CA2452594A1 - Method and apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection Download PDFInfo
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- CA2452594A1 CA2452594A1 CA 2452594 CA2452594A CA2452594A1 CA 2452594 A1 CA2452594 A1 CA 2452594A1 CA 2452594 CA2452594 CA 2452594 CA 2452594 A CA2452594 A CA 2452594A CA 2452594 A1 CA2452594 A1 CA 2452594A1
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- Prior art keywords
- feed
- sump
- flotation
- slurry
- bubble
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
- B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
- B03D1/00—Flotation
- B03D1/02—Froth-flotation processes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
- B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
- B03D1/00—Flotation
- B03D1/02—Froth-flotation processes
- B03D1/028—Control and monitoring of flotation processes; computer models therefor
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
- B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
- B03D1/00—Flotation
- B03D1/14—Flotation machines
- B03D1/1406—Flotation machines with special arrangement of a plurality of flotation cells, e.g. positioning a flotation cell inside another
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
- B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
- B03D1/00—Flotation
- B03D1/14—Flotation machines
- B03D1/1412—Flotation machines with baffles, e.g. at the wall for redirecting settling solids
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
- B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
- B03D1/00—Flotation
- B03D1/14—Flotation machines
- B03D1/1443—Feed or discharge mechanisms for flotation tanks
- B03D1/1468—Discharge mechanisms for the sediments
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Biotechnology (AREA)
- Physical Water Treatments (AREA)
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for stabilizing and supplying feed to a froth flotation vessel that uses feed slurry aeration as the primary means of particle collection.
Description
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Method and Apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to both a method and apparatus for controlling and stabilizing the feed slurry consisting of minerals and water to a froth flotation vessel that uses feed slurry aeration as it's primary means of bubble to particle collection.
In particular the invention relates to a new and useful method for:
1 ) controlling feed surges to multiple flotation vessels that use Feed Slurry Aeration for primary particle-bubble contact and formation of bubble particle aggregates, 2) providing a steady feed to the flotation vessel and its air/slurry contacting chamber, 3) facilitating easy and streamlined engineering layout/arrangement of the Feed Slurry Aeration flotation vessels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the mining and mineral processing industries froth flotation has long been used as a means to separate or concentrate valuable or desirable minerals from waste materials or gangue. In flotation, finely ground particles of an ore are typically added to water to produce a slurry that is then treated with a reagent to make the surface of one or more mineral components sufficiently hydrophobic such that the mineral surface will preferentially adhere to an air bubble rather than remain wetted. The remainder of the ore is preferably made or kept sufficiently hydrophilic to enable the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components to be separated from each other when placed in an aerated volume of water. That is, when immersed in water and subjected to an injected stream of air, small bubbles attache to the hydrophobic mineral components causing them to float to the surface where they can be collected and removed for further processing. The remaining hydrophilic components tend to settle at the bottom of the volume of water and can be extracted therefrom using a variety of mechanical methods. To aid in the separation of the mineral components a further chemical may be added to produce a controllable froth. Depending upon the nature of the minerals contained within an oxe, the component sought to be concentrated may be the hydrophobic component that is separated with the froth or, in other cases, the desired component may be hydrophilic and may remain immersed in the water.
For separation to be achieved in a flotation system, air bubbles must come into contact with hydrophobic particles prior to or within the flotation cell or the phase separation vessel. The invention described within this document is designed to assist the operation of a flotation vessel that uses a pipe, or similar type chamber, as the mechanism where the bubbles come into contact with the slurry prior to being released into the flotation tank or separation vessel. These type of flotation machines are often referred to as using Feed Slurry Aeration flotation as the means for bubble-particle contact and collection, as opposed to using an agitating mechanism within the flotation cell to generate the bubble-particle contact.
