A Study of a Simplified Theory of Gravity Concentration in Coal Jigs
R. P. CHARBONNIER
To understand the operation of jigs and other separating processes based on differences in gravity, it is desirable to analyse the motion of various particles in given media under specific conditions. A summary of the earlier theories shows that they lead to unsatisfactory or excessively complicated formulae in cases such as coal jigging. By adopting a simplified theory of the motion of particles in a fluid, the size and duration of the initial accelerated motion of a particle falling in hindered settling can be calculated. Based on this mathematical analysis, examples referring to actual coal jigging practice show that it is desirable to prolong and / or repeat, as frequently as possible, the optimum conditions corresponding to an effective acceleration of the particles. The separation is then obtained according to gravity rather than to particle dimensions, as would be the case if the velocity of the particles were allowed to approach its terminal value. To achieve this gravity separation, it is suggested that the suction phase of the jigging cycle be artificially prolonged and the frequency of pulsations increased as much as possible for washing the coals of smaller sizes.
Keywords:
Coal, Density, Fluids, Gravity, Gravity concentration, Jigging, jigging, Reynolds number, specific gravity, Stokes' law, terminal velocity, particles, Phase, Resistance, Terminals
