Abstract: Packing is one of the most effective ways to raise the flotation column efficiency and reduce the column height.The paper points out the difference between fillings packing and sieve plate packing, and the defects of filling packing of flotation column in industrial application, and analyzes the change of the flotation environment and the effect on the flotation results made by these two packing modes.Based on sieve plate packing, optimized packing was made on the flotation section in cyclonic static micro bubble flotation column, and a mixed packing mode using both sieve plates and honeycomb tubes was proposed.This mode is characterized by using honeycomb tube to reduce whirlpool and reduce the radial dispersion of jetted bubbles, and using sieve plates to continuously divide the bubbles so as to prolong the bubble route and stabilize the froth layer.The application of this mixed packing mode in the beneficiation industrial test of cyclonic static micro bubble flotation column enabled the depression of large whirlpool at the column bottom, a uniform radial dispersion of bubbles, and the prolonging of pulp residence time, hereby evidently improving the separation process and performance.

Key words: Flotation column, Packing, Mineral separation