Froth pump suitable for tough flotation froth duties

Slurry equipment solutions provider Weir Minerals has developed a new range of horizontal froth pumps, which is achieving positive results in mining applications in South Africa, Weir Minerals Africa&#;s slurry pump product manager Rui Gomes tells Mining Weekly.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from SUNBO PUMP.

&#;Weir Minerals has performed testwork in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, and has improved pump operations accordingly,&#; he says.

The test was a 12-month process, during which the com- pany assessed the parameters and analysed the downfalls. &#;After considering numerous reports and data, the company decided on a pump size, which was then monitored for a three-month period,&#; says Gomes, adding that the company noticed immediate improvements.

He says the new pump range is ideal for use in platinum, copper, gold and phosphate mines, as it is suited to applications where froth is created through froth flotation and subsequently needs to be transported by means of a pump. &#;Froth can be difficult to move, as it comprises mainly air, and centrifugal pumps do not manage air well,&#; he adds.

&#;Designed to handle heavy froth, the Warman AHF horizontal froth pump has a large inlet and inducing impeller designs that are successful in areas where others fail,&#; says Gomes.

An oversized inlet, with unique inducing impeller vanes, handles heavy froth and high-viscosity dense slurries with ease. &#;The AHF line of horizontal froth pumps has proven valuable in dense slurries, where viscosity becomes a pumping issue for the standard slurry pump,&#; he adds.

The pump has a heavy-duty construction with through-bolt design, which provides ease of maintenance and less downtime, while ductile iron-lined casing provides durability, strength and a long service life.

The large open internal passages reduce internal velocities, thereby improving wear-life, resulting in lower operating costs.

Further, the pumps have a unique impeller design for difficult froth applications and a thick elastomer or metal bolt-in liners, which provide superior corrosion resistance and also offers ease of liner change-out and interchangeability to reduce maintenance costs and improve wear-life.

Cartridge-style bearing assembly allows for maintenance in a clean environment without removal of the pump, resulting in reliable operation and prolonged bearing life.

A standard AH, from which the AHF pump was created, can be converted by replacing the cover plate, throat bush and impeller, while a full flush, low-flow or dry-running centrifugal seal reduces water usage and operating costs.

Gomes says that the AHF pump is unique, as it is a horizontal pump rather than a vertical pump, which is commonly used in the frothing industry in mining. &#;Weir Minerals still continues to supply a range of vertical froth pumps, as there is a market for it; however, some of the benefits that we have noticed with the horizontal froth pump include improved efficiencies and a smaller footprint,&#; he notes, adding that the pump is fit for purpose.

Gomes highlights that new technology has been implemented to ensure that Weir Minerals continues to supply efficient pumps.

&#;Weir Minerals invests substantially in research and deve-lopment worldwide,&#; he says, adding that the company&#;s investment in pumps has been focused on improving efficiencies, pump performance and the life of the wear parts in the pump.

This pump range is relatively new to the South African market, as Weir Minerals launched the range after the acquisition of pump suppliers CH Warman in . These pumps have, however, been widely tested and used internationally.

Meanwhile, Weir Minerals is noticing growth potential in Central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, where the copper industry has been growing for the last two years.

Are you interested in learning more about warman vertical sump pump? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Gomes says that West Africa, as well as Mozambique, will be focus points, as the mining industry continues to grow. &#;Weir Minerals Africa is well positioned to supply products throughout the African continent through an extensive footprint. The company is constantly adapting to keep abreast of new developments and places with growth potential.&#;

Meanwhile, Weir Minerals prides itself on being well placed in terms of its aftermarket service and support. &#;The company has service facilities throughout Africa [with employees] who are well trained to provide main-tenance and technical support,&#; says Gomes. The company also provides a roaming team of technicians that provide on-site support, as well as the transfer of necessary skills required in even the remotest part of Africa.

Locally, Weir Minerals is actively engaged in upskilling the industry and facilitating the transfer of knowledge and skills from an ageing workforce. Among other initiatives, the company offers several bursaries through local universities, complemented by experiential learning. &#;We currently have several engineering bursary students who spend time at the various South African operations to gain experience and hands-on exposure. The company offers graduate programmes that encourage mentorship and career development,&#; says Gomes.

&#;We are noticing that, over the last two years, there has been an increase in the number of students whom Weir Minerals has trained and we are proud to be making a contribution to the upliftment of the industry and, indeed, society at large,&#; he concludes.

Owing to design improvements on the Warman AHF series of heavy-duty horizontal froth pumps, the product now has enhanced and revitalised froth-handling capabilities, reports slurry equipment solutions provider Weir Minerals Africa.

The recent updates are the result of extensive testwork initiated about 18 months ago, and form part of a fundamental change in the design layout associated with the installation of the AHF pumps, which includes feed tanks, orientation and footprint.

The heavy-duty Warman AHF froth pump &#; based on and interchangeable with the better-known Warman AH and L pumps &#; has been modified to handle difficult froth slurry.

Key to the unique AHF froth pump design is a significantly larger-than-normal inlet diameter with a unique impeller inducer blade, which is able to handle heavy froth and higher-viscosity dense slurries. The larger inlet, with a correspondingly larger inlet volume, enables the pump to handle significantly greater expanded air volumes without air binding and with less surging, making it possible for the user to install a smaller pump.

Weir Minerals Africa conducted local test-work over the last seven years, based on findings drawn from research conducted in North America and Europe.

Weir Minerals Africa slurry pumps product manager Rui Gomes says this research enabled his team to understand the variability prevalent at different plants and how the AHF pump can be adjusted to respond to these irregularities.

&#;Being able to tap into the latest proven methods and apply them to local operations is one of the benefits of being part of a large multinational organisation,&#; he says.

Gomes adds that the mining industry is plagued by froth and high-viscosity problems, further noting that, in the process of recovering minerals from the ore, the slurry is often floated with strong flotation agents.

&#;The hydrophobic bubbles carry the con-centrate to be recovered and processed further. This can cause complications in standard slurry pumps, as conventional pumps are prone to overflowing, which leads to spillage and loss of valuable concentrate. It also poses a risk to the environment. This often results in the selection of overly large and inefficient pumps,&#; explains Gomes.

He points out, however, that the Warman AHF froth pump is small and efficient. &#;The inducer impeller and oversized inlet are effective in ensuring that froth or viscous slurries enter the impeller, enabling the pump to transport it to the next destination. Lower power costs, reliable operation, and greatly reduced surging and feed-tank overflow make this pump user friendly,&#; says Gomes.

He adds that, with concentration froth, there is no &#;copy and paste&#; solution, as was the theory in the past, as individual applications vary over a broad spectrum.

&#;We therefore continue to collaborate with customers to conduct ongoing testwork that guides the application of this pump technology to suit customers&#; unique processes,&#; he concludes.