Analysis of flow-field and particle-motion characteristics in the dry separation process for coal-series kaolin

ABSTRACT Feng Xuan (FX) dry separators can effectively separate coal-series kaolinite. Coal-series kaolinite from Inner Mongolia (China) was selected as the sample. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the discrete element method (DEM) were used to study velocity field, pressure field, turbulent kinetic energy field, and particle-motion characteristics of the FX dry separator. The results showed that the air velocity and pressure of the four air chambers symmetrically distributed from the centre to the surrounding area, and their values gradually decreased. The heavy products were located at the lower part of the material layer and moved horizontally along the sieve plate, the light products were located on the upper part of the material layer and moved obliquely along the sieve plate, and the intermediate products aggregated along horizontal and inclined directions, and their compaction effect on heavy products was obvious at the end of the sieve plate. This study provided a new way to optimise the structural parameters of FX dry separators. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT