US3844303A - Lime control method for highly alkaline flotation pulps - Google Patents
Lime control method for highly alkaline flotation pulps Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3844303A US3844303A US00314540A US31454072A US3844303A US 3844303 A US3844303 A US 3844303A US 00314540 A US00314540 A US 00314540A US 31454072 A US31454072 A US 31454072A US 3844303 A US3844303 A US 3844303A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- flotation
- alkalinity
- pulp
- circuit
- electrical conductivity
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D21/00—Control of chemical or physico-chemical variables, e.g. pH value
- G05D21/02—Control of chemical or physico-chemical variables, e.g. pH value characterised by the use of electric means
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/0318—Processes
- Y10T137/0324—With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
- Y10T137/0329—Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
- Y10T137/034—Controlled by conductivity of mixture
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/2496—Self-proportioning or correlating systems
- Y10T137/2499—Mixture condition maintaining or sensing
- Y10T137/2509—By optical or chemical property
Definitions
- ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Dec. 13, 1972 Alkalinity of the flotation pulp in a high alkalinity flotation circuit is controlled automatically by continu- [21] Appl' 314540 ously measuring electrical conductivity of such pulp and controlling the addition of lime to the circuit in [52] U.S. CI. 137/5, 137/93 accordance with changes in the conductivity resulting [51] Int. Cl. G05d 11/02 from deviations of alkalinity of the pulp from a pre- [58] Field of Search l37/5, 93; 75/2 established norm.
- the invention is in the field of alkalinity control of a flotation pulp by the taking of measurements indicative of pulp alkalinity and by the governing of the quantity of lime additions to the pulp in accordance with such measurements in order to maintain the pulp at a predetermined alkalinity during operation of a flotation circuit.
- the control of acidity or alkalinity of solutions is referred to in general in this patent, as is the control of oil, acid, and water supply in the overflow froth of a flotation process and the control of density of feeds in flotation work.
- Milk of lime is also referred to as a reagent that may be controlled in its addition to water for the purification thereof.
- measurements of the electrical conductivity of flotation pulp in an alkaline flotation circuit are tkaen continuously from within the body of pulp in a flotation circuit by means of any suitable conductivity measurement instrumentation, and are utilized, by means of suitable electrical comparator and control instrumentation, to operate valve means controlling lime addition to the circuit.
- Degree of alkalinity of an ore pulp is one of the operating parameters normally pre-established for any given flotation circuit to achieve effective metallurgical results with respect to the particular ore concerned. It is highly desirable that such pre-established degree of alkalinity be maintained throughout operation of the circuit.
- a flotation pulp of a sulfide ore such as an ore containing copper sulfide minerals as the desired values, is brought to the desired degree of alkalinity by appropriate additions of lime and is then tested for electrical conductivity in order to determine a conductivity norm against which measured values of electrical conductivity can be equated for control purposes.
- FIGURE is a schematic showing of a particular conductivity measurement and control system applied to a flotation circuit for controlling milk of lime additions to the circuit.
- milk of lime is supplied to an appropriate part of a flotation system, e.g., a ball mill, from a suitable source of same through piping l controlled by a conventional diaphragm valve, as indicated.
- a flotation system e.g., a ball mill
- a conventional diaphragm valve as indicated.
- such valve is operated by pressure air supplied from any suitable source of compressed air.
- piping ll under the control of a standard solenoid valve 12, which is operated by electrical power supplied through electrical lines 13 from an ordinary I volt power supply (not shown) under the control of an output relay (not shown) constituting part of the signal comparator and controller, which is indicated as such.
- instrumentation of the three mode control type manufactured by Minneapolis- Honeywell under the trade designation Electr-o- Pulse" controller, having built-in pulsing circuits.
- Such instrumentation automatically produces a pulse output proportional to the control requirements obtained through comparison of the input signals with a preset standard indicative of the alkalinity to be maintained in the flotation circuit, which circuit includes a distributor for feeding flotation pulp or slurry to several rows of flotation cells (not shown).
- the solenoid valve 12 operates on a fixed cycle of opening and closing, typically a cycle of 30 seconds.
- the duration of the valve opening portion of the cycle relative to the valve closing portion is, however, dependent upon the pulse output of the signal comparator and controller, and, at any given time, this is dependent upon the comparison made by such instrumentation between the measured conductivity value and the preset conductivity value.
- the quantities of milk of lime supplied through the diaphragm valve to the flotation circuit from time to time are dependent upon the durations of the valve opening portions of the respective valve opening and closing cycles.
- the conductivity measurement instrumentation is preferably an electrodeless conductivity meter of the type manufactured by Beckman Instrument Co. and marketed under the designation RS 4 Conductivity Indicator/Transmitter" adapted to supply signals of from 0 to 10 millivolts to the signal comparator and controller through the transmission lines 15.
- a dip type conductivity sensor with built-in automatic temperature compensation, see 16 is normally supplied with the Beckman conductivity measuring instrument and has worked very satisfactorily when placed in a body of the ore pulp at least twelve inches from any structure.
