Evaluation of a new vibrating screen for dry screening fine coal with different moisture contents

Abstract

A new vibrating screen was developed with a circular mode of vibration for dry screening of moist coal of size fraction ?3 + 1 mm. Screen mesh of 2 mm aperture size will be used to separate the finer coal particles of size fraction ?2 + 1 mm. The new vibrating screen has the flexibility in changing the operational parameters such as the angle of the screen in upward or downward sloping direction and frequency of vibration of the screen deck. The circular mode of vibration provided to the screen deck will incorporate the inertial force on the particle in the screen deck, reducing screen clogging. The present study involves the analysis of the screening performance of the new vibrating screen with the coal feed of varying moisture content of 4%, 6% and 8%. The maximum screening efficiencies obtained for screening the coal feed with the moisture contents of 4%, 6% and 8% were 85.96%, 77.84%, and 68.27%, respectively. The higher screening performance of new vibrating screen was obtained due to good exposure time, particle mixing, particle segregation and particle stratification of coal on the screen deck. The results of the new vibrating screen will be a breakthrough in dry screening technology and accelerate the pilot-scale development. © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.