Xcell Flotation Cells

Numerous features have been incorporated into the XCELL design to take advantage of opportunities for improved metallurgical performance.

These opportunities include improving fine and coarse particle flotation and enhanced froth recovery.

Tank Design
The symmetry afforded by the cylindrical tank design improves both hydrodynamics and froth recovery, resulting in improved metallurgical performance. The XCELL flotation machine design further enhances the performance of the cylindrical tank by placing the concentrate launders on the tank exterior. The XCELL Flotation Product line is unique in that external launders are offered on all cell sizes from the smallest 1.5 m3 size to the largest 160 m3 units.

Rotor
The XCELL rotor has eight blades and is radial flow in design. The rotor is constructed with a mild steel core and blades which are protected with a log-wearing cast urethane cover. Air injection ports are located under the rotor top plate between each set of blades.

The rotor in an XCELL machine is placed in the center of the tank to separate the energy input region (rotor) from the cell’s froth surface allowing for a quiescent froth-pulp interface while maintaining a short transport path from the contract region (stator volume) to the froth phase. This allows the XCELL to operate with shallow froths, if required, and reduces bubble particle disengagement by keeping the transport path relatively short.

Centering the rotor in the tank provides the opportunity to control the air rate. The ability to control the rate of air input enhances an operator’s ability to control and optimize metallurgical performance.

Vertical Baffles
Any cylindrical stirred tank reactor with a rotor on the center line needs baffles to eliminate swirling and effect proper mixing; vertical baffles improve mixing and in turn metallurgical performance. All XCELL flotation machines have at least four (4) vertical baffles, and in difficult suspension situations as many as eight (8) baffles may be used.

Slurry Flow Management
The XCELL flotation machine employs a unique draft tube-velocity cone combination that functions to distribute input power to the bottom of tank and manage slurry velocity. The velocity cone, a patented feature, reduces resistance to flow within the draft tube and maintains slurry velocity at levels sufficient to prevent sanding and lift coarse particles into the contact region, thus improving the probability of coarse particle flotation.

Drive Mechanism
V-belt drives are reliable, efficient, and a cost effective means to transfer power from the motor to the rotor. All XCELL flotation machines utilize a V-belt drive system ensuring trouble free service for years after the sale.

Sizes range from 1.5m3 to 160m3