Powder Technology 104 Ž1999.

233–239
www.elsevier.comrlocaterpowtec

Design, selection, sizing and control considerations for cyclone feed

slurry pumps
a,) b
Graeme R. Addie , Anders Sellgren
a
GIW Industries, 5000 Wrightsboro Road, GroÕetown, GA 30813-9750, USA
b
DiÕision of Water Resources Engineering, Lulea˚ UniÕersity of Technology, S-97187 Lulea,
˚ Sweden

Abstract

Cyclone feed centrifugal slurry pumps in semi-autogenous grinding ŽSAG. mill and other cyclone feed circuits see coarse size slurries
at high concentrations that can result in high wear if the pump is not designed, selected, sized and operated correctly. The high proportion
of static head of the normal cyclone feed circuits usually results in a relatively flat system curve which in conjunction with the typically
flat slurry pump curve results in large changes in operating flow with small changes in system head. When this is combined with the
normal Žor abnormal. fluctuations in the output from the mill upstream of the pumps, any shortcomings in the pump control system
andror matching of the pump means large fluctuations in flow and increased wear. This difficulty could be corrected by continuous
variations in speed. A means of control by which the speed is changed in an appropriate way is suggested here. In this case then the
pump-input power, the known water performance of the pump and the system flow, can be used to calculate an effective pump discharge
pressure. By comparison with a calculated system head, the pump speed can be regulated such that the pressures are equal and the system
stable for any practical variation of incoming flow or specific gravity. q 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Cyclone feed slurry pumps; Design; Semi-autogenous grinding

1. Introduction
Cyclone feed circuits almost always involve the pump-
ing of settling slurries. The solids size in a typical cyclone
feed circuit is roughly 250 mm but can vary considerably
and can even include steel balls Žup to 100 mm in size. or
chips. Below a certain velocity a settling slurry becomes
stratified as described in Ref. w1x, and may even form a
fixed bed in horizontal and inclined parts.
Cyclone feed pipeline systems are arranged with the
cyclone about 100 ft or so directly above the pumps. The
piping is mostly vertical so about 80% of the resistance is
static head, with the remainder as flow-dependent friction
head such that the pipeline characteristic is nearly flat. The
pump head–quantity Ž H–Q . characteristic at constant rpm
is also relatively flat, mainly because of its large internal
areas. Thus, small changes in system head cause large
changes in flow, or even unstable operation Žsee Fig. 1..
While variation in pump speed to accommodate changes
in system head is possible, until now there has not been a
rational control method for adjusting the speed. In effect,
)
Corresponding author. Tel.: q1-706-863-1011; fax: q1-706-868-
8025
most pumps, even those fitted with variable speed, are
operated in a fixed-speed manner. Large changes in flow at
fixed speed depart from the design point, resulting in
increased wear and wear localization. Also, the large varia-
tions in flow often produce cavitation or operation with the
sump empty or partly full.
The objective is here to discuss the various considera-
tions of cyclone feed pumping influencing pump design,
selection and sizing, along with the different system fac-
tors that come into play and how these may be controlled
to achieve reliable, cost-effective operation.
2. Pump performance
2.1. Characteristics
The constant-speed pump performance characteristics
are shown in Fig. 2. These curves vary with varying speed
according to the affinity laws as shown in Fig. 3. It can be
seen here that the efficiency and other measures of perfor-
mance vary around an affinity line and a best efficiency
point ŽBEP. at which the pump is usually designed Žand
for which the efficiency and other performance of the
pump is usually optimal..

