# US 10,370,271 B2 · Column thickener and a process thereof for dewatering of iron ore slurry > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,271 B2 - Document ID: US10370271B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/552,641 - Filed: 2016-02-23 - Published: 2018-02-08 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-23 - Assignees: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Applicants: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Inventors: Alok Tripathy; Surendra Kumar Biswal; Ashok Kumar Sahu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370271B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/488: {for separation of magnetic materials, e.g. magnetic flocculation} - B03C 1/01: by addition of magnetic adjuvants - B03C 1/032: Matrix cleaning systems - B03C 1/0335: {using coils} - B03C 1/288: {disposed at the outer circumference of a recipient} - B03C 1/32: acting on the medium containing the substance being separated, e.g. magneto-gravimetric-, magnetohydrostatic-, or magnetohydrodynamic separation - C02F 1/5281: {Installations for water purification using chemical agents} - C02F 11/12: by de-watering, drying or thickening - C02F 11/143: using inorganic substances (C02F11/148 takes precedence) - C02F 11/15: by treatment with electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields; by treatment with ultrasonic waves (for the purpose of heating C02F11/131) - C22B 1/00: Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap - C02F 2101/203: {Iron or iron compound} - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) - C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS ## Abstract The present invention is related to a high aspect ratio column thickener and a process thereof useful for dewatering of iron ore tailings. The column thickener has been developed with multiple feed inlet points and an auxiliary inlet point for water to clear the jam of high concentration slurry, if required. The column also consists of a conical portion at the bottom. Magnetic field has been applied using induced magnetic coil just above the conical portion of column thickener. Iron ore tailings slurry is fed into the column thickener and particles are allowed to settle in axial direction with and without the application of magnetic field. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A column thickener for dewatering of iron ore tailings slurry comprising: a) a tall column with large aspect ratio at the top made up of a non-magnetic material, comprising an outlet for clarified water, feed slurry inlet, a provision for multiple feed inlets, and a bubble cap arrangement; b) a metallic section made up of a metallic material comprising a matrix; and c) a conical discharge system having a conical bottom containing an auxiliary inlet, a discharge valve for taking out underflow slurry, and a high concentration slurry at the bottom portion of the system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process for dewatering of iron ore tailings slurry using the column thickener as claimed in claim 1, comprised of: i) selecting the feed inlet point according to the characteristics of the iron ore tailings slurry, optionally adding ultrafine magnetite particles to the slurry; ii) generating a magnetic field in the metallic section; iii) feeding the slurry by bubble cap type arrangement to facilitate dewatering; iv) coating of colloidal magnetite particles used along with a surfactant on the iron phase minerals and feeding them in the said inlet point; and v) removing the high pulp density slurry, formed by the settled particles, from the bottom of the column thickener, and clear water from the top of the column thickener. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The column thickener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matrix is used for better magnetic field action. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The column thickener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiple lateral feed inlets along the axial direction of column are provided to make smooth feed to the system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The column thickener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conical section has the auxiliary inlet point for cleaning any jam due to high solid concentration of slurry, if required. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The column thickener as claimed in claim 1, which utilizes additive effect of gravity and magnetic force to enhance the settling of the particles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The process as claimed in claim 2, which uses ultrafine magnetite powder for further enhancement of solid concentration in underflow slurry at low magnetic field intensity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coating of colloidal magnetite particles used along with surfactant on the iron phase minerals takes place, which forms floc in the presence of flocculant, thereby increasing the magnetic susceptibility of the overall floc during the dewatering of iron ore slurry.