Hydrocyclones Supply in South Africa

Songatech supplies polyurethane hydrocyclones and cyclone spares for classification, desliming and dewatering to chrome, coal, iron ore and platinum operations across South Africa, from our facility in Alrode, Alberton, Gauteng. Each cyclone is built in modular sections with a polyurethane body, steel flange rings and bolted clamps, and we supply complete units, replacement cone and cylinder sections, rubber and polyurethane spigots and apex liners, flanged inlets and vortex finders.

Hydrocyclone range and specifications

Polyurethane resists abrasion from fine, sharp particles, so the internal profile holds its shape for longer. The sections are lighter than cast or rubber-lined steel, which makes change-outs faster and safer, and a smooth internal bore gives a stable cut point with consistent overflow and underflow.

How to choose a hydrocyclone

A hydrocyclone separates by settling velocity in a spinning flow: coarse and heavy particles move to the wall and leave through the spigot, while fine and light particles leave through the vortex finder. Selection works through four variables.

• Diameter sets the cut. Smaller cyclones give finer cuts at lower capacity each. The chart uses Arterburn's published sizing method, which plant designers commonly use for a first estimate.
• Feed density and mineral SG move the cut. Denser feed slurry makes the cut coarser; heavier minerals such as chromite or hematite report to underflow at a finer size than silica.
• Pressure sets capacity and fine-tunes the cut. Higher pressure drop gives a slightly finer cut and more flow per cyclone, at higher pump power. Our guide to cyclone feed pump pressure, speed and control explains the link.
• Spigot and vortex finder balance the split. A spigot that is too small ropes, sending coarse material to overflow; one that is too large sprays and sends too much water and fines to underflow. Keep a range of spigot sizes on hand so the split can be adjusted on site.

For example, the method gives a 250 mm cyclone a base cut of about 24 µm. At 15% solids by volume the cut moves to about 38 µm for silica-type ore, but to about 26 µm for a chromite feed. Treat these as starting estimates: the final diameter, inlet, vortex finder and spigot are confirmed against your feed rate, slurry density and required cut size.

Once the diameter is set, the number of cyclones follows from the total feed volume divided by the capacity of one cyclone at the operating pressure. Leave one or more standby positions on the cluster: opening or closing a cyclone is the simplest way to hold pressure, and so the cut, when the feed rate changes.

Also choose the wear material for the duty. Polyurethane suits fine and medium classification, desliming and dewatering. Coarse, sharp feeds such as mill discharge on chrome or iron ore often justify ceramic tiles in the inlet head and lower cone; our article on cyclone wear zones and lining selection compares the options, and we supply ceramic wear tiles for lining.

Applications

By plant duty, our hydrocyclones are used for:

• Mill classification: closing ball mill circuits so only product-size material goes forward.
• Desliming: removing slimes ahead of spiral concentrators and flotation, often with classifier nozzles in the same circuit.
• Dewatering and thickener feed preparation: raising solids before thickeners, filters or stockpiles.
• Dense medium plants: desliming and medium circuits in plants that use ferrosilicon or magnetite.

By commodity: chrome and PGM concentrators (Steelpoort and Rustenburg) for desliming ahead of spirals and mill classification; coal plants in Mpumalanga for fines desliming and dewatering; iron ore operations in the Northern Cape for fines classification; and gold mills on the Witwatersrand for ball mill classification. Cyclones are fed by slurry pumps, and the pump and cyclone cluster should be specified together.

Why buy hydrocyclones from Songatech

• Modular design: bolted sections mean you replace only the part that is worn.
• Complete units and spares: cyclones, cone and cylinder sections, spigots, apex liners, inlets and vortex finders from one supplier in Alrode, Alberton.
• Sized to your duty: we match the diameter, inlet, vortex finder and spigot to your duty and quote with lead time.
• Circuit equipment: spirals, nozzles, pumps, ceramic linings and DMS media for the same plant.
• Ownership: Songatech is a Level 1 B-BBEE, 100% Black-owned supplier.

What to send for a quote

• Duty: classification, desliming or dewatering
• Feed rate (m³/h or t/h of solids) and slurry density or % solids
• Required cut size, or the target overflow and underflow size
• Solids SG and a size distribution of the feed
• Available feed pressure or the feed pump details
• Number of cyclones and the cluster or manifold layout
• Photos or drawings of your current cyclones, with diameter, inlet, vortex finder and spigot sizes
• Spares needed: sections, spigots, apex liners, inlets or vortex finders

Frequently asked questions

Do you offer mining cyclone refurbishment?

Songatech cyclones are modular, so a worn cyclone is rebuilt by replacing the worn sections rather than the whole unit. We supply replacement polyurethane cone and cylinder sections, spigots, apex liners, inlets and vortex finders. Send photos or drawings of the worn cyclone for a quote on the parts.

What is the difference between a hydrocyclone and a dense medium cyclone?

A classifying hydrocyclone separates particles by size and settling rate in water. A dense medium cyclone separates by density, using a suspension of ferrosilicon or magnetite set to the cut density. Songatech supplies classifying hydrocyclones and the ferrosilicon and magnetite media used in DMS plants.

Why choose a polyurethane hydrocyclone?

Polyurethane resists abrasion from fine, sharp particles, keeps a smooth internal profile for a stable cut, and is lighter than cast or rubber-lined steel, so sections are faster and safer to change.

How do I choose the right spigot size?

Start from the underflow volume and density you need. A spigot that ropes is too small and a spigot that sprays a wide cone is too large. Songatech supplies rubber and polyurethane spigots in a range of sizes so the split can be tuned on site.

What cut size will my cyclone give?

It depends mainly on diameter, then on feed density, solids SG and pressure. Published sizing methods give a first estimate; send your feed data and Songatech will match the cyclone size to the cut you need.

Should my cyclone be ceramic lined or polyurethane?

Polyurethane suits most fine and medium classification and desliming. Ceramic lining is used where coarse, sharp feed wears the inlet and lower cone fastest, such as mill discharge on chrome or iron ore.

Send your duty data and cyclone photos through our contact page or the form below for a hydrocyclone quote.