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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/J83734/01
Title: APPLICATION OF ON-LINE FROTH IMAGING TO THE IMPROVED OPERATION OF A PILOT SCALE FLOTATION PLANT
Principal Investigator: Hall, Dr S
Other Investigators:
Miles, Professor N
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Mineral Resources Engineering
Organisation: University of Nottingham
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 April 1994 Ends: 30 April 1997 Value (£): 124,149
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Separation Processes
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
This is a collaborative investigation between UMIST and Nottingham University into whether an operating strategy, based on froth structure recognition and modelling, can be applied to a continuous scale flotation system for the demineralisation of coal.Efficient separation of fine, low grade solid fossil fuel feeds can only be achieved by froth flotation. At such fine sizes selectivity in the process is achieved in the froth phase. On-going work at UMIST is studying the morphology of such systems in small batch flotation cells. In addition a dynamic froth model which can be validated by steerable vision is being developed. Extension of the experimental data and model development is required for larger cells, particularly the study of froth transport and particulate mobility, in both batch and continuous systems. An alternative to such phenomenological models is the application of artificial neural networks, both by training from available input-output data and from pattern recognition of the froth appearance.Nottingham University has extensive pilot scale flotation facilities and experience of image processing/neural network applications in the minerals industry. These facilities would be used to generate images for model development and validation both at UMIST and Nottingham.
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Organisation Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk