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Self aspirated flotation cells

Efficient and reliable WEMCO® II flotation cells​

Providing excellent aeration, mechanical simplicity, and CAPEX efficiency, WEMCO II self-aspirating flotation cells deliver highly productive and economic flotation performance. These robust workhorses of the flotation world are particularly suited to bulk rougher, high altitude, and molybdenum recovery applications.

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Key benefits of WEMCO II flotation cells

  • High froth recovery rates

    The rotor in WEMCO II flotation cells is located at the top of the cell, resulting in a short travel distance to the launder for attached particles. This ensures highest possible recovery rates, particularly in bulk rougher flotation.

  • Lower capital and operating costs

    Self-aspirated flotation cells have no need for the blower and its ancillary equipment used in forced-air flotation applications, making WEMCO II cells a CAPEX-efficient choice for your flotation needs. In addition, the optimised design of the cells naturally creates efficient air dispersion and optimal circulation throughout the tank, optimising reagent consumption and for more cost-effective operations.

  • Low maintenance requirements

    The mechanical efficiency of our self-aspirated flotation cells results in short maintenance downtime and costs. The rotor location at the top of the tank also means it’s not exposed to oversized material, further reducing maintenance and extending operating life. When rotor maintenance is needed, mechanisms can be changed without shutting down or draining the cell row, and rotors will restart easily under load.

Our WEMCO II flotation cells

The compact design of WEMCO II square flotation cells is achieved by reducing space between mechanisms. Short-circuiting is avoided via the design of cell internals. We can also add froth paddles to improve recovery from thin or slow-moving froth.  

  • High recovery in a compact area

  • Improve recovery with thin or slow-moving froth

  • Excellent operational efficiency and stability

WEMCO II RT round flotation cells maximise lip length around the circumference of the call, without dividing the froth layer. This results in higher pull rates at all recovery locations. Meanwhile, even circulation throughout the cell reduces the risk of sanding. 

  • Increase recovery with higher pull rates at all locations

  • Excellent operational efficiency and stability

  • Control wear and energy consumption

WEMCO Inert Gas cells are available in either RT or 1+1 designs, modified with a top cover to promote gas recirculation. Tailored to molybdenum-copper separation applications, the airtight cell keeps oxygen addition to a minimum, preventing reagent oxidation and thus cutting reagent consumption.  

  • Cut reagent consumption from 12kg/t to <4kg/t

  • No external nitrogen supply required

  • High energy contacting ideal for moly recovery

The best in flotation gets better

The original WEMCO flotation cells built their reputation on achieving highest possible recovery while also offering easier start-up, simpler operation, and lower reagent consumption than other flotation cell designs. And with 40,000 machines, it’s quite the reputation. Yet we knew it could be improved. The result is our WEMCO II rotor-stator system. Featuring improved air control and froth stability, it elevates kinetic performance and lowers operating costs compared to the traditional WEMCO design to deliver even higher recovery rates. The design also allows to the application of expert control and improved response to operational demands.

Maintenance & Services of our WEMCO flotation cells

We maintain a network of service centres close to our customers to offers long-term, full-lifecycle technical support. Our service engineers are always ready to travel to site for equipment inspections and audits, to supervise maintenance, and deliver tailored flotation training programmes. Meanwhile, our genuine WEMCO spare and wear parts deliver long service life and ensure the performance of your flotation cells does not degrade over time.  

Frequently asked questions

FAQs for WEMCO II flotation cells

Self-aspirated flotation cells are a type of flotation equipment used in mineral processing to separate target metals and minerals from their ores. In self-aspirating flotation, air is introduced into the slurry – a mixture of water and finely ground ore – by vacuum created by the cell rotor. This eliminates the need for an external air supply as found in forced-aspirated flotation.  

Self-aspirated flotation cells can be used to separate a wide range of metals and minerals and in rougher, scavenger, and cleaner flotation applications. They are particularly suited to bulk rougher applications, where recovery is most important, and in high-altitude locations, where the use of air blowers poses a challenge.

Selection of self-aspirated flotation cell should consider several factors to ensure optimal performance and efficiency. Important aspects include ore characteristics, capacity requirements, required residence time, froth carry rate and lip loading, air flow and dispersion, maintenance and operating costs, and any environmental constraints, e.g., the handling of tailings and the use of reagents.   

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