Evaluation of Parallel and Series Air Cyclone Arrangements for Impurity Removal and Particle Classification in Kaolin Beneficiation

Abstract

Kaolin beneficiation is necessary for improving the purity and industrial value of raw kaolin, by removing impurities such as quartz and mica and achieving the desired particle size distribution. This research evaluates the performance of air cyclone arrangements in series and parallel configurations for removal of impurities and particle classification in kaolin beneficiation. Particle Size Distribution (PSD) and X- Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses were used to assess the effectiveness of both arrangements. The results show that PSD analysis indicated an improvement in kaolin content from 46% in the raw feed to an average of 67% for the series arrangement and 65% for parallel arrangement. XRD analysis revealed that the series configuration increased kaolinite content by an average of 62.2% while reducing quartz by 74.3% and mica by 68.3%. The parallel configuration achieved a higher increase in Kaolinite content of 67.8%, with quartz reduced by 86.3% and mica by 56.7%. The findings demonstrate that both series and parallel cyclone arrangement effectively beneficiate kaolin, with the series arrangement showing better mica removal and particle classification, while the parallel arrangement offers superior kaolinite enrichment and quartz reduction. This study provides useful insights for selecting cyclone configurations to optimize kaolin purity for industrial applications.