- the location of the conductivity sensor, e.g. the sensor 16, in the pulp or slurry going to the flotation cells of a flotation circuit whose alkalinity is being controlled in accordance with the invention is important for accuracy of the conductivity measurements made. It has been found that the sensor can be suspended most anywhere in the system for feeding flotation pulp or slurry to the flotation cells, so long as it is free and clear of structural surfaces, preferably at least 12 inches therefrom. An ideal location is in the distributor, as at I4, commonly utilized in a flotation circuit to direct the slurry feed to different lines of flotation cells. Care should be taken to place the sensor in a location in which it will be submerged in the feed pulp or slurry, but not where solids would tend to build-up therein. Some testing may be required to find the best location in any given flotation application.
- the alkalinity of the flotation pulp or slurry it is possible to maintain the alkalinity of the flotation pulp or slurry within a range of plus or minus one alkalinity unit for approximately percent of the time under normal operating conditions.
- major processing changes such as a ball mill shut down or a choked ore bin feeder
- alkalinity variations plus or minus two alkalinity units may result for a short time, e.g. 30 minutes.
- the alkalinity of a pulp or slurry is defined as the quantity of N/I0 sulfuric acid, in milliliters, required to neutralize milliliters of water decanted from such pulp or slurry. Equated to normal pH usage, the alkalinity of the flotation pulp or slurry can be maintained within a range of plus or minus 0.05 of a pH unit under normal operating conditions.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
- Paper (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (3)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US00314540A US3844303A (en) | 1972-12-13 | 1972-12-13 | Lime control method for highly alkaline flotation pulps |
CA176,703A CA1004322A (en) | 1972-12-13 | 1973-07-18 | Method and apparatus for controlling alkalinity of flotation pulp |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US00314540A US3844303A (en) | 1972-12-13 | 1972-12-13 | Lime control method for highly alkaline flotation pulps |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3844303A true US3844303A (en) | 1974-10-29 |
Family
ID=23220359
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US00314540A Expired - Lifetime US3844303A (en) | 1972-12-13 | 1972-12-13 | Lime control method for highly alkaline flotation pulps |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3844303A (en) |
CA (1) | CA1004322A (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4172880A (en) * | 1978-06-27 | 1979-10-30 | Pettibone Corporation | Process and apparatus for automatically controlling the acid concentration in gas scrubbing solution |
US4277343A (en) * | 1979-03-13 | 1981-07-07 | Paz Jacob D | Method for continuously monitoring and controlling alkalinity for environmental purposes using a pCO2 probe |
US5994147A (en) * | 1997-05-23 | 1999-11-30 | Union Pacific Resources Co. | System and method for determining acid-gas (CO2, H2 S) loadings in an alkanolamine system |
US20150096926A1 (en) * | 2012-05-10 | 2015-04-09 | Outotec (Finland) Oy | Method and apparatus for controlling the flotation process of pyrite-containing sulphide ores |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1450023A (en) * | 1919-12-13 | 1923-03-27 | Philip E Edelman | Automatic control of reactions |
-
1972
- 1972-12-13 US US00314540A patent/US3844303A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1973
- 1973-07-18 CA CA176,703A patent/CA1004322A/en not_active Expired
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1450023A (en) * | 1919-12-13 | 1923-03-27 | Philip E Edelman | Automatic control of reactions |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4172880A (en) * | 1978-06-27 | 1979-10-30 | Pettibone Corporation | Process and apparatus for automatically controlling the acid concentration in gas scrubbing solution |
US4277343A (en) * | 1979-03-13 | 1981-07-07 | Paz Jacob D | Method for continuously monitoring and controlling alkalinity for environmental purposes using a pCO2 probe |
US5994147A (en) * | 1997-05-23 | 1999-11-30 | Union Pacific Resources Co. | System and method for determining acid-gas (CO2, H2 S) loadings in an alkanolamine system |
US20150096926A1 (en) * | 2012-05-10 | 2015-04-09 | Outotec (Finland) Oy | Method and apparatus for controlling the flotation process of pyrite-containing sulphide ores |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA1004322A (en) | 1977-01-25 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: KENNECOTT CORPORATION, 200 PUBLIC SQUARE, CLEVELAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:KENNECOTT MINING CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004815/0063 Effective date: 19870320 Owner name: KENNECOTT MINING CORPORATION Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:KENNECOTT CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004815/0036 Effective date: 19870220 Owner name: KENNECOTT CORPORATION Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:KENNECOTT COPPER CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004815/0016 Effective date: 19800520 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GAZELLE CORPORATION, C/O CT CORPORATION SYSTEMS, C Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:RENNECOTT CORPORATION, A DE. CORP.;REEL/FRAME:005164/0153 Effective date: 19890628 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER CORPORATION Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:GAZELLE CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:005604/0237 Effective date: 19890630 |