Abstract: A separation apparatus for separating minerals or other particulate matter, including a housing, a particulate inlet, a fluid inlet and an outlet. The separation apparatus separates the minerals or other particulate matter, based on density. This is achieved by ingressing a fluid into the fluid inlet to create appropriate fluidization of the particulate matter within the housing. Low density material may typically be extracted from an upper end of the housing, whilst higher density material may be typically extracted from a lower end of the housing. The invention is particularly useful for separating minerals such as coal from impurities such as silica and pyrites.

Abstract: An aerodynamic agglomerator (10) promotes mixing and agglomeration of pollutant particles in a gas stream, to facilitate the subsequent removal of the particles from the gas stream. The agglomerator (10) is mounted in a duct (11) through which the gas stream flows. The agglomerator (10) comprises a plurality of parallel plates (12) which extend in the overall direction of flow of the gas stream, and are spaced transversely across the width of the duct (11) to divide the duct into multiple parallel passages. The duct (11) is configured and/or has formations therein for creating large scale turbulence in the gas stream upstream of the passages. A vane assembly (13) is provided in each passage for generating a zone of small scale turbulence of such size and/or intensity that the pollutant particles are entrained in the turbulence.