Low Density Dry Coal Beneficiation Using an Air Dense Medium Fluidized Bed

Abstract For the production of low ash content clean coal, separation at low density is required for some raw coals. Based on analyzing the fluidizing characteristics of magnetic pearls with a specific size distribution and formation mechanism of a microbubble fluidized bed, optimal technological and operating parameters suitable for low density coal separation were determined. The experimental results show that an air dense medium fluidized bed with low density can be formed using magnetic pearls as medium solids, which can efficiently beneficiate coal of 6–50 mm size with a probable error E p value of 0.05 at a separating density of 1.44 g/cm 3 .