Author: Steve Evans Understanding the Baleen Filter (Self Cleaning Micro Screen) with reference to the recovery and upgrade of fine coal from the feed to thickeners.

Research & Development Five year program with the University of Australia in collaboration with industry. It was conceived by a general need for a cost effective continuous self cleaning micro screen, capable of screening non-filterable contaminants. Hence the birth of the Baleen Filter Markets extending across the meat, wood, pulp & paper, wine & beverage, food & dairy, aquaculture, vehicle & manufacturing, sewage and mining industries.

Unique Self Cleaning Micro Screen The Baleen technology, protected by International patents 1.Feed to header tank 2.Filtrate/undersize 3.‘Double act’ of high pressure, low volume spray bar 4.Screen discharge/ dewatering of oversize solids 5.Dewatering bin (for batch operations )

The Baleen Filter in Operation on fine coal in feed to a thickener

Technical Performance - Filtration Spectrum Secondary Treatment-Biological & Physico-Chemical Primary Treatment-Physical Tertiary Treatment - Physico- Chemical COARSE SCREENING FINE SCREENING BALEEN MICRO-SCREENING Physico- Chemical Micro-Filtration Ultra-filtration The Baleen Filter separates both solid & sticky matter to specific micron rating for collection. Pollutant Micron Rating 10,000 1, Treatment Method Filtration Method Nano Filtration

The use of the Baleen Filter – Self Cleaning Micro Screen for fine coal separation.Trials have been run on the feed to a thickener. The objective was to- Upgrade the coal. Maximize mass recovery To sell coal that is presently being discarded.

Trial 1 Thickener Feed Screen Aperture 125 micron Average Results Feed CVProduct CVFeed AshProduct AshMass Recovery MJ/KgMj/Kg%% , Graph Shows individual sample results on the 125 micron screen. Increase in CV of 34.48% Decrease in ash of 45% Mass recovery of 86.9%

Baleen Filter Installation Screen Aperture125 micron Flow Rate580 m3ph Feed to plant35 tph Mass Recovery86.9 % Product Recovered30.41 tph Saleable coal recovered tons per month Baleen Filter60W15 – 304SS – T1 Cost EstimateR ex vat Coal PriceUS$45 per ton (Export) or R70 per ton (Local/ power station) Additional IncomeR or R per month Payback2 weeks or 2 months (Depending on where the coal is sold) is sold)

Trial 2 Thickener Feed Screen Aperture 140 micron Average Results Feed CVProduct CVFeed AshProduct AshMass Recovery MJ/KgMj/Kg%% Graph Shows individual sample results on the 140 micron screen. Increase in CV by 24.35% Decrease in ash by 35,44% Mass Recovery 53.55%

Screen Aperture 90 micron Average results Feed CVProduct CVFeed AshProduct AshMass Recovery MJ/KgMj/Kg%% Graph Shows individual sample results on the 90 micron screen. Increase in CV by 29.62% Decrease in the ash by 44.3% Mass Recovery of 62.80%

Baleen Filter Installation Screen Aperture90 micron Flow Rate826 m3ph Feed to plant40 tph Mass Recovery62.80 % Product Recovered25.12 tph Saleable coal recovered tons per month Baleen Filter80W15 – 304SS – T1 Cost EstimateR ex vat Coal PriceUS$45 per ton (Export) or R70 per ton (Local/ power station) Additional IncomeR or R per month Payback3 weeks or 3 months (Depending on where the coal is sold)

Benefits to Installing a Baleen Filter prior to the Thickener Recover saleable coal Take solid load off the thickener Increase the life of the discard slimes dam Reduce size of discard slimes dams Improve washing plant yield In order to understand the full extent of both equipment scale up and economics it is advisable to run a Baleen Filter on site and quantify all the necessary benefits.