practical problems; exercises of application of mathematical models to describe the balance of materials which operate in a process flow diagram.

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Eligibility for exams

Class attendance is mandatory and students cannot miss more than 25% of the practical classes. Otherwise they will not be admitted to exams.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade will be based on the grade of the exam and practical assignments carried out during the semester.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

At the normal season of exams.

Classification improvement

Recurso (resit) exam.