Apparatus and method for efficient particle to gas bubble attachment in a slurry

A process for entrainment of hydrophobic particles with gas bubbles in a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids, said process comprising:

• i) introducing a stream of said mixture into a vessel having a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, said chamber being oriented in any direction and enclosed at both ends, said stream being introduced tangentially near a first end of said chamber, the entry end, in a manner to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said chamber inner wall toward the opposite, second end of said chamber, the exit end;
• ii) introducing said stream in sufficient volume and pressure to develop a vortex in said stream extending along said chamber;
• iii) introducing gas into said stream during at least a portion of its travel in said chamber, said gas being introduced to said stream orthogonally, through means located at said chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles which move into said stream;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time in said chamber to permit entrainment of particles with gas bubbles in said steam;
• and
• v) discharging said stream with gas bubbles to exit the vessel at the exit end.

A process for separation of hydrophobic particles from slurry by attaching hydrophobic particles to gas bubble in a slurry said process comprising:

• i) introducing a stream of said slurry into a vessel having a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, said chamber being oriented in any direction and enclosed at both ends, said stream being introduced tangentially near a first end of said chamber, the entry end, in a manner to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said chamber inner wall toward the opposite, second end of said chamber, the exit end;
• ii) introducing said stream in sufficient volume and pressure to develop a vortex in said stream extending along said chamber;
• iii) introducing gas into said stream during at least a portion of its travel in said chamber, said gas being introduced to said stream orthogonally, through means located at said chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles which move into said stream;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream;
• v) discharging said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles at said exit end into a catch basin surrounding said exit end, said stream swirling outwardly as said stream flows into said catch basin having a liquid level proximate said exit end to permit said gas bubbles to float toward a peripheral edge of said catch basin;
• and
• vi) separating gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles from heavier particles by collecting outwardly said floating gas bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles with an upper zone of said catch basin, while heavier particles sink downwardly of said catch basin, and removing heavier particles from a lower zone of said catch basin to effect separation.

A process for separation of hydrophobic particles from mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids by entrainment of hydrophobic particles with gas bubbles in a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids, said process comprising:

• i) introducing a stream of said mixture into a vessel having a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, said chamber being oriented in any direction and enclosed at both ends, said stream being introduced tangentially near a first end of said chamber, the entry end, in a manner to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said chamber inner wall toward the opposite, second end of said chamber, the exit end;
• ii) introducing said stream in sufficient volume and pressure to develop a vortex in said stream extending along said chamber;
• iii) introducing gas into said stream during at least a portion of its travel in said chamber, said gas being introduced to said stream orthogonally, through means located at said chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles which move into said stream;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time in said chamber to permit entrainment of particles with gas bubbles in said steam;
• v) discharging said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles at said exit end into a catch basin surrounding said exit end, said stream swirling outwardly as said stream flows into said catch basin having a liquid level proximate said exit end to permit said gas bubbles to float toward a peripheral edge of said catch basin;
• and
• vi) separating gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles from heavier particles by collecting outwardly said floating gas bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles with an upper zone of said catch basin, while heavier particles sink downwardly of said catch basin, and removing heavier particles from a lower zone of said catch basin to effect separation.

An apparatus for hydrophobic particles and gas bubble attachment in a slurry, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, said chamber being oriented in any direction, and enclosed at both ends;
• ii) means for introducing a stream of slurry tangentially of said inner wall, said stream introducing means being positioned in an input zone of said chamber to direct said stream in a manner to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said inner wall toward the opposite end;
• iii) at least one gas entry port, for introducing gas into said inner chamber through means located along at least a portion of said chamber inner wall and extending at least in part there around, for introducing gas orthogonally into said inner chamber as said stream passes over said gas introduction means;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream;
• and
• v) means to discharge said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles into receiving means, said receiving means being positioned in a discharge zone of said chamber to direct said stream of outside of said vessel.

An apparatus for hydrophobic particles entrainment with gas bubbles in a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a vessel consisting of a cylindrical tube defining an interior cylindrical chamber with a cylindrical inner wall, and with enclosed ends;
• ii) means for introducing a stream of a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids tangentially of said inner wall, said stream introducing means being positioned in an input zone of said chamber to direct said stream in a manner, to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said inner wall toward the opposite end;
• iii) at least one gas entry port, for introducing gas into said inner chamber through means located along at least a portion of said chamber inner wall and extending at least in part there around, for introducing gas orthogonally into said inner chamber as said stream passes over said gas introduction means;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream;
• and
• iv) means to discharge said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles into receiving means, said receiving means being positioned in a discharge zone of said chamber to direct said stream outside of said vessel.

