Method of agglomerating fine particles using a concentrated water in oil emulsion
AssigneeThe University of Newcastle
InventorKevin Patrick Galvin
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Abstract
A method of agglomerating fine particles such as ultrafine coal in a beneficiation process, uses a water in oil emulsion to significantly reduce the amount of oil needed compared with known oil in water emulsions. A solution of oil and emulsifying agent is provided to which water is progressively added forming a concentrated water in oil emulsion with stabilized water drops (1) packed inside the oil solution phase (2). Fine particles in a slurry are then added, causing the fine particles to collide and stick to the emulsion particles. An optional form of the invention coats tiny portions of the emulsion in a thin film of low viscosity oil (5) to achieve a higher level of selectivity.
Claims20
A method of agglomerating fine particles including the steps of:
- providing a solution of oil and emulsifying agent,
- progressively dispersing water into said solution, and forming a concentrated water in oil emulsion with stabilized water drops packed inside the oil phase, the emulsion comprising a highly viscous, sticky oil-like medium and having a homogeneous appearance, and
- adding the concentrated water in oil emulsion to a slurry of fine particles, wherein the sticky oil-like medium acts as a binding agent, causing the fine particles to collide and stick to the sticky oil-like medium, thereby agglomerating at least a portion of the fine particles from the slurry while keeping the stabilized water drops within the oil phase.
A method of agglomerating fine particles including the steps of:
- providing a solution of oil and emulsifying agent,
- progressively dispersing water into said solution, and forming a concentrated water in oil emulsion with stabilized water drops packed inside the oil phase, the emulsion comprising a highly viscous, sticky oil-like medium and having a homogeneous appearance, and
- adding a slurry of fine solid particles in a slurry to the concentrated water in oil emulsion, wherein the sticky oil-like medium acts as a binding agent, causing the fine particles to collide and stick to the sticky oil-like medium while keeping the stabilized water drops within the oil phase, thereby agglomerating at least a portion of the fine particles from the slurry and separating at least a portion of the fine particles from the slurry.
A method of agglomerating fine particles including the steps of:
- providing a solution of oil and emulsifying agent,
- progressively dispersing water into said solution, and forming a concentrated water in oil emulsion with stabilized water drops packed inside the oil phase, the emulsion comprising a highly viscous, sticky oil-like medium and having a homogeneous appearance, and
- adding a slurry of fine particles to the concentrated water in oil emulsion, wherein the sticky oil-like medium acts as a binding agent, causing the fine particles to collide and stick to the sticky oil-like medium without releasing the stabilized water drops from within the oil phase, thereby agglomerating at least a portion of the fine particles from the slurry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.