Application of Decanting Centrifuges in Copper Ore Processing
| Application Scenario | Core Function | Typical Throughput Range | Key Indicators & Effects |
| Copper Ore Tailings Dry Stacking | Slurry concentration + dewatering for dry stacking/resource utilization | 30–150 m³/h (single unit) | Moisture content of solid phase: 18%–25%; liquid phase reuse rate: ≥90%; suitable for copper tailings slurry with solid content of 10%–40% |
| Solid-Liquid Separation After Flotation/Magnetic Separation | Recovery of fine-grained copper minerals + slurry concentration | 40–200 m³/h | Concentration of thickened slurry increased to 50%–65%; recovery rate of fine-grained copper: ≥90%; reduces load on subsequent equipment |
| Copper Mine Wastewater Treatment | SS removal + separation of heavy metal precipitates | 25–100 m³/h | SS removal rate: ≥95%; combined with chemical precipitation to meet standards for Cu²⁺ and other heavy metals; treated effluent suitable for reuse or discharge |
| SX Scum Treatment (Hydrometallurgical Copper Smelting) | Three-phase separation of organic phase/aqueous phase/solid phase | 30–80 m³/h | Organic phase recovery rate: ≥98%; reduces extractant loss and impurity load in electrolysis process |
| Copper Concentrate Dewatering | Concentrate quality improvement and volume reduction | 50–120 m³/h | Moisture content of concentrate reduced to 12%–18%; facilitates transportation and subsequent smelting |
Bowl Diameter: Commonly used models with diameter ranging from 550 to 920 mm; throughput increases with larger diameter (e.g., LW764 model: 60–120 m³/h).
G-Force: Copper ore contains a high proportion of fine particles; select models with G-force ≥2500G to improve sedimentation efficiency of fine particles and avoid copper loss.
Differential Speed: Adjusts screw conveying speed to adapt to fluctuations in slurry solid content, stabilizing throughput and separation efficiency.
2. Slurry Characteristics
Solid Content: For every 5% increase in solid content, throughput usually decreases by 8%–12%. It is recommended to equip a feed buffer tank to stabilize flow and pressure.
Particle Size and Abrasiveness: Copper tailings contain hard particles such as quartz; the screw and bowl should be treated with tungsten carbide spraying or surfacing to ensure long-term stable throughput.
3. Process Configuration
Flocculant Dosing: Proper dosing can increase throughput by 15%–25% and reduce solid phase moisture content; without flocculant, throughput may decrease by 20%–30%.
Parallel Operation: Multi-unit parallel operation enables linear capacity expansion (e.g., 3 units of 60 m³/h each achieve a total throughput of 180 m³/h), suitable for large-scale copper mine requirements.
III. On-site Cases and Throughput Reference
Tailings Treatment in Medium-sized Copper Mine: 2 sets of GNLW660 decanting centrifuges are adopted, with single-unit throughput of 60–80 m³/h and total throughput of 120–160 m³/h. The moisture content of tailings solid phase is 20%–22%. Reclaimed water is directly used for flotation, reducing fresh water consumption by 60%.
SX Scum Treatment in Large-scale Copper Smelter: Three-phase decanting centrifuges are used with a throughput of 50–70 m³/h. The organic phase recovery rate reaches 98.5%, saving over 800,000 yuan in extractant costs annually.
Copper Mine Wastewater Treatment: A single 80 m³/h unit is used to treat copper-containing mineral processing wastewater. The SS removal rate is 96%, Cu²⁺ concentration is reduced to below 0.5 mg/L, and the effluent reuse rate is 92%.
IV. Optimization Solutions to Improve Throughput
Supporting Systems: Add a feed buffer tank and variable frequency screw pump to stabilize flow rate and concentration, avoiding equipment overload.
Online Monitoring: Install concentration meters, flow meters, and moisture meters to adjust rotational speed/flocculant dosage in real time, maintaining optimal throughput.
Wear Resistance Enhancement: Apply tungsten carbide spray welding or cemented carbide inserts to screw blades to extend service life and reduce throughput decline caused by wear.
V. Selection Recommendations
Select single-unit or multi-unit parallel throughput based on hourly slurry flow rate × 1.2 (margin coefficient) to avoid long-term full-load operation.
Prioritize models with bowl diameter ≥700 mm, G-force ≥2500G, and wear-resistant treatment to adapt to copper ore working conditions.
Balance throughput and separation efficiency according to the final destination of tailings/wastewater (dry stacking/reuse/discharge) to meet environmental protection and resource recovery requirements.