One particular Feed Slurry Aeration Machine developed by MinnovEX is comprised of the steps of delivering a pressurized stream of feed slurry and a pressurized stream of air to a pipe or chamber external or internal to the separation vessel to provide an environment where the slurry and air come into contact to create the bubble-particle contact, said feed slurry including a mixture of oil or hydrophobic minerals/materials and water; causing said feed slurry and said stream of pressurized air to intermix within the chamber or contactor to allow for the attachment of air bubbles to said particles of oil or hydrophobic minerals/materials forming bubble aggregates; and, discharging the contents of said chamber or contactor into a separation vessel where said particle-bubble aggregates form a froth for removal as a concentrate.
S Now the froth flotation machines that use Feed Slurry Aeration as the primary method to form the particle-bubble aggregates are operationally sensitive to unsteady feed rates and sudden surges in feed rates, a trait that can cause these flotation machines to under perform with respect to the quality and quantity of the product they produce. Also, in a processing plant or facility that separates minerals from ground up rock, the feed slurry stream to the flotation process is rarely steady.
This new invention solves the majority of the inefficiencies of Feed Slurry Aeration flotation machines that are due to feed surges or unsteady feed.
The invention is a continuous or series of continuous sumps (continuous being more 1 S than one sump combined into one) that has particular features that allow it to stabilize feed, control feed surges and enhance/simplify layoutlarrangement of the flotation vessels. A sump, as defined in the mining industry, is generally identified as a square, rectangular or round vessel that receives feed slurry or discharge (tailings) slurry from single or multiple unit operations such as a flotation 2Q machine(s). The sump provides volume or capacity, typically about 45 seconds of residence time which is the time a slurry resides in the sump, and this slurry is discharged from the sump via a pumps) which send the slurry to another unit operation.
This invention (new form of sump) is totally unique in a number of ways, namely:
25 1 ) The sump is a continuous or series of continuous sump segments used to feed the Feed Slurry Aeration flotation machines and accept the flotation cell 4 ' underflow or discharge (usually referred to as tailings unless a reverse flotation process is used at which time the underflow is referred to as concentrate). While existing style sumps can receive multiple feed streams, these sumps are never combined into a continuous or series of continuous sumps with one continuous level for each continuous sump fox controlling slurry flow that feeds flotation vessels.
2) The sump has partitions and baffles which control circulating streams, sump level and movement of coarse particles at the bottom of the sump, 3) The residence time in each sump section (generally about 10 seconds or less) is typically much lower than a stand alone sump which normally has 30 to 45 seconds, 4) There is freeboard or a continuous length of extra capacity at the top of the continuous, or series of continuous, sumps connected together by this freeboard, which is sized to allow any slurry surge feeding the flotation circuit to pass through the top of the continuous or series of continuous sumps without significantly disturbing the feed to the Feed Slurry Aeration flotation vessel and contacting chamber.
Method and Apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to both a method and apparatus for controlling and stabilizing the feed slurry consisting of minerals and water to a froth flotation vessel that uses feed slurry aeration as it's primary means of bubble to particle collection.
In particular the invention relates to a new and useful method for:
1 ) controlling feed surges to multiple flotation vessels that use Feed Slurry Aeration for primary particle-bubble contact and formation of bubble particle aggregates, 2) providing a steady feed to the flotation vessel and its air/slurry contacting chamber, 3) facilitating easy and streamlined engineering layout/arrangement of the Feed Slurry Aeration flotation vessels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the mining and mineral processing industries froth flotation has long been used as a means to separate or concentrate valuable or desirable minerals from waste materials or gangue. In flotation, finely ground particles of an ore are typically added to water to produce a slurry that is then treated with a reagent to make the surface of one or more mineral components sufficiently hydrophobic such that the mineral surface will preferentially adhere to an air bubble rather than remain wetted. The remainder of the ore is preferably made or kept sufficiently hydrophilic to enable the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components to be separated from each other when placed in an aerated volume of water. That is, when immersed in water and subjected to an injected stream of air, small bubbles attache to the hydrophobic mineral components causing them to float to the surface where they can be collected and removed for further processing. The remaining hydrophilic components tend to settle at the bottom of the volume of water and can be extracted therefrom using a variety of mechanical methods. To aid in the separation of the mineral components a further chemical may be added to produce a controllable froth. Depending upon the nature of the minerals contained within an oxe, the component sought to be concentrated may be the hydrophobic component that is separated with the froth or, in other cases, the desired component may be hydrophilic and may remain immersed in the water.
