Design, Modeling, Optimization and Control of Flotation Process, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The ultimate goal of a flotation process is to achieve the economically optimum combination of the desired mineral grade and recovery in the final concentrate from a feed of varying composition. The industrial operation of froth flotation faces many challenges, such as sudden decreases in the recovery and grade of recovered materials. The quality of the final concentrate determines the success of the downstream processes, and achieving the optimum metallurgical performance requires proper characterization, optimization, and control of the process. The efficiency of a flotation circuit operation relies on several factors pertinent to mineral nature and structure (variability of ore feed, particle size, complex mineralogy, and morphology), as well as on the type of instrumentation and operational parameters (design parameters, reagents, quality of process water, air flow rate, and solid content) used, which require both advanced theoretical and practical studies. Hence, new techniques in the fields of design, modelling, optimization, and control of flotation processes have attracted a great deal of attention.

This Special Issue is dedicated to sharing the latest findings on methodologies, applications, and case studies in the field of flotation to improve process efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and increase the sustainability of these processes. This Special Issue welcomes a wide range of research and practical topics, including those related to design, simulation and instrumentation, and process control. We welcome reviews, original articles, and multidisciplinary studies, including but not limited to the following topics:

• Conceptual or simulation of flotation processes;
• Optimization of flotation processes (single or multi-objectives, uncertainty, and sensitivity analyses);
• Novel perspectives in designing flotation circuits, machinery, and the minimization of energy consumption;
• Modification and improvement of flotation circuits;
• Numerical modelling of flotation processes (molecular modelling, computational fluid dynamics, intelligent computation, image analysis);
• Kinetic models and their scale-up in industrial cells;
• Process control (data management, automation, sensors, and measurements);
• Mechanical, column, and pneumatic flotation cells (Jameson, Imhoflot^TM and Reflux^TM flotation cells);
• Impact of operation parameters on designing flotation cells (gas hold-up, superficial gas velocity, bubble size distribution and orifice type, etc.);
• Measurement and modelling of slurry residence time in flotation cell/circuits.

The first edition explored innovative approaches to modelling, optimizing, and controlling flotation processes. These techniques aim to enhance efficiency by maximizing the recovery of valuable minerals while minimizing energy and reagent consumption in relevant studied flotation processes. The second edition of the Special Issue will continue to serve as a platform for future multidisciplinary research in modelling, designing, and optimizing the flotation process.

Dr. Fardis Nakhaei
Prof. Dr. Wengang Liu
Guest Editors

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