Method and apparatus for solar heating a leach solution
OwnerRichard Laneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for solar heating a leach solution prior to its distribution over an ore heap. The apparatus includes a solar heating device that is positioned adjacent to the ore heap to elevate the temperature of the leach solution above ambient. The solar heater includes a transparent cover film attached to a flexible base material along the side edges of the base material. A flow of air is introduced between the cover film and the base material to create an open interior. A series of heat absorbing tubes each extend through the open interior and receive the supply of leach solution such that the leach solution is heated by solar energy within the heat absorbing tube.
Claims21
A method of heap leach mining to remove a metallic material from a heap of ore accumulated upon an impervious pad, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a plurality of emitter tubes in a spaced relationship to each other on the ore heap, each emitter tube having a plurality of emitter openings;
- providing a supply of leach solution;
- drawing the supply of leach solution through a solar heater position near the ore heap to heat the leach solution above an ambient temperature;
- transferring the heated leach solution from the solar heater into the plurality of emitter tubes;
- emitting the solar-heated leach solution through the emitter opening such that the leach solution percolates through the heap of ore;
- and
- collecting the leach solution from the impervious pad after the leach solution has percolated through the ore heap.
A device for solar heating a supply of leach solution, the device comprising:
- a continuous length of a flexible base material having a first side edge and a second side edge;
- a continuous length of a transparent cover film, wherein the transparent cover film is secured to the base material along the first and second edges of the base material to define an open interior between the cover film and the base material;
- and
- a plurality of heat absorbing tubes each extending through the open interior from a first end of the solar heater to a second end of the solar heater,
- wherein each of the heat absorbing tubes receives the supply of leach solution such that the leach solution is heated by solar energy as the leach solution passes through the heat absorbing tubes.
A device for solar heating a supply of leach solution, the device comprising:
- a continuous length of a flexible base material having a first side edge and a second side edge;
- a continuous length of a transparent cover film, wherein the transparent cover film is secured to the base material along the first and second edges of the base material to define an open interior between the cover film and the base material;
- an airflow generator operable to provide a flow of air between the base material and the cover film such that the cover film is spaced from the base material by the flow of air to define the open interior;
- and
- a plurality of heat absorbing tubes each extending through the open interior from a first end of the solar heater to a second end of the solar heater,
- wherein each of the heat absorbing tubes receives the supply of leach solution such that the leach solution is heated by solar energy as the leach solution passes through the heat absorbing tubes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.