For separation to be achieved in a flotation system, air bubbles must come into contact with hydrophobic particles prior to or within the flotation cell or the phase separation vessel. The invention described within this document is designed to assist the operation of a flotation vessel that uses a pipe, or similar type chamber, as the mechanism where the bubbles come into contact with the slurry prior to being released into the flotation tank or separation vessel. These type of flotation machines are often referred to as using Feed Slurry Aeration flotation as the means for bubble-particle contact and collection, as opposed to using an agitating mechanism within the flotation cell to generate the bubble-particle contact.
One particular Feed Slurry Aeration Machine developed by MinnovEX is comprised of the steps of delivering a pressurized stream of feed slurry and a pressurized stream of air to a pipe or chamber external or internal to the separation vessel to provide an environment where the slurry and air come into contact to create the bubble-particle contact, said feed slurry including a mixture of oil or hydrophobic minerals/materials and water; causing said feed slurry and said stream of pressurized air to intermix within the chamber or contactor to allow for the attachment of air bubbles to said particles of oil or hydrophobic minerals/materials forming bubble aggregates; and, discharging the contents of said chamber or contactor into a separation vessel where said particle-bubble aggregates form a froth for removal as a concentrate.
S Now the froth flotation machines that use Feed Slurry Aeration as the primary method to form the particle-bubble aggregates are operationally sensitive to unsteady feed rates and sudden surges in feed rates, a trait that can cause these flotation machines to under perform with respect to the quality and quantity of the product they produce. Also, in a processing plant or facility that separates minerals from ground up rock, the feed slurry stream to the flotation process is rarely steady.
This new invention solves the majority of the inefficiencies of Feed Slurry Aeration flotation machines that are due to feed surges or unsteady feed.
The invention is a continuous or series of continuous sumps (continuous being more 1 S than one sump combined into one) that has particular features that allow it to stabilize feed, control feed surges and enhance/simplify layoutlarrangement of the flotation vessels. A sump, as defined in the mining industry, is generally identified as a square, rectangular or round vessel that receives feed slurry or discharge (tailings) slurry from single or multiple unit operations such as a flotation 2Q machine(s). The sump provides volume or capacity, typically about 45 seconds of residence time which is the time a slurry resides in the sump, and this slurry is discharged from the sump via a pumps) which send the slurry to another unit operation.
This invention (new form of sump) is totally unique in a number of ways, namely:
25 1 ) The sump is a continuous or series of continuous sump segments used to feed the Feed Slurry Aeration flotation machines and accept the flotation cell 4 ' underflow or discharge (usually referred to as tailings unless a reverse flotation process is used at which time the underflow is referred to as concentrate). While existing style sumps can receive multiple feed streams, these sumps are never combined into a continuous or series of continuous sumps with one continuous level for each continuous sump fox controlling slurry flow that feeds flotation vessels.
2) The sump has partitions and baffles which control circulating streams, sump level and movement of coarse particles at the bottom of the sump, 3) The residence time in each sump section (generally about 10 seconds or less) is typically much lower than a stand alone sump which normally has 30 to 45 seconds, 4) There is freeboard or a continuous length of extra capacity at the top of the continuous, or series of continuous, sumps connected together by this freeboard, which is sized to allow any slurry surge feeding the flotation circuit to pass through the top of the continuous or series of continuous sumps without significantly disturbing the feed to the Feed Slurry Aeration flotation vessel and contacting chamber.
5) The sump internal baffling is located to allow the underflow from the flotation vessel (inlet} and the pump suction (outlet) from the same segment of the sump, to be located anywhere within that sump segment as long as the baffle remains between the inlet and outlet to limit short-circuiting of material to a calculated amount. This facilitates and optimizes flotation vessel layout. The sump segment partitions can be adjusted to make each segment larger or smaller to further facilitate and optimize flotation vessel layout.