0032-5910r99r$ - see front matter q 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 3 2 - 5 9 1 0 Ž 9 9 . 0 0 1 0 0 - X
234 G.R. Addie, A. Sellgrenr Powder Technology 104 (1999) 233–239
Fig. 1. Typical cyclone feed system head breakdown.
The instantaneous pump shaft input power P ŽW . used
in the charts is given by
QH r g
Ps
h
where H s head in meters of slurry mixture, Q s flow in
m3rs, h s pump efficiency, r s mixture density, kgrm3 ,
g s acceleration due to gravity, mrs 2 .
2.2. Wear
The wear performance of a slurry pump varies with the
design of the pump, the speed of the pump and in particu-
lar, the point where the pump operates on its curve in
relation to the BEP. It also depends on the particle size,
solids SG, angularity and concentration. Fig. 4 ŽAddie et
al., w2x. show an example of how wear can vary as the flow
varies Žat fixed speed. on a pump casing.
Wear also varies with the collector design, as discussed
in Wilson et al. w1x. The wear of the impeller and suction
liner is also dramatically effected by where the pump
operates ŽAddie et al. w3x. in relation to the BEPQ.
3. System operation
A centrifugal pump can only operate at the point where
the pressure it produces is in equilibrium with the pressure
resistance of the system. For convenience we often show
pump and system pressure in height of mixture or slurry. It
should be understood, however, that curves drawn this way
are valid only where the slurry concentration in the pump
and the system are the same.
Fig. 5 shows two different generic head–quantity char-
acteristics for the same pump corresponding to two differ-
ent pump speeds, together with three different system
characteristics corresponding to typical cyclone feeds at
three different sump levels.
Keeping in mind that the pumprsystem unit can only
operate where the characteristics intersect, the effect of
two different speeds can be seen for a given system. By
the same token the effect of different systems Žand sump
levels. against a constant-rpm pump can be seen. As is
usually the case with cyclone feed systems, the change in
sump level has a significant effect on system head, and on
the change of flow with head variation. This effect in-
creases as the system Žand pump. curves become flatter.
3.1. Case studies
Fig. 6 shows the pump and system head–quantity char-
acteristics for a real cyclone feed system operating in a
copper mill in Chile. In this case, the pump speed was set
at 347 rpm. The pipeline head characteristics for sump
levels of 3.6 and 1.8 m are shown along with the corre-
sponding values of available net positive suction head
ŽNPSH.. Also shown is the pump H–Q performance for
the original 1.416 m diameter impeller, a turndown version
of 1.320 m diameter. The required NPSH characteristic for
Ž 1. the pump is also shown.
The fact that operation occurs to the left of the mini-
mum head loss shows that the system piping in this case
was oversized in order to reduce velocities Žand wear.. The
result is a slightly unstable characteristic, which is not
uncommon. It can be seen here that the design flow
conditions are met with a 1.8 m sump depth and an
impeller diameter of 1.320 m. An increase of sump level in
the range shown results in an increase of flow of about
20%.
The NPSH required increases with the increase in flow.
The NPSH available Žwith the increased sump level.,
however, increases by about the same amount, so an
adequate margin remains and cavitation should not be
encountered. ŽOf course, this conclusion is not a general
Fig. 2. Representative pump characteristic curves from Wilson et al. w1x.
 G.R. Addie, A. Sellgrenr Powder Technology 104 (1999) 233–239
Fig. 3. Pump performance chart varying speeds ŽWilson et al. w1x..
one, and a check of NPSH should be made for every
design..
With a full size impeller diameter of 1.416 m Žwhich
was initially supplied. the pump would try to operate at
flows as high as 170% of the design flows and at a point
Fig. 4. Variation of wear rate along the casing for various values of flow
rate Žfrom Addie et al. w3x..
235
where the NPSH required was greater than that available.
However, an increase in cyclone pressure of 0.8 bar Žto 1.3
bar. would cause the flow to drop back to the original
design flow, showing how sensitive the flow is to cyclone
pressure changes.
All of the above assumes near constant andror slow
changes in the incoming slurry. It also assumes that the
flow input from the mill matches the system intersection
values. For example, an inflow of about 150% of design
flow would see operation at a sump level of 5.5 m if the
sump height will allow this. On the other hand, if the
incoming flow were less than 75% of the design flow the
pump would suck the sump dry. ŽIn reality this case would
be profoundly unstable..
In the previous case from Chile, it was assumed steady
or slow changes of feed flow rate and concentration.
Operational stability or the ability of the system to operate
at a steady flow with changes in slurry SG, solids size,
etc., must also be considered. Chapter 12 ŽWilson et al.
w1x. is very useful in this regard.
As an example, consider another cyclone feed system
located at a copper mine in the Western United States. The
pump and system head curves plotted in height of water on
Fig. 7 are very informative.
236 G.R. Addie, A. Sellgrenr Powder Technology 104 (1999) 233–239

