Froth flotation unit
AssigneeOutotec (Finland) Oy
InventorsJere Tuominen, Rodrigo Grau, Tatu Miettinen, Zakaria Mönkäre
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Abstract
A froth flotation unit for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry includes a tank, a gas supply for introducing flotation gas into the slurry to form froth, and a first froth collection launder including a first froth overflow lip facing towards the centre of the tank. The froth flotation unit has a pulp area of at least 15 m2 measured at a mixing area. The froth flotation unit further includes a second froth collection launder with a first froth overflow lip facing the perimeter of the flotation tank, and a froth blocker arranged between the first froth overflow lip and the second froth overflow lip. A froth flotation line, its use, and a froth flotation method are also disclosed.
Claims40
A froth flotation unit for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry and for separating the slurry into an underflow and an overflow, the froth flotation unit comprising:
- a tank with a center and a perimeter,
- a gas supply for introducing flotation gas into the slurry to form froth, and
- a first froth collection launder comprising a first froth overflow lip of the first froth collection launder facing towards the center of the tank, wherein the froth flotation unit has a pulp area of at least 15 m2, measured at a mixing area, wherein the froth flotation unit further comprises:
- a second froth collection launder arranged inside the first froth collection launder, the second froth collection launder comprising a first froth overflow lip of the second froth collection launder facing the perimeter of the tank, and
- a froth blocker arranged between the first froth overflow lip of the first froth collection launder and the first froth overflow lip of the second froth collection launder, a cross-section of the froth blocker defining a scalene triangle, and
- wherein an open froth surface of the tank is divided into two open froth subsurfaces by the froth blocker, the two open froth subsurfaces being partially separated by the froth blocker and having a fluid connection,
- wherein the area of the open froth surface is arranged to be varied in response to vertical movement of the froth blocker so that the relationship between the two open froth subsurfaces separated by the froth blocker is changed.
A froth flotation unit for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry and for separating the slurry into an underflow and an overflow, the froth flotation unit comprising:
- a tank with a center and a perimeter;
- a gas supply for introducing flotation gas into the slurry to form froth;
- and
- a first froth collection launder comprising:
- a first froth overflow lip facing towards the center of the tank;
- a second froth collection launder arranged radially inward of the first froth collection launder, the second froth collection launder comprising a first froth overflow lip facing the perimeter of the tank;
- and
- a froth blocker arranged between the first froth overflow lip of the first froth collection launder and the first froth overflow lip of the second froth collection launder, the froth blocker being unsymmetrical with respect to a vertical axis extending therethrough,
- wherein an open froth surface of the tank is divided into a first open froth subsurface and a second open froth subsurface by the froth blocker, and wherein a ratio between an area of the first subsurface and an area of the second subsurface changes in response to vertical movement of the froth blocker relative to the first froth overflow lip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.