FI115449B - Flotation device for separating valuable ingredients, e.g. metal concentrates, from remaining material in slurry, has shaft sealed in flotation cell by mechanical sealing member - Google Patents

Abstract

A flotation device has a rotor shaft sealed in a flotation cell by a mechanical sealing member. The device also includes a rotor for agitating and feeding air into a slurry, a rotation motor for the rotor, an aperture for feeding slurry into the flotation cell, a discharge chute for removing floating material, and an aperture for removing non-floating material.

Description

115449

flotation machine

The present invention relates to a flotation machine used to separate valuable constituents such as concentrates from slurry from other materials. The invention is particularly concerned with the position and sealing of the sludge rotation mechanism in a flotation machine.

For example, WO 01/43881 describes a flotation machine consisting of a flotation cell contained in a slurry to be treated and a slurry mixing and air supply mechanism. Apertures are provided in the flotation cell for feeding slurry through the side wall of the cell and for removing non-foamed material through the bottom of the cell. In the flotation cell, the concentrate provided by the foam is removed from the cell, at least in part, through an open top. The slurry mixing and air supply apparatus, which includes both a mixing mechanism rotary device and a slurry feed air supply mechanism, is mounted above the flotation cell so that a shaft partially submerged in the slurry leads from the apparatus to the flotation cell. The shaft is internally hollow for supplying air to the slurry. Shaft slurry; An embedded end is provided with a rotor which mixes the slurry around it, and at the same time air is supplied through the air inlet ports on the rotor to foam and maintain the slurry in the suspension space.

. . In addition, the flotation cell is fed with reagents that adhere to the surface of recoverable value particles in the slurry. The reagents render the value particles hydrophobic and thus promote the attachment of the value particles to the air bubbles. As the value particles attach to the air bubbles, the value particles begin to rise. * ··. upwards towards the substantially free upper surface of the foaming cell and form therein a stable foam mattress. In the so-called reverse flotation, the worthless ingredient is hydrophobic, so that in the flotation process, the value substance is not foamed.

^ '! A foaming machine is known from DE 735213, in which the air required for flotation is supplied or the mixing mechanism draws in air from the top of the flotation tube via a separate riser, while the foamable slurry is fed into the flotation cell from below. The rotor rotation motor of the flotation machine is mounted such that the rotor is rotated by an axis passing through the bottom of the flotation cell. Since in DE 735213 the air enters the top of the rotor 5, baffles are formed in the rotor to direct the air. The control plates per se make the rotor more complicated than, for example, the rotor of WO 01/43881 described above. Furthermore, the self-absorbing air supply method is not known to be suitable for large flotation machines with a mixing mechanism at the bottom of the flotation cell.

10 DE-A-731305 describes a device for protecting the passage of the mixing shaft of a flotation cell at the bottom of the flotation cell against the corrosive effect of the slurry being treated in the flotation cell. This lead-in protection device is mounted in close contact with the mixing axis of the flotation cell with an opening in the shaft relative to the downwardly directed means of protection. In addition, the sealing sleeve of the entry point is connected to a compressed air line, whereby an overpressure can be provided at the end of the sealing sleeve communicating with the outside air to avoid fluid leakage. However, the barrel attached to the mixing shaft and the compressed air shield coupled to the sealing sleeve make the foam, 20 fuel cell structure complicated and thus easily malfunctioning. In addition, especially a large flotation cell applied from the air clock is possible. . large bubbles that would burst would interfere with the flotation process.

As the size of the flotation cells increases, so does the slurry mixing equipment. : 25 felt; the size and power of the rotation device have increased, as has the rotor rotation. ···. the tysaxis has become longer as the height of the flotation cell has increased. The rotor rotation mechanism is also subjected to greater tension forces, which in turn contributes to the forces exerted on the bearings mounted on the rotor rotation mechanism. Therefore, solutions known per se, for example, foam size. The protections at the point of entry of the rotation axis at the bottom of the 30 are no longer functional.

3,115,449

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a better flotation machine in which the rotor rotation mechanism is mounted below the rotor and the shaft of the rotor for slurry mixing is connected to the lower part of the rotor and The essential features of the invention will be apparent from the appended claims.