An apparatus for separation of hydrophobic particles from slurry through hydrophobic particles and gas bubble attachment in a slurry, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, said chamber being oriented in any direction, and enclosed at both ends,
• ii) means for introducing a stream of slurry tangentially of said inner wall, said stream introducing means being positioned in an input zone of said chamber to direct said stream in a manner to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said inner wall toward the opposite end,
• iii) at least one gas entry port, for introducing gas into said inner chamber through means located along at least a portion of said chamber inner wall and extending at least in part there around, for introducing gas orthogonally into said inner chamber as said stream passes over said gas introduction means;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream;
• vi) means to discharge said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles at said exit end into a catch basin surrounding said exit end, said stream swirling outwardly as said stream flows into said catch basin having a liquid level proximate said exit end to permit said gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles to float toward a peripheral edge of said catch basin;
• and
• vii) separating gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles from heavier particles by collecting outwardly said floating gas bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles with an upper zone of said catch basin, while heavier particles sink downwardly of said catch basin, and removing heavier particles from a lower zone of said catch basin to effect separation.

An apparatus for separation of hydrophobic particles from mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids through hydrophobic particles entrainment with gas bubbles in a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a vessel consisting of a cylindrical tube defining an interior cylindrical chamber with a cylindrical inner wall, and with enclosed ends,
• ii) means for introducing a stream of a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids tangentially of said inner wall, said stream introducing means being positioned in an input zone of said chamber to direct said stream in a manner, to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said inner wall toward the opposite end,
• iii) at least one gas entry port, for introducing gas into said inner chamber through means located along at least a portion of said chamber inner wall and extending at least in part there around, for introducing gas orthogonally into said inner chamber as said stream passes over said gas introduction means;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream,
• vi) means to discharge said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles at said exit end into a catch basin surrounding said exit end, said stream swirling outwardly as said stream flows into said catch basin having a liquid level proximate said exit end to permit said gas bubbles to float toward a peripheral edge of said catch basin;
• and
• vii) means to separate gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles from heavier particles by collecting outwardly said floating gas bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles with an upper zone of said catch basin, while heavier particles sink downwardly of said catch basin, and removing heavier particles from a lower zone of said catch basin to effect separation.

An apparatus, for new flotation systems and retrofitting to existing flotation systems, for separation of hydrophobic particles from slurry through hydrophobic particles and gas bubble attachment in a slurry, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, said chamber being oriented in any direction, and enclosed at both ends,
• ii) means for introducing a stream of slurry tangentially of said inner wall, said stream introducing means being positioned in an input zone of said chamber to direct said stream in a manner to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said inner wall toward the opposite end,
• iii) at least one gas entry port, for introducing gas into said inner chamber through means located along at least a portion of said chamber inner wall and extending at least in part there around, for introducing gas orthogonally into said inner chamber as said stream passes over said gas introduction means;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream;
• vi) means to discharge said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles at said exit end into a catch basin surrounding said exit end, said stream swirling outwardly as said stream flows into said catch basin having a liquid level proximate said exit end to permit said gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles to float toward a peripheral edge of said catch basin;
• and
• vii) means to separate gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles from heavier particles by collecting outwardly said floating gas bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles with an upper zone of said catch basin, while heavier particles sink downwardly of said catch basin, and removing heavier particles from a lower zone of said catch basin to effect separation.

An apparatus, for new flotation systems and retrofitting to existing flotation systems, for separation of hydrophobic particles from mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids through hydrophobic particles entrainment with gas bubbles in a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a vessel consisting of a cylindrical tube defining an interior cylindrica chamber with a cylindrical inner wall, and with enclosed ends,
• ii) means for introducing a stream of a mixture of water and insoluble liquid or liquids tangentially of said inner wall, said stream introducing means being positioned in an input zone of said chamber to direct said stream in a manner, to develop a spiral flow of said stream along said inner wall toward the opposite end,
• iii) at least one gas entry port, for introducing gas into said inner chamber through means located along at least a portion of said chamber inner wall and extending at least in part there around, for introducing gas orthogonally into said inner chamber as said stream passes over said gas introduction means;
• iv) said chamber being of sufficient length to provide a residence time for said stream in said chamber to permit a diffusion of gas into said stream,
• vi) means to discharge said stream with hydrophobic particles attached to gas bubbles at said exit end into a catch basin surrounding said exit end, said stream swirling outwardly as said stream flows into said catch basin having a liquid level proximate said exit end to permit said gas bubbles to float toward a peripheral edge of said catch basin;
• and
• vii) means to separate gas bubbles with said attached hydrophobic particles from heavier particles by collecting outwardly said floating gas bubbles with attached hydrophobic particles with an upper zone of said catch basin, while heavier particles sink'downwardly of said catch basin, and removing heavier particles from a lower zone of said catch basin to effect separation.