Next, we maintain the 3-m sump level with the system

full of slurry of SG of 1.45, but suppose that the incoming
slurry from the mill suddenly drops in solids concentration
to give a new SG of 1.40.
In this case, Fig. 7 shows that the pump pressure
diminishes Žbecause of the drop off in SG. to a value less
than that required by the system. The pump stops pumping
until the lower-concentration slurry gets through the sys-
tem andror the sump rises.
For this pump and system, it can be seen that operation
at the original 1010 lrs at 1.45 SG at 3 m-sump level
becomes unstable with even the smallest change in slurry
concentration.
In the above example, the mill inflows on site were
measured as being equal Žon average. to about 1010 lrs.
While some make-up water was available, it was not used
because the operators believed it would have had a nega-
tive effect on the process in general. The result was
unstable operation with recorded flows fluctuating from
760 lrs to about 1325 lrs. The expected result of such
wide-ranging instability is severe wear to the suction liner,
impeller and shell.

4. Discussion — a new control method

Fig. 5. Different operating conditions in a typical cyclone feed applica-
tion.
As with the first example Žfrom Chile., the pipeline
diameters used in the last example were in fact sized
As shown in Fig. 7, assuming steady slurry concentra- overly large in an attempt to reduce wear. Reducing the
tion equivalent to SG s 1.45 and a pump running at 374 diameter of the system pipelines Žparticularly the horizon-
rpm with a 3.7 m sump level produces a flow of about tal sections. will increase the system curve slope.
1170 lrs. With the same SG and a lower sump level of 3
m, the pump characteristic contacts the system at single
tangent point at a flow of around 1010 lrs. With a sump
level lower than 3 m Žsay, the 2.44 m line shown., the
pump head is less than the system head, in which case
pumping would not occur.
In practice, it can be seen if the inflow is greater than
the 1010 lrs Žstill at a steady SG 1.45. the sump level will
rise. This in turn lowers the system head, creating a new
intercept when the flow and sump level are in equilibrium.
Continuing to consider constant concentration with a sump
level of 3 m, it is seen that any flow less than 1010 lrs
results in a non-pumping situation which continues until
the incoming flow causes the sump level to rise. This rise
in turn lowers the system head until an intersection occurs
and the pump can start pumping again.
Note here that the restart flow will be greater than 1010
lrs. This implies that if the incoming flow from the mill
into the pump sump remains at 1010 lrs the sump level
will then start to drop until the intersection is lost and the
pump stops pumping. This type of stopping and starting
will continue so long as the incoming flow is less than
1010 lrs. The variation in flow will depend on the length
of the system, its characteristics and the momentum of the
fluid in the line. Fig. 6. System and pump characteristic in a cyclone feed application.
 G.R. Addie, A. Sellgrenr Powder Technology 104 (1999) 233–239
Fig. 7. pump head and 1.45 SG system head curves for different operating conditions.
The pump in the last example also had oversized sec-
tions and a BEP of about twice the average flow seen in
service. This specification requirement was mandated pre-
sumably as with the piping in the mistaken belief that it
would reduce wear. Reducing the width Žor reducing the
internal area while keeping the same diameter. of the
pump, will also steepen the H–Q of the pump, and thus
promote stability.
In this example, the pump was fitted by a variable
speed drive. However, the speed was actually held con-
stant at a value allowing the pump to cope with the
average inflow.
It should be possible to increase or decrease the speed
of pump in a continuous fashion so that at all times, the
pressure produced by the pump is equal to the pressure
needed to push the slurry through the system, while the
flow is maintained constant or near constant. A proposed
method of achieving this will be discussed below.
The system pressure in a cyclone feed system is usually
comprised of about 80% static, 10% from the cyclones and
the remaining 10% friction. About half the friction compo-
nent is in the vertical sections, leaving about 5% of the
head to come from the horizontal sections, for which the
calculations are less precise.
Reducing the piping size and narrowing the pump will
provide an intersection that produces smaller changes in
flow for any given change in head. In addition, the im-