The foaming machine according to the invention has at least means for feeding the slurry to be treated in the foaming cell, means for mixing the slurry, means for supplying air to the slurry, means for removing foamed material in the foaming cell and means for removing non-foamed material. The slurry mixing and air supply apparatus, which includes both a mixing mechanism rotation device 15 and a slurry feeding air supply mechanism, is mounted below the rotor relative to the vertical direction of the flotation cell. The shaft between the rotor rotation device and the rotor is fixed to the rotor substantially vertically below the rotor. Furthermore, the shaft connected to the rotor is hollow in its inner structure, which allows the air to be dispersed in the slurry to be fed to the foaming cell through the shaft. The shaft connected to the rotor may also be at least partially closed, whereby the air is supplied through a separate structure. Then. . a stronger shaft structure is achieved.

In accordance with the invention, the seals between the rotor rotation device and the shaft: 25 at the bottom of the flotation cell are sealed using seals «» ». ··. preferably a material which, when substantially unprotected, withstands the abrasive effect of the slurry being treated in the flotation fluid. If necessary, the sealing member may be supplied with a pressurized fluid, such as water, which, when flowing through the sealing member, is discharged into the flotation cell. The pressurized fluid can also be recycled within the sealing member alone without the liquid being discharged into the flotation cell. If necessary, the sealing member may also be protected by an external system containing mechanical protection and rinsing fluid for cleaning the sealing member.

5

In order to seal the lead-through at the bottom of the rotor rotating device and the shaft between the rotor flotation cell, a mechanical slip ring seal or, for example, a ribbon box seal is used. The bellows element, which can be filled with water, can be fitted to the slip ring seal if desired. This pal-10 je member may be used, if necessary, to prevent wear on parts of the slip ring seal that differ from the sliding surfaces. Preferably, the fluid from the bellows element mounted on the slip ring seal is recirculated so that the liquid is not discharged into the flotation cell, but the liquid provides a substantially rinsing and cooling effect on the slip ring seal.

15

According to the invention, when installing a device for mixing and supplying air in a flotation cell under the rotor, the foam. , the axis between the rotor and the rotating device relative to the vertical direction of the sensing cell; is substantially short because the rotor is preferably located in the flotation. , 20 to provide effective operation of the cell substantially close to the bottom of the flotation cell. Thanks to the short shaft, you also have the power required for the rotating device; The rotor may be reduced, whereby the rotating device will also become smaller in size, which in itself is advantageous for the support of the seal and the structure of the entire flotation machine.

. : 25. ·. According to the invention, a device for rotating the shaft and supplying air; the gear unit is mounted below the rotor such that the rotation device is at least partially rotated. only inside the flotation cell, or with the rotating device completely in place · outside the flotation cell. With the rotation device at least partially inside the foam 30, a protective housing is mounted around the rotation device.

The wall of the protective housing is further provided with a lead-through for the shaft between the rotating device and the rotor and, if necessary, at least one lead-through for the connecting members of the rotating device to receive the rotating energy. When the rotating device is outside the flotation cell, the rotating device may also be provided with a protective housing, if necessary. If the protective housing is not mounted around the rotating device, the bottom of the flotation cell is preferably provided with a passageway between the rotating device and the rotor. The shaft passage between the rotation device and the rotor is preferably separated from the outlet for non-foamed material. However, the shaft passage between the rotation device and the rotor may also be common to the outlet for non-foamed material.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the axis between the rotation device and the rotor includes a channel for supplying the rotor with air dispersible in the slurry. The rotation device in the immediate vicinity is further mounted means for supplying air from the air supply means | from the diesel to the inner parts of the shaft between the rotating device and the rotor. These rotation- | The air supply means mounted in the immediate vicinity of the device is preferably mounted in a protective housing formed around the rotation device. The protective housing is thus further provided with at least one lead-through for at least one connecting member for feeding. The axis between the rotation device and the rotor is thus partially immersed in the slurry to be foamed in the flotation cell between the rotor and the bottom of the housing or rotor and the flotation cell 20. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the air dispersible in the slurry may also be introduced into the flotation cell separately from the axis between the rotation device and the rotor, preferably for example from the top of the flotation cell through a separate connecting element. In this case, the shaft between the rotating device 25 and the rotor may be solid, which in itself improves the strength of the shaft.