6) The partitions do not continue the whole height of the sump. There is an open area at the bottom of the partition to allow part of the slurry to flow along the sump bottom from one sump segment to another. This prevents sanding by coarse particles and minimizes the height and cross sectional area of the freeboard required at the top of the sump to handle surging. The open area of the bottom of the partition is designed to maintain the appropriate level in the sump at low feed flows to the sump while still preventing sanding and minimizing freeboard cross sectional area. The top of the segment partitions in conjunction with a control valve at the bottom of the last sump segment control the level in the sump during the times when slurry surging is not occurring. By maintaining a constant level during times of no surging, there is a constant head of pressure on the pump inlet and therefore a constant/steady feed flow from the pump to the froth flotation machine.
7) During times of feed slurry surging, the freeboard allows the surge to flow down the length of the top of the sump and pass through to waste (tailings).
The only minor change the flotation vessel would see in the feed rate would be a slight increase in feed rate for a short period of time while the surge passes over the top of the sump. The slight increase in feed rate would be due to the slight increase in head pressure on the pump inlet due to the height of the surge.
Each segment of the sump will take the discharge from one flotation vessel through the sump segment inlet, and provide feed to the next flotation vessel downstream through the sump segment outlet feeding a pump. The feed flow to each Feed Slurry Aeration Cell will be set at approximately the maximum flow that the plant is expected to receive. When feed flow is less than the maximum (normal), a portion of the tailings (underflow) from a flotation cell will make up the required pumping slurry flow. The baffle for each sump segment will minimize short circuiting of underflow slurry to the new feed or upstream side of the baffle, to the amount necessary to allow the pump to operate at full flow.
Since the Feed Slurry Aeration Cells are fed by fixed speed pumps running off a constant feed head, the flow rate to each cell will be virtually constant.
Variable speed pumps can be used but are not required. When feed rate changes, the recycle quantity changes. This means that the flotation cells will be operated with an extremely steady feed rate, even when flotation feed (cyclone overflow) varies dramatically. When a large feed surge hits the flotation circuit the surge will be carried out of the circuit via the sump; the feed slurry aeration cells will continue to operate as normal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiments of the present invention in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic top view, side sectional view and end view of an apparatus for controlling feed flow to multiple Feed Slurry Aeration vessels (controlling 5 vessels in this example although the invention can be applied to 1 or more cells) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 consists of a front view, side view and end view describing how the five segment version of a sump in Figure 1 could be connected to five Feed Slurry Aeration froth flotation vessels.
Figure 3 consists of a top view and side view of two continuous sumps connected together on different levels while still maintaining the ability to transport a feed slurry surge across the top of the sump segments and move slurry flow and coarse material along the bottom, DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention may be embodied in a number of different forms. However, the specification and drawings that follow describe and disclose only some of the specific forms of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims section. It is important to note that the sump length, width and height will change to accept the flow rates, and number of flotation cells that the sump will be feeding and receiving underflow from. In addition, the baffles and segment partitions can also be located to facilitate layout or arrangement of the flotation vessels. However, the baffles must always be located between the new feed inlet or pipe and the tailings or underflow pipe.
The sump can also consist of a series of circular vessels connected through overflow sluices or transport launders, and through a pipes) or a rectangular transport box near the bottom of one segment to the bottom of the end of another segment in order to move coarse material and some of the flow (same as per a rectangular sump). The series of continuous segments can be on one level or on several levels. If the sump consists of circular vessels on the same level than the level will be set by a weir on the last circular segment plus a control valve at the bottom outlet of the last circular segment. The overflow launder will still provide the freeboard to carry the feed surge along the top of the continuous or series of continuous sumps. If a series of continuous sumps are positioned at different levels than there would be one sump level for each continuous sump but the transport launder and bottom transport pipe or box are still required for transporting the feed surges along the top and a share of the slurry flow through the bottom end of one segment to anotb:er.
