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For the operation of mining facilities, it is often the case that new equipment needs to be installed or existing equipment requires maintenance. Sometimes temporary changes to existing infrastructure may be required to keep multiple processing trains operational. For such instances, CFD can be used to accurately predict the flows in proposed configurations to ensure the safe and proper operation of the temporary arrangements.

An example where CFD was of particular benefit involved the temporary combination of two mix boxes downstream of centrifuge overflows. Each mix box normally fed a separate process train, but the centrifuge feeding one of the mix boxes required maintenance. However, the mine operator still wanted to keep both process trains in service and have an equal flow split to the two trains, despite being fed by only one centrifuge overflow. This required the joining of the two adjacent mix boxes with a temporary connection that would provide roughly the same flow to each train.

Using CFD to model the confluence of the flows, it was found that having a straight connection between the two boxes would result in too much flow to one of the trains. By quickly testing a few configurations with different sized restricting wall baffles, the approximate resistance required for an equal flow split was determined. Then, to develop a solution that was not as prone to wear as orifice-type baffles, a tapered box with similar resistance was designed which provided almost equal flow to both trains. Thus CFD simulations were able to successfully model a temporary configuration and give the mine operator confidence that it would meet their operational needs and not have excessive wear.