GB530742A - Improvements in and relating to apparatus for separating solid materials having different specific gravities by means of a suspension - Google Patents

Abstract

530,742. Wet separating. NAAMLOOZE VENNOOTSCHAP DOMANIALE MIJN MAATSCHAPPIJ, and TROMP, K. F. June 30, 1939,No. 19077. Addition to 466,964. [Class 82 (ii)] Relates to apparatus of the kind described in the parent Specification, comprising a tank containing a suspension of " sand " in " water " having a downwardly increasing density, means for creating substantially horizontal currents in the suspension at different depths, mechanical means for removing the floating products and a weir beyond the submerged portion of the said mechanical means for discharging the fluid together with the suspended middlings. In one form heavy suspension is fed in through opening 11a, Fig. 1, and lighter suspension through another opening 11 and the horizontal currents carry the material that is fed in at A, across the tank, the heavy and light particles being collected by conveyers 8 and 9 respectively and the fluid and middlings passing up a channel 13 and over a weir 5a to be strained on a screen 14. The suspension is pumped through a conduit 18 to be used again. A part 12 of the tank tapers in the direction of flow and the resultant increase of velocity serves to keep the sand in suspension whilst the fluid rises over the weir. In a modification, four inlets 11, 11a, 11b, 11c for fluid are provided and two vertical partitions 24, 25, Fig. 2, are spaced apart from the rear wall, the partitions extending downwards to different depths and having horizontal extensions at their bottom, end so as to define channels at different depths through which fluid containing middlings may be divided into portions which pass up and over a stepped weir 29 and are recovered separately. The lower portions of the partitions may be adjustable in height.