Maintenance is a critical requirement for any minerals processing plant and Multotec says it has made it easier for mines to implement a pro-active programme on Dense Medium Separation (DMS) plants.
Phillip Nxumalo and Tumi Segakweng, Multotec operations staff, with the new self-aligning cone and spigot.
Over recent years, Multotec has launched a number of innovations that have not only extended the life of its cast iron DMS cyclones but also simplified on-site maintenance.
This is according to Richard Haydon, Process Manager, Cyclones at Multotec Process Equipment, who points to the innovative design of the Multotec DMS cyclone Monocone with its combined spigot and cone as a prime example.
Haydon says that often the cone and spigot in conventional cyclones wear at different rates which can potentially lead to a groove being formed between the cone and spigot, as well as the creation of turbulence within the cyclone with a resultant loss of process efficiency.
The Multotec Monocone design has eliminated the joint area which is found in traditional two-piece cyclones by combining the two components into one.
“The most significant advantage of the new design is that we have completely eliminated the possibility of a groove forming between the cone and spigot,” Haydon says.
The design has been subjected to extended and detailed tests at a Multotec customer site where a cyclone fitted with a Monocone has outperformed a separate cone/spigot combination.
“The wear pattern on the Monocone combination was smoother than on the conventional cyclones. In addition, the conventional cyclones showed increased wear at the breakpoint where the cone and spigot connect. The Monocone also achieved improved separation efficiency at the DMS plant due to its smoother internal profile after prolonged operation,” Haydon says.
The Monocone is complemented by Multotec’s latest CL range of cast iron cyclones, which features a self-aligning joint between the spigot and the cone. This eliminates the creation of an inward step during the assembly of cyclones on operational sites and in cramped conditions in a DMS plant.
