Účinnost činidla pro flotaci uhelných kalů na bázi biologických komponentů.

Abstract

This dissertation presents the results that are connected with the research of the possibilities of petrochemical agents’ replacement by a new agent, composed of biological components, which are used for flotation of black coal sludge in OKD. The new flotation agent is composed of components, which are intermediate products or byproducts of the methyl ester of vegetable oils, resp. bioethanol. As a supporting argument here is a public intention in higher environmental protection and gradual introduction of the “biological flotation agents” into the floatation practice. By applying the new generation of flotation agents, it is easier to biologically degrade their residual concentrations in waste water. Another important reason for introducing flotation agents of the biological origin is the gradually increasing global price of oil and oil products, which is connected with the diminishing oil reserves, speculations in the markets, and political instability or war conflicts in the affected areas. The introductory part of the dissertation presents the problems of sludge circle at the coal preparation plant and the way of the sludge treatment using the foam flotation. Next, there is a brief characteristic of the commonly used agents in OKD since the 70´s until the present times. In the theoretical part, theoretical aspects of the flotation process are discussed, associated with achieving effective hydrophobization of the solid phase (coal grains). To determine the degree of polarity of the coal grains, the measurement methodology and determination of electro kinetic potential is used together with the methodology of wetting angle (contact angle). In the application part of the dissertation, there are experimental findings obtained mostly in the IEI-HGF laboratories, VSB-TU Ostrava. These are the results of the grain size analyses of the input samples of coal sludge and ash; the results of electro kinetic potential measurements of these samples and the results of electro kinetic potential measurements of the samples of coal cutters from the coal seams of Karvina mines that are mined at the moment, accompanied by the wetting angle measurements of these samples. This dissertation describes the preparation of the biological flotation agent samples from individual hydrophobic, foam and stabilization components. It also states methodological procedures of the laboratory flotation tests to determine their efficiency. Following the copyrighted recipes of the biological flotation agents for coal sludge flotation, a new biological flotation agent has been developed, intentionally assigned Totalbio X6. The results of the laboratory flotation test say that the new flotation agent Totalbio X6 is, as far as the technological parameters are concerned (yield and ash content of the concentrate and flotation tailings, flotation agent consumption), comparable with petrochemical flotation agents, commonly used in the treatment plants of OKD, a.s.