Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Fluid suspension – Liquid
Patent
1991-05-03
1993-02-23
Silverman, Stanley S.
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Fluid suspension
Liquid
209168, 209170, B03D 102, B03D 114
Patent
active
051887266
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method of operating a plurality of minerals separation flotation cells.
BACKGROUND ART
In the past minerals separation flotation cells have been used in many applications for the separation of values or concentrate from gangue by mixing the mineral in a slurry or pulp, causing the values or concentrate to be floated to the surface of the pulp in a flotation cell, typically by a bubble inducing operation, recovering the values via an overflow weir, and draining the gangue or unwanted material from the lower part of the cell. Where a high flow rate of product is required it is common to operate a plurality of such minerals separation flotation cells side by side in parallel with one another to achieve the desired output flow rate. In this situation it is necessary to provide each individual cell with a level controller which senses the level of liquid in the cell and controls the flow rate through that particular cell to maintain the desired level range within the cell. This arrangement is expensive in that each cell must be provided with an individual level controller.
There are also situations where it is desired to further refine the gangue or tails which issue from each cell in which case the output from a cell may be redirected back to the input to recycle and reprocess the gangue to retrieve further values or concentrate. Alternatively the gangue from one cell may be directed to another cell for further refinement. These processes disrupt the normal operating cycle of the separation cell resulting in operational inefficiency.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In one aspect the present invention therefore provides a method of operating a plurality of minerals separation flotation cells (1,2) each having a feed inlet (9,14), a values outlet (11), and a gangue outlet (12,15), and each flotation cell being located at substantially the same level, said method comprising the steps of providing a feed box (3) located alongside the flotation cells and adapted to contain feed liquid over the operating height level range of the flotation cells, connecting the flotation cells in series such that the outlet (7) from the feed box is connected via a pump (8) to the feed inlet (9) of a first said flotation cell, the gangue outlet (12) from the first flotation cell (1) is connected via a pump (13) to the feed inlet (14) of the next flotation cell and so on until all said flotation cells are connected in series, each flotation cell also having a recycle outlet (19) from the lower part of the flotation cell arranged to return a predetermined proportion of the material flowing through that flotation cell to the feed box (3).
Preferably the gangue outlet from the last cell is controlled by a control valve controlled by a level controller actuated by the level of liquid in the last cell.
Preferably each said pump is sized to provide the desired proportional flow rate between the gangue outlet from each cell and the recycle outlet to the feed box.
In a further aspect the invention provides apparatus for minerals separation comprising a plurality of minerals separation flotation cells (1,2) each having a feed inlet (9,14), a values outlet (11) and a gangue outlet (12,15), each cell being located at substantially the same level, a feed box (3) having an inlet (4) and outlet (7) and being located alongside the flotation cells and adapted to contain feed liquid over the operating height level range of the flotation cells, the flotation cells being connected in series such that the outlet (7) from the feed box (3) is connected via a pump (8) to the feed inlet (9) of the first said flotation cell, the gangue outlet (12) from the first flotation cell is connected via a pump (13) to the feed inlet (14) of the next flotation cell and so on such that all said flotation cells are connected in series, each flotation cell also having a recycle outlet (19) from the lower part of that flotation cell communicating with the feed box (3).
Notwithstanding any other forms that may fall within its scope,
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Lithgow Thomas M.
Silverman Stanley S.
University of Newcastle Research Associates Ltd.
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