The single sump in Figure 1 is divided into five segments, each feeding one pump.
The tailings flow from a Feed Slurry Aeration Cell will flow back to the segment of the sump from which it is being fed (on the side of a divider furthest from the pump suction). The sump has an overflow weir at the discharge, thus maintaining a constant slurry head throughout the sump. There is a wall/partition between each of the five sump segments, and each segment has an internal baffle or divider (to separate new feed from tailings recycle slurry). As with the baffles, there is an open 1 S space at the bottom of each segment partition or wall to allow some slurry to flow underneath the partition; approximately 50-70% of the slurry would flow over the top of the wall and 30-SO % below the wall.
An example of a start-up and shut down procedure for the version of the sump shown in Figure 1 is as follows:
Startup and Shutdown Procedures A. Start-up procedure - Switch all level controls to auto.
- Open all air valves - switch on control - With exit knife gate on sump No 5 closed, fill sump with water on auto (uses level control on sump 1 linked to water addition) - Ensure feed flow from grinding section is sufFcient (>0.2m3/s?) on flow indicator - Start No. 1 cell feed pump on auto (i.e. level in sump is >50% and feed flow sufficient) - Start No. 2 cell feed pump on auto when No.l cell is <O.Sm from top.
- Start No. 3 cell feed pump on auto when No.2 cell is <O.Sm from top.
- Start No. 4 cell feed pump on auto when No.3 cell is <O.Sm from top - Start No. 5 cell feed pump on auto when No.4 cell is <O.Sm from top - Open exit knife gate valve on auto when No.S cell is <O.Sm from top.
B. Shut-down procedure - Stop feed flow from grinding section - No. l cell feed pump stops on auto - No. l cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 2 cell feed pump stops on auto - No.2 cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 3 cell feed pump stops on auto No.3 cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 4 cell feed pump stops on auto - No.4 cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 5 cell feed pump stops on auto No. 5 cell drains to >Sm from top and exit knife gate valve closes on auto lI
The only minor change the flotation vessel would see in the feed rate would be a slight increase in feed rate for a short period of time while the surge passes over the top of the sump. The slight increase in feed rate would be due to the slight increase in head pressure on the pump inlet due to the height of the surge.
Each segment of the sump will take the discharge from one flotation vessel through the sump segment inlet, and provide feed to the next flotation vessel downstream through the sump segment outlet feeding a pump. The feed flow to each Feed Slurry Aeration Cell will be set at approximately the maximum flow that the plant is expected to receive. When feed flow is less than the maximum (normal), a portion of the tailings (underflow) from a flotation cell will make up the required pumping slurry flow. The baffle for each sump segment will minimize short circuiting of underflow slurry to the new feed or upstream side of the baffle, to the amount necessary to allow the pump to operate at full flow.
Since the Feed Slurry Aeration Cells are fed by fixed speed pumps running off a constant feed head, the flow rate to each cell will be virtually constant.
Variable speed pumps can be used but are not required. When feed rate changes, the recycle quantity changes. This means that the flotation cells will be operated with an extremely steady feed rate, even when flotation feed (cyclone overflow) varies dramatically. When a large feed surge hits the flotation circuit the surge will be carried out of the circuit via the sump; the feed slurry aeration cells will continue to operate as normal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiments of the present invention in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic top view, side sectional view and end view of an apparatus for controlling feed flow to multiple Feed Slurry Aeration vessels (controlling 5 vessels in this example although the invention can be applied to 1 or more cells) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 consists of a front view, side view and end view describing how the five segment version of a sump in Figure 1 could be connected to five Feed Slurry Aeration froth flotation vessels.
Figure 3 consists of a top view and side view of two continuous sumps connected together on different levels while still maintaining the ability to transport a feed slurry surge across the top of the sump segments and move slurry flow and coarse material along the bottom, DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention may be embodied in a number of different forms. However, the specification and drawings that follow describe and disclose only some of the specific forms of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims section. It is important to note that the sump length, width and height will change to accept the flow rates, and number of flotation cells that the sump will be feeding and receiving underflow from. In addition, the baffles and segment partitions can also be located to facilitate layout or arrangement of the flotation vessels. However, the baffles must always be located between the new feed inlet or pipe and the tailings or underflow pipe.
