High efficiency simultaneous grinding and drying of minerals and sludges

Presentation for:

15th Annual Conference on Markets for Industrial Minerals Oct. 22, 2003

David Dungate, V-P MarketingDr. Sundar Narayan, V-P ResearchFirst American Scientific Corporation, Delta, BC

Presentation Outline

• Introduction to First American Scientific Corp. and the KDS Micronex™ Grinder-Dryer

• Description of KDS Grinder-Dryer

• Pure Grinding Applications

Glass, Limestone, Gypsum, Gold Ore

• Grinding AND Drying Applications

Zeolite, Glacial Clay, Coal and Paper Sludge

• Summary

About First American

• Founded in 1995, First American Scientific Corporation (FASC) is industrial equipment manufacturer and provider of innovative systems that increase profitability and reduce the environmental impact of materials processing.

• The KDS Micronex™, FASC’s patented grinder-dryer, efficiently and economically processes a wide variety of raw materials and wastes into fine, dry powders.

• KDS stands for Kinetic Disintegration System. The KDS Micronex™ is an high volume grinder that dries WITHOUT needing any heat input.

• No heat is needed because the forces causing size reduction also dry the material.

• KDS Technology uses LESS total energy than conventional drying and grinding combined.

Introduction to theKDS Micronex™ Technology

• Soft rock minerals into fertilizers and industrial feedstocks

– limestone, zeolite, phosphate rock, gypsum, and clay

• Specialty applications – glass, metallic mineral ores

• Biomass waste into fuel and fertilizer

– paper sludge, manures, biosolids, wood waste and crop residues

• Agricultural and food waste processing into animal feeds

– food processing waste, oyster shell, fish bones, bread waste, seaweed

Target Applications

• Plastics

• Rubber (unless cryogenically cooled)

• Metals (metallic ores okay)

• Municipal Solid Waste (because it contains the above materials)

Description of theKDS Micronex™ TechnologyMaterials that CANNOT be processed include:

Benefits of the KDS Micronex™

Simplifying on-site grinding and drying operations into a single compact, and easy-to-operate system that has low initial and operating costs

Creating high-quality, dry, virtually pathogen-free powders that have value as industrial feedstocks, fuels, fertilizers and animal feeds.

Reducing transportation and disposal costs by reducing moisture

Raw material is dropped into the throat of the mill

The KDS MICRONEXTM Process Flow

An air-lock gate reduces dust and eliminates blow-back

The KDS MICRONEXTM Process Flow

Material moves to the Torus and is subjected to repeated violent collisions with the spinning rotor and strike plates

The KDS MICRONEXTM Process Flow

Material is fractured and pathogen destruction occurs

Water vapor and water droplets are released during the fracturing process

The KDS MICRONEXTM Process Flow

The classifier allows finished product to pass through to the cyclone and forces oversize particles to be reprocessed

The KDS MICRONEXTM Process Flow

Cyclone

Air containing moisture is separated and removed from the system.

Processed solid material is output from the bottom of the cyclone

The KDS MICRONEXTM Process FlowP

rod

uct

Moisture

• 18’ (h) x 14’ (l) x 7’ (w) • Footprint 1000 sq. ft.• Weight 9000 lbs.• Motors 250, 45, 2, 2, 2 HP• Electrical 480V, 800 Amp• High grade steel with some

stainless components

KDS MICRONEX™ Physical Characteristics

KDS Micronex™Testing Site

KDS Micronex™Process Process Results

Input

Output

• KDS Micronex™ is the only machine known to us that can produce sub-micron glass powder, in bulk quantities.

• Powdered glass can be used as a replacement for silica fume cement an brick manufacture or as a filler for various other coatings.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Container Glass

Material

Feed Rate(kg/hr)

Power(kW)

ParticleSize, d(microns)

BrokenBottles

543 150 15 % < 1

100 % < 45

KDS Micronex™ ApplicationsContainer Glass

• American limestone producer in Washington State uses KDS Micronex™ machine for limestone milling.

