DETERMINATION OF THE DEPENDENCE OF THE SIZE OF THE FLOATED PARTICLES ON THEIR PROPERTIES AND THE HYDRODYNAMICS OF THE FLOTATION CHAMBER
It is noted that medium-sized particles have the highest flotation rate. Grains of the boundary classes of the size range have a reduced floatability, and they account for more than 50% of all losses of extracted minerals during flotation. The stability conditions of the particle - bubble flotation unit in the chamber of the foam flotation machine are considered. The effect of perturbations of the bubble surface on the size of the floated particles is studied. The amplitude of the initial deformation of the surface and the amplitude of the initial deformation rate of the bubble surface were determined depending on the energy of the turbulent pulsations of the environmental liquid. It is established that the rate of energy dissipation in the chamber of the flotation machine has a moderate effect on the size of the extracted grains. The influence of the surface properties of mineral particles and their mass on the upper value of the particle size range is studied. It is shown that the hydrophobicity of the surface has a significant effect on the size of the mineral particles that remain in contact with the gas phase. The main parameter that characterizes the effect of the hydrophobicity of the surface of the floated particles on the value of the separation force can be the value of the advancing contact angle.