The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in a partially cut away side view, 6 115449 and Fig. 2 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the invention in a partially cut away view. Fig. 3 is a partially cut-away side view of the sealing of the shaft between the rotor rotating device and the rotor in the flotation cell according to the embodiment of Fig. 1.

According to Fig. 1, the flotation machine has a flotation cell 1 having an aperture 2 in the substantially vertical side wall for supplying the slurry 3 to be treated to the flotation cell 1. The bottom 7 of the foam cell 1 is further provided with an opening 8 through which the non-foamed material in the foam cell 1 is removed from the foam cell 1. The foam cell 1 is furthermore provided with a stator 9 both centrally and substantially static. a rotor 10 for slurry mixing and air dispersing. The rotor 10 is rotated by a shaft 11 mounted in accordance with the invention, which is mounted on the rotor 10; : substantially vertically below the rotor 10 relative to the vertical direction of the flotation cell 1. To rotate the shaft 11, a rotary motor 12 is mounted at an opposite end to the rotor 10 of the shaft 11. . is mounted below the foam cell 1, outside the foam cell 1, §! .. 'near the bottom of the foam cell 1. For the shaft 11 between the rotation motor 12 and the rotor 10, there is a shaft opening 13, formed in the bottom of the flotation cell. ·,: 25 through which the rotor 10 is rotated to mix the slurry and disperse the air. ·. to go to the slurry is performed. The supply of air to be dispersed in the slurry to the rotor 10 is a connecting member 14 connected to the upper part of the rotor 10 through which air from outside the flotation cell 1 is led to the rotor 10.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the flotation machine has a flotation cell 21 having a vertical wall formed with an opening 22 in the flotation cell 21 for supplying the foamed slurry material 23.

7, 115449

A drainage bar 24 is mounted around the top of the flotation cell 21 in the flotation cell 21 to remove the foamed material forming the foam mattress 34. Further, an opening 25 is formed in the wall of the flotation cell 21 for removing non-foamed material from the flotation cell 21. The flotation cell 21 further comprises a rotor 26 mounted on its shaft 28 from the rotary motor 27. Concentric with the rotor 26 and at substantially the same plane is a stator 29 mounted around the rotor 26. The shaft 28 is mounted to the rotor 26 substantially vertically from below the rotor 26 to the vertical direction of the flotation cell 21. In addition, the shaft 28 is hollow in its interior, and through the shaft 28, air to be dispersed in the slurry 23 is fed via a rotor 26 to a flotation cell 21. The rotor 26 of the rotor 26 mounted inside the foaming cell 21, above the bottom of the foaming cell 21. A guard housing 31 is further mounted around the rotary motor 27, a shaft opening 32 formed in the wall closest to the rotor 26, through which the shaft 28 between the rotor 26 and the rotary motor 27 is rotated to rotate the rotor 26. Furthermore, the wall of the protective housing 31 is formed at all times; ,; at least one opening 33 for supplying air from outside source of flotation cell 21 to internal portions of shaft 28 and rotary motor 27 for transferring power from outside flotation cell 21 to rotary motor 27. Rotation. . with the motor 27 inside the flotation cell 21, a rotary motor and! The rotor shaft 28 is preferably shorter.

·. In Figure 3, the shaft 11 between rotor rotation motor 12 and rotor 10. The shaft aperture 13 at the bottom of the foaming cell 1 is sealed by a mechanical slip ring seal 15. The sliding surface 16 of the slip ring seal 15 is made of wear-resistant material, silicon carbide. A rubber bellows 17, which can be filled with water, is mounted on the slip ring seal 15. This rubber bellows 17 can: 30 be used, if necessary, to prevent wear on parts of the slip ring seal 15 that differ from the sliding surfaces. Preferably, the water from the rubber bellows 17 mounted on the slip ring seal 15 is recirculated so that water is not discharged into the flotation cell 1, but with water a substantially rinsing and cooling effect is obtained on the slip ring seal 15.

