Electra Mining Africa 2010 was the platform for the launch of Multotec’s new cyclone sizing and selection software, CY-i, developed to assist customers with the initial selection of a cyclone for any given application. “We are a technology driven company,” Ian du Plessis, Product Manager Classification Cyclones at Multotec, points out. “So not only is this the product of more than a year’s intensive research, but is in line with world technology trends, it is freeware and will be available on our stand.”
User friendly and menu driven, CY-i will enable customers to use variables within their own plant configuration to determine cyclone size. “To a large extent, the software will take guesswork out of planning,” du Plessis explains. “It gives the customer a shortcut so that with existing plant parameters he is able to achieve more than just a thumb-suck. During the year that the program has been under development, we identified and solved all the teething problems so it will be a valuable tool that will make our customers’ lives that much easier.”
Multotec is currently the only company offering this type of freeware to its customers in South Africa. Explaining how the software operates, du Plessis says that basic input parameters include the mineral, the throughput, the specific gravity of solids and liquids, the percentage solids in the feed to the cyclone, the desired underflow density of the cyclone, the desired split of solids between overflow and underflow, the cyclone cutpoint or the desired product P80.
“The information provided represents basic selection criteria only,” he continues, “So it is necessary for customers to obtain additional assistance from Multotec in refining the data.” After using the initial selection software, customers have the option of automatically generating an e-mail contacting Multotec with this initial data. Multotec engineers then refine the data, using a greater selection of variables to provide the best solution for specific applications together with a quotation.
“The program also has a help function providing details of the Multotec range of cyclones and their components which will assist in understanding and making the appropriate choice.”
Ultimately, Multotec aims to encourage all process engineers to use this type of software. Its range of cyclones includes high capacity classification cyclones, MAX dense medium cyclones, cast-iron dense medium cyclones, pulp distributors and cyclone distributors.