Welcome to the P266 Website

Gravity thickening in mineral processing

Efficient performance of thickeners, clarifiers, washers, settlers and classifiers is crucial to most mineral processing, hydrometallurgical and water treatment operations. In our experience there is very significant scope for improvement in most applications. The challenges are to understand how to increase throughput, enhance performance (overflow clarity, underflow density, flocculant usage), reduce costs, improve operational stability. This can be achieved through better operating practices, retrofitting existing units and the development of new design concepts.

Discover how one sponsor benefited from the project.

AMIRA P266 "Improving Thickener Technology"

The AMIRA P266 series of projects, led by researchers from the Parker Centre, has considerably advanced the understanding of the processes occurring within gravity thickeners. This has been achieved through the coupling of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling, physical modelling, experiments, flocculation performance testing, fundamental chemical studies and extensive on-site measurements. As a consequence of long-term industry support, the team now leads the world in identifying the key factors affecting full-scale thickener performance and in modifying design and operating conditions to realise improvements.

The most recent stage

The most recent stage AMIRA P266F, the sixth extension of the original project, ran from January 2009 to December 2011. The success of the P266 series of projects saw a number of new companies from around the world join P266F. Key outcomes from the project included:

• The entire thickener flow domain (feedwell, hindered settling, clarification, bed and rake zones) is now modelled by CFD, with some elements missing, in particular in terms of how different zones interact. While the physics of some processes needs further development, empirical correlations now allow the Full Thickener Model to be used for well characterised feeds.
• Corrections have been developed to account for the impact of flocculant concentration on flocculation modelling, and the extension to feedwell CFD has provided the first predictions of discrete blobs of flocculant solution existing downstream of a sparge.
• Feedwell CFD has been applied extensively to a range of feedwell designs and design considerations, with particular focus on solids concentration, flow rate and particle size.
• Advanced sedimentation measurements have provided the platform for developing a fully predictive sedimentation model.
• An online thickener self-appraisal was developed and a range of other web-based technology transfer tools were delivered.

P266F Core Activities target industry requirements

Technology Transfer from P266F to sponsors has a high priority

This website

The P266 website provides a brief introduction to the project and how it operates. Access to confidential project details and resources is restricted to sponsors. Passwords allow entry via the Sponsors Login sections

For further information on the project, please contact either Gray Bailey or Imran Hussain