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Virginia Tech

Design and Testing of a Hyperbaric Horizontal Belt Filter for Fine Coal Dewatering

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This objective of this project was to develop a new dewatering device that could produce a lower moisture content and better fine particle recovery than current technology. To meet this goal, a hyperbaric horizontal belt filter was designed and constructed over the course of 18 months. Once built, the filter was then thoroughly tested to determine operational capabilities. The test data showed that the lowest moisture content that could be achieved with a coarse feed (minus 1 mm screen-bowl centrifuge feed) was 8.8%. This value could be further reduced to 8.2% and capacity increased with the use of dewatering aids. When testing with a fine feed (minus 0.15 mm column product feed), the lowest moisture content was 35% without chemicals and 29% with chemicals. A 50/50 mixture by volume of coarse and fine feeds was artificially created and provided a moisture of 10.8%, which was reduced using reagents to 8.4%. The machine provided a very high recovery rate for all feed materials. Of the coal input, no less than 94% of it reported to the dry product. The pressure used to dewater the coal was the controlling factor for the air consumption of the unit. The data from these tests suggest that a full size production unit is feasible, although the power requirements for gas compression would be high.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mining and Minerals Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Mining and Minerals Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2007

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Salomon, Jeffrey A.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Luttrell, Gerald H.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Novak, Thomas
  • Yoon, Roe-Hoan
  • Adel, Gregory T.

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-06012007-114612
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33372

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Salomon, Jeffrey A.. Design and Testing of a Hyperbaric Horizontal Belt Filter for Fine Coal Dewatering. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33372