In the process of mineral processing, the slurry pump is used to transport the pulp. By connecting the pulp to the pulp, the ball mill, the flotation machine and the thickener are connected. It is an important link in the beneficiation plant production. For the convenience of management, the slurry pump is often concentrated in the pump station. Therefore, the rational layout of the pump station is very critical.

1. The location and connection mode of the pump station

1）The location of the pump station should be selected in the location that is suitable for the pre and post process equipment and convenient for transportation, especially for the large pumping station. The pump station located in the factory area of mineral processing plant should also consider the convenience of transporting parts.

 2）Set up underground pumping stations as little as possible, so as to reduce the trouble of earthwork and operation.

3）The location of pump station should avoid landslide or fault area. For effective construction, effective measures must be taken. No mountain flood or water and low-lying areas are allowed to build factories. When the pump house is set at the edge of the river bed, the surface elevation of the pump room must be higher than the highest flood level, and the necessary flood control measures should be taken.

4）The elevation of the pump station should consider the possibility that the external pipeline and the sewage in the pump station have self flow to the accident pool.

5）The connection between pump and pump can be divided into two parts: direct connection or indirect connection, according to whether the pool is set up in the middle. According to terrain condition, pump performance and required lift, Generally, direct connection is better. the main advantage is saving pump hea

2. Key points of pump station configuration

Pump station design involves pump pool, pump, pipeline, water supply, drainage, power supply and lighting, heating and ventilation, hoisting and transportation. According to the pump type, specification and terrain conditions, the plan should be determined in the configuration design.

According to the different shape of pump station, pump station is generally divided into two kinds: circular and rectangle, and the round pump station is mostly used for underground pump station, such as thickener discharge pump station. The rectangular pump house is mostly used for the ground pump station, such as the multistage transportation tailings pump station, the concentrate transportation pump station and so on. The circular pump station  has good force condition and low investment. The rectangular pump station has great adaptability to the terrain, and it is easy to arrange the equipment and is commonly seen in large and medium-sized pumping stations.

Pump pool

1）The height of the pump pool is determined by the cavitation allowance of the pump. Generally, the pressure cell pump pool is adopted to reduce the complexity of pump replacement.

2）The volume of the pump pool is usually 1~3 minutes of the pump head, and the concentrator with small fluctuation of pulp content is a small value.

3）The slope of the pump is determined by the size and density of the material. It is suggested to use 55 degrees. If the slope is small, the pump pool is blocked easily, and the pump's normal work will be affected. See Figure 1.

Fig1. Schematic diagram of bottom slope of pump pool

1.slurry discharge pipe, 2. High pressure inlet pipe, 3. Accident sand drain pipe, 4.overflow pipe, 5. feeding tube

4）Pump tank automation requires a high level indicator should be provided, in order to meet the needs of the liquid level and the pump switch from the observation.

5）For the pump pool containing more foam, the defoaming facilities should be set up in the pool to prevent air from entering the pump body and cause gasping.

6）For the pulp with a lot of impurities, it should try to separate it from the pump pool before entering the pump pool or increase the grating on the top of the pool.

Pipeline

1）Pipeline layout should consider the convenience of operation and maintenance. When crossing the channel, it is necessary to set up a crossing platform. The pipeline valve should have good operation conditions, and the hydraulic or electric valve with a diameter of 400mm or more should have operation platform.

2）Instruments on pipes should be configured according to instrument requirements. Common control variables in pipeline include flow rate, concentration, pressure, particle size and temperature. The electromagnetic flowmeter and the gamma ray concentration meter are the most commonly used instruments. They must be installed on the vertical section of the pipeline according to the requirements, so that the slurry is in full state.

3）Water supply: production water includes water seal, bearing cooling, hydraulic gate, flushing, regulating and regulating flow rate and so on. In the first three items, we should try to use new water as well as the tailings return water with good water quality (below 500mg/L). The other can be used for return water or circulating water. In order to maintain the stability of water seal pressure, we should avoid flushing and regulating water pipes on the water seal system. If the system must be supplied by a system, the water seal pressure should be calculated according to the unfavorable conditions.

Rectangular above ground pump station

As shown fig2, a pump station layout for a beneficiation plant. The pump station is a rectangular structure above ground.

Fig2. rectangular structure above ground pump station

1.Ore pulp chute; 2. gate, 3. pump pool, 4. water supply pipe, 5. steel rope drive water replenishing gate, 6. collecting box, 7. inlet pipe, 8. lining rubber pump group, 9. outlet pipe. 10. sluice gate; 11. drains; 12. sewage pump; 13. transformer room; 14. distribution room; 15. spot room; 16 spare parts room; 17. manual bridge crane; 18. warehouse wall open connected pipe.19. row past accident pool.

Circular underground pumping station

As shown in Fig3, the layout of the circular pumping station of a beneficiation plant is set up underground.

Fig3. Circular underground pumping station

1.slurry pump, 2.vertical slurry pump, 3. Electric hoist, 4. Sampling machine, 5. Distributor

Rectangular underground pumping station

As shown in Fig. 4, a layout plan for a rectangular pumping station in a beneficiation plant is set up underground.

Fig4. Rectangular underground pumping station

1.pump pool , 2.slurry pump, 3. slurry pump, 4. Long shaft pump, 5. Sampling machine, 6. Crane, 7.Manual hoist