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Claims (8)

115449 9 I PATENT CLAIMS A flotation machine for separating valuable constituents of a slurry, such as metal concentrates, from other material, wherein the flotation machine has at least means for feeding the slurry to be treated in the flotation cell, means for mixing the slurry with a rotatable means for removing the foamed material in the flotation cell and means for removing the non-foamed material in the flotation cell 10, characterized in that the axis of the rotor (10,26) of the rotor (10,26) used for mixing the slurry (3,23) and supplying air to the slurry (3,23). (11,28) is a concentrated foam! to the cell (1.21) with a mechanical slide ring seal (15). 2. Flotationsmaskin enligt patentkrav 1, kangnetecknad av att glidringstätningens (15) glidyta (16) framställts av slitstarkt material. Flotation machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the sliding surface (16) of the slip ring seal (15) is made of a wear-resistant material. Flotation machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the slip ring seal (15) is provided with a fluid-filled bellows element; ; ί (17). 3. Flotation mask enligt patent kravet 1 eller 2, bending nose av att 5 glidringstätningen (15) försetts med et bälgorgan (17) som kan fyllas med vätska. 4. Flotation mask enligt face av de föregäende patentkraven, nipple deck av att rotationsanordningen (12,27) för rotorn (10,26) som 10 används för omröring av slammet (3,23) anordnats ätminstone delvis innanför | flotationscellen (1,21). The flotation machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating device (12,27) of the rotor (10,26) used for mixing the slurry (3,23) is at least partially inside the flotation cell (1,21). <· 5. The flotation mask mask is a rotating shaft (11,28) a rotating rotating shaft (11,28) a rotating rotor (10,26) a rotating rotor (3,23) and a rotating rotor (10,26) , 26) J fästs vid rotorn (10,26) väsentligen i vertikalriktningen underifrän rotorn (10,26). i A flotation machine according to any one of the preceding claims, known as: characterized in that the shaft (11,28) between the rotor (10,26) of the rotor (10,26) used for mixing the slurry (10,26) and the rotor (10,26) is fixed to the rotor (10). , 26) substantially vertically below the rotor (10,26). 115449 I ίο i 6. Flotationsmaskin enligt nägot av de föregäende patentkraven, *; [l rotationneck av att rotationsanordningen (12,27) för rotorn (10,26) som / 20 används för omröring av slammet (3,23) monterats i en skyddskäpa (31) »·: \ försedd med en genomföring ätminstone för axeln ( 11,28) mellan,. rotationsanordningen (12,27) and rotorn (10,26) A flotation machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotor (12,27) of the rotor (10,26) used for mixing the slurry (3,23) is mounted in a protective housing (31) provided with a passageway at least , 27) and shaft 5 (11,28) between rotor (10,26). 7. Flotationsmaskin enligt face av de föregäende patentkraven, 25 rotation decks av att et förhällande till rotorns (10,26) Axel (11,28) separat förbindelseorgan (14) anordnats i flotationscellen (1,21) för inmatning av luft * som skall disperser to slammet (3,23) to rotorn (10,26). A flotation machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a coupling element (14) separate from the rotor (10.26) shaft is mounted on the flotation cell (1,21) to supply the dispersant air 10 to the rotor (10). , 26). A flotation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the axis i (11.28) of the rotor (10,26) mounted in the flotation cell (1,21) includes a channel for supplying air to be dispersed in the slurry (3,23) 10.26) through the shaft (11.28). • · * »* *; / 1. Flotation mask mask for flashing paint flask beständsdelar, »· ·!; V 20 Sesom metal concentrates, if you slam frän you provide material and glue *» · 'Flotation mask mask for fitting in slammet, som »» J 1 * * «. . skall behandlas i flotationscellen, i flotationscellen, organ för omrörande av • * * slammet med en rotor som can roter med en rotationsanordning som i flotationscellens vertical monterats nedanför rotorn, organ för inmatning 25 av luft i slammet, organ för utmatning av materialet som fl * ». * · *. flotationscellen samt organ för avlägsnande av materialet som förblivit ofloterat • · i flotationscellen, kännetecknad av att axeln (11,28) account rotationsanordningen • i »λ! (12,27) för rotorn (10,26) som används vid omröring av slammet (3,23) och ii inmatning av luft i slammet (3,23) har tätats mot flotationscellen (1,21) med en '' 30 mekanisk glidringstätning (15). I I 11 115449 8. Flotation mask enigt face av de föregäende patent kraven 1-6, '30 rotation canter av att den i flotationscellen (1,21) monterade axeln (11,28) för: rotorn (10,26) innehäller en canal for inmatning av luft som skall disperser in the slammet (3,23) in the rotorn (10,26) genomic axeln (11,28).