SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING WATER-ONLY CYCLONES

摘要

A system is provided for controlling the operation and performance of water-only cyclones used in a coal preparation plants for separating a fine raw coal slurry into fine coal and fine refuse slurries. The inventive system includes a variable speed pump feeding the fine raw coal slurry from an underpan of a deslime screen to a water-only cyclone. A nuclear density gauge measures the specific gravity of the raw coal slurry feeding the water-only cyclones and generates a signal representative of the measured specific gravity value, which is then used to control the addition of water to maintain a set point specific gravity. A level sensor measures the level of the fine raw coal slurry in the underpan and generates a signal representative of the measured level value. A pressure sensor measures the pressure of the fine raw coal slurry pumped to the water-only cyclone and generates a signal representative of the measured pressure value. A speed control device is also provided which receives the level and pressure sensor signals, and controls the speed of the variable speed pump in response thereto in order to maintain an appropriate level of slurry in the underpan, and an appropriate feed pressure of the slurry fed to the water-only cyclone