Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia:

A. F. Petrov, Head of Laboratory
A. I. Yurev, Executive Officer, e-mail: yurevai@nk.nornik.ru
L. Yu. Brusnichkina-Kirillova, Chief Specialist

LLC “Gormasheksport”, Novosibirsk, Russia:
A. V. Bauman, Deputy Director on Scientific Work

Pilot testing was conducted on the individual hydrocyclone HC-150 (ГЦ-150) during nickel concentrate pulp hydrocycloning (Norilsk Dressing Plant) in a shop of concentrates' storage and dehydration (Nadezhda metallurgical plant). The sand nozzle’s diameter and the device’s operational technological regime were selected during the process. The testing was carried out, based on the method for devising of thickeners that were developed by the experts at LLC “Gormasheksport”, practical experience in modernization of thickener and the development of hydrocycloning schemes. A complex of sand nozzles with diameters between 12 and 20 mm and the interval of 2 mm was used during the testing. The dependency of sand and hydrocyclone overflow on changes in operational diameter of the sand nozzle and pressure in the hydrocyclone were researched. Based on testing with the usage of feed pulp with a density of 1.39 t/m³, it was determined that the nozzles with a 14–18 mm diameter are optimal for the obtaining of sand fractions with a density of 2.2–2.4 g/ cm³. The average discharge of sand was ~35%, whilst the discharge of outflows was 65% at a pulp outflow density of 1.30 g/cm3. The testing results proved the efficiency of hydrocycloning in the case of nickel concentrate pulp from the Norilsk Dressing Plant. During condensation of outflows in laboratory conditions a 15–20%, lowering in density of the condensed pulp was noted as compared to the similar indicator during the condensation of feed nickel concentrate from the Norilsk Dressing Plant, which requires additional measures in order to enhance the condensation indicators. According to the calculations, for the purposes of realization of the hydrocycloning scheme at the shop of concentrates' storage and dehydration, the load on condensation in the case of hard materials shall be lowered by approximately 35% without lowering the density of the condensed pulp. Based on the results, obtained during the pilot testing, it is required to build a battery hydrocyclone and carry out industrial testing at the shop of storage and dehydration of concentrates.

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