The sump can also consist of a series of circular vessels connected through overflow sluices or transport launders, and through a pipes) or a rectangular transport box near the bottom of one segment to the bottom of the end of another segment in order to move coarse material and some of the flow (same as per a rectangular sump). The series of continuous segments can be on one level or on several levels. If the sump consists of circular vessels on the same level than the level will be set by a weir on the last circular segment plus a control valve at the bottom outlet of the last circular segment. The overflow launder will still provide the freeboard to carry the feed surge along the top of the continuous or series of continuous sumps. If a series of continuous sumps are positioned at different levels than there would be one sump level for each continuous sump but the transport launder and bottom transport pipe or box are still required for transporting the feed surges along the top and a share of the slurry flow through the bottom end of one segment to anotb:er.
The single sump in Figure 1 is divided into five segments, each feeding one pump.
The tailings flow from a Feed Slurry Aeration Cell will flow back to the segment of the sump from which it is being fed (on the side of a divider furthest from the pump suction). The sump has an overflow weir at the discharge, thus maintaining a constant slurry head throughout the sump. There is a wall/partition between each of the five sump segments, and each segment has an internal baffle or divider (to separate new feed from tailings recycle slurry). As with the baffles, there is an open 1 S space at the bottom of each segment partition or wall to allow some slurry to flow underneath the partition; approximately 50-70% of the slurry would flow over the top of the wall and 30-SO % below the wall.
An example of a start-up and shut down procedure for the version of the sump shown in Figure 1 is as follows:
Startup and Shutdown Procedures A. Start-up procedure - Switch all level controls to auto.
- Open all air valves - switch on control - With exit knife gate on sump No 5 closed, fill sump with water on auto (uses level control on sump 1 linked to water addition) - Ensure feed flow from grinding section is sufFcient (>0.2m3/s?) on flow indicator - Start No. 1 cell feed pump on auto (i.e. level in sump is >50% and feed flow sufficient) - Start No. 2 cell feed pump on auto when No.l cell is <O.Sm from top.
- Start No. 3 cell feed pump on auto when No.2 cell is <O.Sm from top.
- Start No. 4 cell feed pump on auto when No.3 cell is <O.Sm from top - Start No. 5 cell feed pump on auto when No.4 cell is <O.Sm from top - Open exit knife gate valve on auto when No.S cell is <O.Sm from top.
B. Shut-down procedure - Stop feed flow from grinding section - No. l cell feed pump stops on auto - No. l cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 2 cell feed pump stops on auto - No.2 cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 3 cell feed pump stops on auto No.3 cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 4 cell feed pump stops on auto - No.4 cell drains to >Sm from top and No. 5 cell feed pump stops on auto No. 5 cell drains to >Sm from top and exit knife gate valve closes on auto lI
Claims (2)
1. An apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to a froth flotation vessel that uses feed slurry aeration as the primary means of particle collection, the apparatus constructed as shown in the attached drawings and as described above.
2. A method for stabilizing and supplying feed to a froth flotation vessel that uses feed slurry aeration as the primary means of particle collection, the method comprising the steps described in the above attached text
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2452594 CA2452594A1 (en) | 2003-12-08 | 2003-12-08 | Method and apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2452594 CA2452594A1 (en) | 2003-12-08 | 2003-12-08 | Method and apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2452594A1 true CA2452594A1 (en) | 2005-06-08 |
Family
ID=34624359
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2452594 Abandoned CA2452594A1 (en) | 2003-12-08 | 2003-12-08 | Method and apparatus for stabilizing and supplying feed to multiple froth flotation vessels that use feed slurry aeration as the primary means of bubble to particle collection |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2452594A1 (en) |
-
2003
- 2003-12-08 CA CA 2452594 patent/CA2452594A1/en not_active Abandoned
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