# US 2010/0134576 A1 · Flotation apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0134576 A1 - Document ID: US20100134576A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/451,215 - Filed: 2008-09-02 - Published: 2010-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-04 - Assignees: Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.; Aikawa Iron Works Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Minoru Ishida; Masami Kashibo; Munetaka Sonoda; Tomoaki Koyanagi; Tatsumi Hosaka; Yoshihiko Aikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100134576A1 ## CPC - B01D 17/0205: {by gas bubbles or moving solids} - B03D 1/1412: {with baffles, e.g. at the wall for redirecting settling solids} - B03D 1/1462: {Discharge mechanisms for the froth} - B03D 1/1493: {with means for establishing a specified flow pattern} - B03D 1/18: without air supply - B03D 1/22: with external blowers - B03D 1/242: {Nozzles for injecting gas into the flotation tank} - B41J 2/17513: {Inner structure} - D21C 5/02: Working-up waste paper (mechanical part D21B1/08, D21B1/32) - Y02W 30/64: Paper recycling - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B03D: FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION (sedimentation in general B01D21/00; in combination with other separation of solids B03B; sink-float separation B03B5/28; detergents, soaps C11D) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - D21C: PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A flotation apparatus F includes a tank 1 for receiving a liquid raw material, and introduces air into the tank 1 to generate bubbles for adsorbing print ink in the liquid raw material to the bubbles, thereby floating and separating the print ink. The flotation apparatus F includes a circulating device for circulating the liquid raw material by raising and then lowering the liquid raw material in the tank 1, an air supply tube 4 for supplying air into the tank 1, and an agitating member 5 provided in the tank 1 for taking the air from the air supply tube 4 and agitating the air for forming the air into fine bubbles. The agitating member 5 has a rotary shaft 51 held horizontally and a plurality of members 52 horizontally separately provided around an outer periphery. On a cross section transverse to a longitudinal direction of the tank 1, an outer periphery of the agitating member 5 is arranged on a lower side of the tank 1 and in a position at a downstream side of the liquid raw material relative to a vertical line V passing through a center of the tank 1. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flotation apparatus having a tank for receiving a liquid raw material and introducing air into the tank to generate bubbles, thereby adsorbing print ink in the liquid raw material to the bubbles to float and separate the print ink, comprising: circulating means for circulating the liquid raw material by raising and then lowering the liquid raw material in the tank; an air supply tube for supplying the air into the tank; and an agitating member provided in the tank for receiving the air from the air supply tube and agitating the air for forming the air into fine bubbles, wherein the agitating member has a rotary shaft held horizontally and a plurality of members horizontally separately provided around an outer periphery thereof, and on a cross section transverse to a longitudinal direction of the tank, the outer periphery of the agitating member is arranged on a lower side of the tank and at a downstream side of the liquid raw material relative to a vertical line passing through a center of the tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A flotation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein on a cross section transverse to a longitudinal direction of the agitating member, in a case that the cross section is viewed from a side wherein a rotational direction of the agitating member is a counterclockwise direction, when an orthogonal coordinate wherein q rotational center of the agitating member is an origin, is divided to a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant in a counterclockwise direction, an opposed wall facing the agitating member is positioned within an area of the third quadrant, or in a range between the third quadrant and the fourth quadrant, and an outlet of the air supply tube is positioned between the opposed wall and the agitating member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A flotation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein on the cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction of the tank, a starting end of a flow regulation plate is positioned on an upper part of the agitating member, and the flow regulation plate traverses the vertical line passing through the center of the tank from the starting end, and a tip portion of the flow regulation plate is provided with a straight portion extending to an upper part of the tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A flotation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a prevention wall attached to a lower part of the flow regulation plate and narrowing a space between the flow regulation plate and the agitating member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A flotation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a prevention wall attached to a lower part of the flow regulation plate for narrowing a space between the flow regulation plate and the agitating member, said prevention wall having an inclined surface inclined so that the liquid raw material is directed to the flow regulation plate.