Analysis of the Possibility of Using New Types of Protective Coatings and Abrasion-Resistant Linings under the Operating Conditions of the Spiral Classifier at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Ore Concentration Plant

A study was carried out to select the appropriate coatings for corrosion protection of the spiral classifier working at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Ore Concentration Plant. The abrasion resistance of selected protective coatings and wear-resistant linings was investigated using a DT-523 rotary abrasion tester with Taber CS-10 rubber abrasive discs. The average weight loss of the coatings after a cycle of 2000 revolutions was determined. Tests of protective coatings using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique were carried out to determine the suitability of coatings in the highly saline environment of the aqueous suspension of ground copper ore. During the measurements, changes in resistance, polarising current and capacitance were determined as a function of time for the tested coatings. The linings selected on the basis of laboratory tests were also tested under industrial conditions. Their degrees of wear were characterised. The results obtained indicated the highest abrasion resistance of materials from the polyolefin group (polyethylenes), where the average weight loss did not exceed 5 g/dm2. In the case of protective coatings, the highest durability was demonstrated by coatings with additives of ceramic aggregates, phenol-epoxy, and an elastomeric coating based on polyurea, whose average weight loss during the test cycle did not exceed 19 g/dm2. EIS measurements showed that the tested coatings were resistant to the aggressive environment of the feedstock. Tests under cathodic polarisation conditions of the samples at a potential below the protection potential showed that they were resistant to a highly saline environment and were also resistant to its alkalinisation resulting from the application of cathodic protection, which will be used to protect the classifier together with protective coatings. Tests carried out under industrial conditions using wear-resistant linings made of plastics have made it possible to analyse the mechanism and degree of wear of the various materials during the operation of the classifier. Measurements of lining wear were made in relation to baseline volumes. Polyurethane, a polymer lining based on MDI and PTMG, and those made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene with anti-stick additives showed the lowest wear rates