Effects of microbubbles and frother types on first-order flotation kinetics of coarse quartz: a Box-Behnken design study

This study utilised a Box-Behnken experimental design to examine the influence of various frothers (MIBC, 2-Ethylhexanol, alpha-Terpineol, and AF-65), dodecylamine (DDA) collector, and microbubbles on coarse quartz flotation performance. The flotation efficiency was evaluated through two key parameters: maximum recovery (R infinity) and first-order rate constant (k). The findings revealed that microbubbles substantially enhanced flotation kinetics through synergistic interactions, particularly in combination with aliphatic alcohol frothers. The effectiveness of cyclic alcohol and polyglycol-type frothers varied significantly, depending on microbubble presence, frother concentration, and DDA interactions. While 2-Ethylhexanol achieved the highest recovery (97.71%) in conventional flotation without microbubbles, alpha-Terpineol exhibited the most pronounced synergistic effect when combined with microbubbles and DDA, reaching 99.71% recovery. In terms of kinetic performance, AF-65 demonstrated exceptional results in the presence of microbubbles and DDA, achieving the highest rate constant of 2.12 min-1. The effectiveness of the bubble bridging mechanism showed considerable variation across different frother types, with aliphatic alcohols exhibiting notable improvements in the presence of microbubbles, particularly at lower concentrations. Although increased DDA concentrations generally resulted in decreased flotation rates, they enhanced overall recovery - an effect that was further amplified by the presence of microbubbles. Cette & eacute;tude a utilis & eacute; une conception exp & eacute;rimentale de Box-Behnken pour examiner l'influence de divers moussants (MIBC, 2-& eacute;thylhexanol, terpin & eacute;ol-alpha et AF-65), du collecteur dod & eacute;cylamine (DDA) et de microbulles sur les performances de flottation du quartz grossier. On a & eacute;valu & eacute; l'efficacit & eacute; de flottation au moyen de deux param & egrave;tres cl & eacute;s: la r & eacute;cup & eacute;ration maximale (R infinity) et la constante cin & eacute;tique de premier ordre (k). Les r & eacute;sultats ont r & eacute;v & eacute;l & eacute; que les microbulles am & eacute;lioraient consid & eacute;rablement la cin & eacute;tique de flottation par des interactions synergiques, particuli & egrave;rement en combinaison avec des moussants d'alcool aliphatique. L'efficacit & eacute; des moussants de type alcool cyclique et polyglycol variait de mani & egrave;re significative, d & eacute;pendant de la pr & eacute;sence de microbulles, de la concentration du moussant et des interactions du DDA. Tandis que le 2-& eacute;thylhexanol atteignait la r & eacute;cup & eacute;ration la plus & eacute;lev & eacute;e (97.71%) dans la flottation conventionnelle sans microbulles, le terpin & eacute;ol-alpha pr & eacute;sentait l'effet synergique le plus prononc & eacute; lorsque combin & eacute; avec des microbulles et du DDA, atteignant une r & eacute;cup & eacute;ration de 99.71%. En termes de performance cin & eacute;tique, AF-65 a d & eacute;montr & eacute; des r & eacute;sultats exceptionnels en pr & eacute;sence de microbulles et de DDA, atteignant la constante cin & eacute;tique la plus & eacute;lev & eacute;e de 2.12 min-1. L'efficacit & eacute; du m & eacute;canisme de pontage des bulles a montr & eacute; une variation consid & eacute;rable parmi les diff & eacute;rents types de moussants, les alcools aliphatiques pr & eacute;sentant des am & eacute;liorations notables en pr & eacute;sence de microbulles, particuli & egrave;rement & agrave; des concentrations plus faibles. Bien que les concentrations accrues de DDA avaient g & eacute;n & eacute;ralement pour r & eacute;sultat une diminution des taux de flottation, elles am & eacute;lioraient la r & eacute;cup & eacute;ration globale-un effet davantage amplifi & eacute; par la pr & eacute;sence de microbulles.