Acceleware receives phase 3A potash drying contract

Executive Summary

• Acceleware Ltd. has been awarded a Phase 3A contract valued at $350,000 by the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) to advance a potash drying project utilizing radio frequency (RF) heating technology.
• The project focuses on validating and optimizing a 200 kg/hour RF dryer to reduce potash fines moisture from 12% to 0.2%, addressing a historically challenging and costly segment of mine production.
• Successful completion will generate critical performance data to inform future R&D, potentially unlocking further development funding from IMII and its members while strengthening Acceleware's competitive position in industrial mineral processing.

Key Details

• Contract Value & Scope: $350,000 Phase 3A contract awarded by IMII
• Technology & Equipment: Fully instrumented RF-energy-based 200-kilogram-per-hour dryer utilizing proprietary radio frequency power-to-heat solutions
• Technical Targets: Reduce potash fines moisture content from 12% to 0.2%
• Project Context: Builds upon Phase 2 prototype testing, which demonstrated RF drying's efficiency over traditional methods and its ability to reduce downstream air flow volume and costs
• Strategic Application: Focuses on potash fines, which constitute approximately 20% of typical mine production and are more difficult and expensive to dry
• Validation Goals: Test a once-through configuration, validate technology effectiveness, and optimize dryer design
• Future Implications: Results will provide confidence for IMII and its members to support further development and commercial testing of the RF drying technology

Notable Quotes

• Geoff Clark, CEO, Acceleware: "This project is exactly in alignment with Acceleware's strategy -- to use RF heating technology to lower energy consumption and operating cost."
• Lesley McGilp, Executive Director, IMII: "Data from the phase 3A test will help inform future research and development of this technology. It is an important step to evaluate the RF drying technology with a once-through configuration."