• Powdered Limestone is used in cement manufacturing and flue gas desulfurization (FGD).

• Client reports that the KDS Micronex is competitive with other size reduction methods.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Limestone

Material Production Rate(kg/hr)

Power(kW)

ParticleSize

(microns)

Limestone

3620 150 <75

FASC Client's Production Figures

KDS Micronex™ Applications Limestone

Parameter Horizontal Ball Mill for Limestone

KDS Micronex

for Limestone

Power Consumption

35 kWhr/ton

35 kWhr/ton

KDS Micronex™ Applications Limestone

Gypsum plant in California used KDS Micronex for gypsum grinding.

Material Production Rate(kg/hr)

Power(kW)

ParticleSize

(microns)

Gypsum 2265 112 75 (est)

KDS Micronex™ Applications Gypsum

• Patented process mechanically separates gold and avoids the use of toxic chemicals.

• Gold stays in KDS chamber when gold ore (quartzite) is ground to 30 microns.

• Waste rock is conveyed out of KDS.

• Research under way to improve operating efficiencies

KDS Micronex™ Applications Gold Ore

Material Feed Rate(kg/hr)

Feed MC (%)

Power(kW)

ProdnRate(kg/hr)

OutMC (%)

Particle dia. (micron

)

Zeolite

Glacial

Clay

Coal

1116

1025

2100

13

10

23

130

120

150

1067

930

1582

9

<1

8

32

45

63

Zeolite is used in fast drying concrete mixtures

Glacial Clay is used in cosmetics, face creams.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Zeolite, Glacial Clay, Coal

• Two kinds of Paper Sludge – Primary/Secondary (P/S) Sludge and De-inking Sludge

• P/S Sludge comes from wastewater from paper pulp-making. Has bacteria. MC = 80 %

• Deinking sludge results from recycled paper manufacturing. It is 25% clay (kaolin). MC = 50 %

KDS Micronex™ Applications Paper Sludge

• Both kinds contain burnable fiber, but are too wet to burn on grate or in dust burners.

• Both can be directly applied as fertilizer, but this can lead to respiratory problems and water pollution.

• Paper Sludge is usually landfilled at $17-35/mT + $0.1/mT/km transportation cost.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Paper Sludge Comparison

• Drying sludge reduces landfill costs.

• Dried paper sludge can be used to make sound-absorbing material, cattle-bedding.

• Dried paper sludge is burnable in grate or dust burner.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Paper Sludge Comparison

Material Feed Rate(kg/hr)

Feed MC (%)

Power(kW)

ProdnRate(kg/hr)

OutMC (%)

Drying Energ

y (kJ/kg)

Deinking Sludge

1204 51 110 797 26 975

975 kJ/kg is only 42 % of the latent heat of water! Drum Dryer would need 3700 kJ/kg of water.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Glacial Clay

• FASC has processed Oyster Shells with excellent results.

• Fine, bone-dry powder is produced.

• Up to 3 TPH of possible.

KDS Micronex™ Applications Oyster Shells

Sub-micron glass powder can be made cheaply in large quantities

Limestone and gypsum can effectively be ground to solution grade

KDS dries deinking sludge with 74 % LESS energy than drum dryers

Chemical-free gold extraction system being commercialized

KDS Micronex™ Applications Summary

The KDS Micronex™ provides a simple, compact, low cost and easy-to-operate solution for fine grinding and drying.

Proven applications include sludge drying, grinding glass and soft-rock minerals and preparing biomass fuels for power production.

The machine can quickly pay for itself, by creating high-value end-products, reducing processing and disposal costs.

KDS Micronex™ Summary

Reduction System

For more information contact:

First American Scientific Corp. Tel: +1-604-940-6220Fax: +1-604-940-6221Toll Free: 1-800-561-8656Email: help@fasc.netWeb: www.fasc.net