Zhang, PengyuJin, SaizhenOu, LemingZhang, WencaiZhu, Yuteng2020-09-082020-09-082020-09-02Zhang, P.; Jin, S.; Ou, L.; Zhang, W.; Zhu, Y. Fine Bauxite Recovery Using a Plate-Packed Flotation Column. Metals 2020, 10, 1184.http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99924In this investigation, the fine-grained bauxite ore flotation was conducted in a plate-packed flotation column. This paper evaluated the effects of packing-plates on recovering fine bauxite particles and revealed the fundamental mechanisms. Bubble coalescence and break-up behaviors in the packed and unpacked flotation columns were characterized by combining Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Population Balance Model (PBM) techniques. Flotation experiments showed that packing-plates in the collection zone of a column can improve bauxite flotation performance and increase the smaller bauxite particles recovery. Using packing-plates, the recovery of Al₂O₃ increased by 2.11%, and the grade of Al₂O₃ increased by 1.85%. The fraction of −20 μm mineral particles in concentrate increased from 47.31% to 54.79%. CFD simulation results indicated that the packing-plates optimized the bubble distribution characteristics and increased the proportion of microbubbles in the flotation column, which contributed to improving the capture probability of fine bauxite particles.application/pdfenCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalplate-packed flotation columnfine bauxite particlesbubble characteristicsArticle - Refereed2020-09-07https://doi.org/10.3390/met10091184