A novel experimental system was established in order to investigate the effect of centrifugal forces on the
hydrodynamic transport of particles through planar channels inclined at 701 to the axis of rotation. The
device, consisting of a fluidized bed housing attached to a system of parallel inclined channels, was
mounted inside a 2 m diameter centrifuge. Fluidization water was directed to the outer periphery of the
system, entering the base of the housing. The water then flowed in a direction towards the centre of the
centrifuge, through an open chamber 150mm long, and then through the system of planar channels,
160mm long. The channels had a perpendicular spacing of z¼1 mm. The water then emerged via an
overflow weir, 400 mm from the centre of the centrifuge. Semi-batch elutriation experiments were
conducted on a silica feed, 0–0.060mm in diameter, achieving separations defined in terms of the particle
diameter, d, and centrifugal acceleration gG, where g is the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity.
The throughput advantage achieved using G¼73 over a conventional fluidized bed with G¼1 ranged from
845 to 3094. The extraordinary results were in reasonable agreement with the theoretical throughput
advantage described in the paper. It was concluded that the hydrodynamic benefits of the inclined channels
and the centrifugal force multiplied. The centrifugal force produced further synergy with the system
hydrodynamics, resulting in the suppression of the effects of particle size, and hence a powerful separation
on the basis of the particle density. This physical arrangement offers the potential to separate ultrafine
particles in coal and mineral processing on the basis of density, offering an alternative to flotation.