US 10,898,904 B2Granted

Flotation separation device

AssigneeEriez Manufacturing Co.

InventorsMichael J. Mankosa, Jaisen Kohmuench, Eric S. Yan, Gerald H. Luttrell

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Abstract

A flotation separation system for partitioning a slurry comprises a flotation separation cell that comprises a sparger unit and a separation tank. The sparger unit comprises a slurry inlet for receiving a slurry and a gas inlet for introducing a gas into the slurry. The sparging mechanism disperses the gas bubbles within the slurry. A high shear element comprising a rotating shaft and a rotating high shear element mounted to it located within the sparging mechanism shears the gas into a bubble dispersion within the slurry. A slurry outlet discharges the slurry containing the bubble dispersion into the separation tank. An adjustable distributor plate at the slurry outlet restricts the flow of slurry through the slurry outlet. The distributor plate is mounted to the rotating shaft and rotates with the high shear element.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A flotation separation system for partitioning a slurry, the slurry including a hydrophobic species that can adhere to gas bubbles formed in the slurry, said flotation separation system comprises:

a flotation separation cell that comprises a sparger unit and a separation tank;
said sparger unit comprises:
a slurry inlet located at a first portion of a sparging mechanism, said slurry inlet for receiving a slurry;
a gas inlet located at said first portion of said sparging mechanism, said gas inlet for introducing a gas into the slurry, the gas having enough pressure to introduce the gas into the slurry;
said sparging mechanism for dispersing the gas bubbles within the slurry, the effective open area in said sparging mechanism is substantially the same as the effective open area in said sparger unit both upstream and downstream from said sparging mechanism, said sparging mechanism is constructed such that the slurry flows through said sparging mechanism in a substantially unrestricted manner, the pressure across said sparging mechanism during the operation of said flotation separation system is about 10 psig or less;
a high shear element located within said sparging mechanism between said first portion and a second portion of said sparging mechanism, said high shear element for shearing the gas into a bubble dispersion within the slurry for adhesion of the hydrophobic species to the bubbles dispersion within said sparger unit;
wherein said high shear element comprises a rotating shaft and a rotating high shear element mounted to said rotating shaft;
a slurry outlet located at said second portion of said sparging mechanism, said slurry outlet for discharging the slurry containing the bubble dispersion into said separation tank;
an adjustable distributor plate at said slurry outlet, said distributor plate for restricting the flow of slurry through said slurry outlet;
and
said distributor plate mounted to said rotating shaft and rotating with said high shear element;
and
said separation tank constructed to allow the recovery of the bubble dispersion from said separation tank.

10 more elements

A sparger unit for forming bubbles in a slurry in a flotation separation system the slurry including a hydrophobic species that can adhere to gas bubbles formed in the slurry, said sparger unit comprises:

a slurry inlet located at a first portion of a sparging mechanism, said slurry inlet for receiving a slurry;
a gas inlet located at said first portion of said sparging mechanism, said gas inlet for receiving a gas, the gas having enough pressure to introduce the gas into the slurry;
said sparging mechanism for dispersing the gas bubbles within the slurry, the effective open area in said sparging mechanism is substantially the same as the effective open area in said sparger unit both upstream and downstream from said sparging mechanism, said sparging mechanism is constructed such that the slurry flows through the effective open area in said sparging mechanism in a substantially unrestricted manner, the pressure across said sparging mechanism during the operation of said sparger unit is about 10 psig or less;
a high shear element located within said sparging mechanism between said first portion and a second portion of said sparging mechanism, said high shear element for shearing the gas into a bubble dispersion within the slurry for adhesion of the hydrophobic species to the bubble dispersion within said sparger unit;
wherein said high shear element comprises a rotating shaft and a rotating high shear element mounted to said rotating shaft;
a slurry outlet located at said second portion of said sparging mechanism, said slurry outlet for discharging the slurry containing the bubble dispersion from said sparger unit;
an adjustable distributor plate at said slurry outlet, said distributor plate for restricting the flow of slurry through said slurry outlet;
and
said distributor plate mounted to said rotating shaft and rotating with said high shear element.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/687,537Filed 18 Nov 2019 · continuation in part
Priority: 12 Apr 2007
Published: US 2020/0086329 A119 Mar 2020
Granted: 26 Jan 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B03D 1/16
Flotation machines: with impellers; Subaeration machines
B01F 23/20
Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying: mixing gases with liquids
B01F 23/23231
By circulating the flow in guiding constructions or conduits: being at least partially immersed in the liquid, e.g. in a closed circuit
B01F 25/31331
Characterised by the specific design of the injector: perforated, multi-opening, with a plurality of holes

Family

Application60/911,327Us provisional application · filed 12 Apr 2007
Application12/101,376Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Apr 2008
Application14/587,173Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Dec 2014
US 8,960,443 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Feb 2015
US 10,478,830 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Nov 2019
US 2020/0086329 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Mar 2020
Application14/587,173Parent of this continuation
US 2008/0251427 A1Published application
US 2015/0108044 A1Published application
US 10,898,904 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.