Aerated hydrocyclone apparatus and method for cyclonic froth separation

An aerated hydrocyclone apparatus configured to separate particles from a slurry, the apparatus comprising:

• a central body formed by a body wall that is hollow, the body wall runs longitudinally from a first body opening at one end to a second body opening at another end opposite the first body opening;
• a pressurized fluid port configured to receive pressurized gaseous fluid through the body wall at a position longitudinally between the first body opening and the second body opening, the pressurized gaseous fluid being provided to generate a hydrocyclone within the apparatus;
• a porous barrier that is hollow, the porous barrier runs longitudinally from a first primary barrier opening at one end of the porous barrier to a second primary barrier opening at another end opposite the first barrier opening, the porous barrier is housed inside the central body so that a longitudinal axis of the central body is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the porous barrier, the porous barrier forms secondary barrier openings that provide fluid communication between an exterior of the porous barrier and an interior of the porous barrier between the first primary opening and the second primary opening, wherein the secondary barrier openings are configured to facilitate flows of pressurized gas through the porous barrier in directions that have a common directional tangential component to the longitudinal axis of the porous barrier to enhance cyclonic motion of the gaseous material housed within the porous barrier,
• a first volute connected to the first body opening, the first volute includes a body interface that is attached to the first body opening to form a first cyclonic opening, the first cyclonic opening provides fluid communication of slurry between the first volute and the interior of the porous barrier, the first volute including a slurry input port for receiving slurry into the first volute and through the first cyclonic opening into the interior of the porous barrier to be separated by the hydrocyclone formed therein, the first volute further includes a froth overflow port that is positioned along the longitudinal axis of the porous barrier, the froth overflow port is configured to receive froth outputted from the interior of the porous barrier by the hydrocyclone through the first cyclonic opening and to output the froth from the apparatus;
• a second volute connected to the second body opening, the second volute includes a body interface that is attached to the second body opening to form a second cyclonic opening, the second cyclonic opening provides fluid communication of slurry between the interior of the porous barrier and the second volute, the second volute includes an air column base that forms a base surface at the second cyclonic opening to retain froth within the hydrocyclone formed on the interior of the porous barrier, wherein the base surface and an interior wall of the second volute form an exhaust opening that is generally annular in shape and is configured to receive matter exhausted from the hydrocyclone within the interior of the porous body, the second volute further includes an exhaust port, the exhaust port is configured to provide fluid communication of exhausted matter between the exhaust opening and the exterior of the apparatus.