peller diameter and the pump speed can be matched to the
head needed for the average inflow conditions, enhancing
system stability. These things are not always feasible,
however; and there may in fact be another way.
If the cyclone pressure can be evaluated reasonably,
accurately the system head characteristic can be estab-
237
lished using the methods, for example, outlined in Wilson
et al. w1x. Furthermore, if a small number of measurements
of steady flow, concentration and pump discharge can be
taken, then the calculated head can also be checked and
adjusted. This gives a fairly accurate way of determining
the system head for different flows and for varying con-
centrations.
It is necessary at this point to work in terms of pressure
in height of water. The values of head determined from
level change therefore must be determined using the static
level difference together with the SG measured using a
nuclear densitometer or other suitable instrument.
The effective internal pressure produced by the pump is
equal to the head produced by the pump in meters of liquid
multiplied by the specific gravity ŽSG. of the mixture less
a correction for solids effect, Sellgren and Addie w4x.
Wear and clearances may also affect the head produced.
The effect of wear and of solids is usually 5% or less each,
and can be determined using the methods of Addie and
Sellgren w5x. For the sake of simplicity, their effect is
neglected in the following.
Given measured system flow, an actual pump rpm, the
known water performance of the pump, and a measured
pump input shaft power. The pump water head and the
resulting effective internal pressure produced at the pump
discharge can be determined using Eq. Ž1.. The system
pressure can also then be calculated in the normal way
either by measuring the average pressure in the pipeline
downstream of the pump discharge or by calculating it
using the known static head, cyclone pressure and pipe
friction for a given flow.
The pump speed is then adjusted up or down as neces-
sary until the pump pressure produced matches the system
238 G.R. Addie, A. Sellgrenr Powder Technology 104 (1999) 233–239
Fig. 8. Proposed control method for stabilization of cyclone feed pump operation.
pressure at the same flow. This should make it possible to
operate stably at any incoming flow regardless of where it
lies on the system.
A schematic of the control philosophy of the above is
shown in Fig. 8.
Here, it is assumed that the pump can only pump at the
rate of the incoming fluid. If we use a sump level high and
low to sense increasing and decreasing flows balancing the
pump and system pressures while operating within a sump
high and low level we should have a stable system, a pump
that operates more smoothly and a pump that has much
better wear performance.
5. Conclusions
Large fluctuations in flow and increased wear are a
common occurrence in cyclone feed applications. This
difficulty could be corrected by continuous variations in
speed. A means of control by which the speed is changed
in an appropriate way is suggested here.
In this case then the pump-input power, the known
water performance of the pump and the system flow, can
be used to calculate an effective pump discharge pressure.
By comparison with a calculated system head, the pump
speed can be regulated such that the pressures are equal
and the system stable for any practical variation of the
incoming flow or SG.
6. Nomenclature
BEP Best efficiency point
BEPQ Best efficiency point flow Žm3rs.
g Acceleration due to gravity, mrs 2
H Head in meters of slurry mixture
Q Flow in m3rs
 G.R. Addie, A. Sellgrenr Powder Technology 104 (1999) 233–239 239

SG Specific gravity w2x G.R. Addie, K.V. Pagalthivarthi, R.J. Visintainer, Centrifugal slurry
NPSH Net positive suction head Žm. pump wear, technology and field experience, Proc. ASME Fluids
Meeting, San Diego, CA, 1996, pp. 703–716.
h Pump efficiency w3x G. Addie, J.A. Dresser, J. Neetzke, Factors associated with the
r Mixture density, kgrm3 application and design of a modern dredge pump, Proc. CEDA
Dredging Day 1997, Amsterdam, 1997, pp. 73–89.
w4x A. Sellgren, G. Addie, Solids effect on the characteristics of centrifu-
References gal slurry pumps, Proc. 12th Int. Conference on the Hydraulic Trans-
port of Solids in Pipes, Brugge, Belgium, 1993.
w1x K.C. Wilson, G.R. Addie, A. Sellgren, R. Clift, Slurry Transport w5x G.R. Addie, A. Sellgren, Effect of wear on the performance of
Using Centrifugal Pump, 2nd edn., Blackie Academic and Profes- centrifugal slurry pumps, Proc. ASME Fluids Engineering Summer
sional, London, 1997. Meeting, Washington, DC, 1998.