753 By dividing the froth surface area into two sections, the center launder eliminates the stagnant froth zones in the middle of the surface area (Lopez-Pacheco 2021). Dividing the froth surface into two sections also reduces both the froth surface area and the transport distance. A shorter FTD improves recovery by minimizing the loss of valuable minerals that occur over longer distances and due to bubble bursting (Metso 2021). (Corona-Arroyo et al. 2021) Fig. 5 represents the configuration of center launder upgrade, emphasizing its key components. Figure 5 – Center launder configuration. To better optimize the surface parameters of flotation cells, center launders can be installed on top of the cells. The installation can be done on both greenfield, and brownfield projects. In greenfield projects, the implementation can be integrated during the design phase before manufacturing begins. On the other hand, for brownfield projects, center launders can be easily installed during scheduled process downtimes (Corona-Arroyo et al. 2022). When comparing the froth surface areas of the flotation cells with different launder configurations, it can be noticed that froth surface area (FSA) of the flotation cell with center launder is considerably smaller, compared to cells equipped with other launder modifications. The smaller froth surface area achieved by installing the center launder upgrade increases the crowding effect due to the thicker froth layer compared to other launder designs. This increased crowding effect, combined with the shorter transport distance, reduces froth travel time to the launder, resulting in a more stable froth. (Corona-Arroyo et al. 2021) The comparison of FSA between different launder modifications can be seen from Fig. 6.
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