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US 5,234,112 AGranted
Flotation reactor with external bubble generator
AssigneeServicios Corporativos Frisco, S.A. de C.V.
InventorsUlises M. Valenzuela, Guillermo R. Moguel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foam flotation reactor for the separation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic products is provided. The reactor combines a material to be beneficiated, collector reagents, and a stream of specifically generated gas bubbles, in order to collect the desired product in the foam in a more efficient manner. A narrowed upper part of the reactor and accompanying water sprays force separation of undesired particles. A foam generator efficiently supplies a bubbly liquid/frothing agent to the reactor.
Claims21
A reactor for separating desired material from sterile or undesired material, comprising:
- a vertical reactor chamber having a lower part, a middle part, and an upper part aligned along a central axis, the upper part having a vertically narrowing section;
- means for introducing a slurry of a desired material to be separated into the reactor chamber along the central axis thereof;
- means for generating a foam comprising a porous element through which a flow of gas passes and contacts a stream of liquid introduced into said foam generating means, whereby a stream of foam comprising controlled fine bubbles is produced;
- means for conducting the foam stream from the foam generating means to the reactor chamber;
- means for introducing the foam into the lower part of the reactor chamber;
- means for dispersing the foam into the slurry by mixing in a manner to permit the foam to be substantially homogeneously dispersed into the slurry as the foam in contact with the aforesaid slurry ascends through the middle past of the reactor chamber to the upper part thereof for a sufficient time to permit particles of the desired material in the slurry to adhere to the bubbles in the foam, said means for dispersing including a rotatable member located in the lower part of the reactor chamber and means for rotating said rotatable member;
- and
- means for providing a controlled stream of water to the foam in the upper part of the reactor chamber, wherein the vertically narrowing section and the water providing means cause separation of particles of undesired material from the particles of the desired material.
5 more elements
A reactor for separating desired material from sterile or undesired material, comprising:
- a vertical reactor chamber having a lower part, a middle part, and an upper part aligned along a central axis, the upper part having a vertically narrowing section;
- means for introducing a slurry of a desired material to be separated into the reactor chamber along the central axis thereof;
- means for generating a foam comprising a porous element through which a flow of gas passes and contacts a stream of liquid introduced into said foam generating means, whereby a stream of foam comprising controlled fine bubbles is produced;
- means for conducting the foam stream from the foam generating means to the reactor chamber;
- means for introducing the foam into the lower part of the reactor chamber;
- means for dispersing the foam into the slurry in the lower part of the reactor chamber by mixing in a manner to permit the foam to be substantially homogeneously dispersed into the slurry as the foam in contact wit the aforesaid slurry ascends through the middle part of the reactor chamber to the upper part thereof for a sufficient time to permit particles of the desired material in the slurry to adhere to the bubbles in the foam, wherein the foam dispersing means comprises impeller means for effecting a downward direction of flow;
- and
- means for providing a controlled stream of water to the foam in the upper part of the reactor chamber, wherein the vertically narrowing section and the water providing means cause separation of particles of undesired material from the particles of the desired material.
5 more elements
A reactor for separating desired material form sterile or undesired material, comprising:
- a vertical reactor chamber having a lower part, a middle part, and an upper part aligned along a central axis, the upper part having a vertically narrowing section;
- means for introducing a slurry of a desired material to be separated into the reactor chamber along the central axis thereof;
- means for generating a foam comprising a porous element through which a flow of gas passes and contacts a stream of liquid introduced into said foam generating means, whereby a stream of foam comprising controlled fine bubbles is produced;
- means for conducting the foam stream form the foam generating means to the reactor chamber;
- means for introducing the foam into the lower part of the reactor chamber;
- means for dispersing the foam into the slurry in the lower part of the reactor chamber by mixing in a manner to permit the foam to be substantially homogeneously dispersed into the slurry as the foam in contact with the aforesaid slurry ascends through the middle part of the reactor chamber to the upper part thereof for a sufficient time to permit particles of the desired material in the slurry to adhere to the bubbles in the foam;
- means for providing a controlled stream of water to the foam in the upper part of the reactor chamber, wherein the vertically narrowing section and the water providing means cause separation of particles of undesired material from the particles of the desired material;
- and
- further comprising a substantially rigid grid over the entire cross section of the reactor chamber immediately above the dispersing means, for reducing turbulence in the slurry and foam in the reactor chamber.
6 more elements
A reactor for separating desired material from sterile or undesired material, comprising:
- a vertical reactor chamber having a lower part, a middle part, and an upper part aligned along a central axis, the upper part having a vertically narrowing section;
- means for introducing a slurry of a desired material to be separated into the reactor chamber along the central axis thereof;
- means for generating a foam comprising a porous element through which a flow of gas passes and contacts a stream of liquid introduced into said foam generating means, whereby a stream of foam comprising controlled fine bubbles is produced;
- means for conducting the foam stream form the foam generating means to the reactor chamber;
- means for introducing the foam into the lower part of the reactor chamber;
- means for dispersing the foam into the slurry in the lower part of the reactor chamber by mixing in a manner to permit the foam to be substantially homogeneously dispersed into the slurry as the foam in contact with the aforesaid slurry ascends through the middle part of the reactor chamber to the upper part thereof for a sufficient time to permit particles of the desired material in the slurry to adhere to the bubbles in the foam;
- means for providing a controlled stream of water to the foam in the upper part of the reactor chamber, wherein the vertically narrowing section and the water providing means cause separation of particles of undesired material from the particles of the desired material;
- and
- wherein the foam generating means comprises a generator chamber, means for introducing a measured flow of gas to the generator chamber, a bed of objects disposed within the generator chamber, and means for introducing a flow of liquid/frothing agent, wherein the generator chamber comprises upper and lower conical chambers each having a wide end and a narrow end, the lower chamber having a gas inlet at its narrow end and the upper chamber having a foam outlet at its narrow end, the upper and lower chambers being joined across their wide ends with the porous element between them, and wherein the means for introducing said flow of liquid/frothing agent comprises an opening in said upper conical chamber which is tangential to the axis of the upper conical chamber.
6 more elements
A reactor for separating desired material from sterile or undesired material, comprising;
- a vertical reactor chamber having a lower part, a middle part, and an upper part aligned along a central axis, the upper part having a vertically narrowing section;
- means for introducing a slurry of a desired material to be separated into the reactor chamber along the central axis thereof;
- means for generating a foam comprising a porous element through which a flow of gas passes and contacts a stream of liquid introduced into said foam generating means, whereby a stream of foam comprising controlled fine bubbles is produced;
- means for conducting the foam stream from the foam generating means to the reactor chamber;
- means for introducing the foam into the lower part of the reactor chamber;
- means for dispersing the foam into the slurry in the lower part of the reactor chamber by mixing in a manner to permit the foam to be substantially homogeneously dispersed in to the slurry as the foam in contact with the aforesaid slurry ascends through the middle part of the reactor chamber to the upper part thereof for a sufficient time to permit particles of the desired material in the slurry to adhere to the bubbles in the foam;
- means for providing a controlled stream of water to the foam in the upper part of the reactor chamber, wherein the vertically narrowing section and the water providing means cause separation of particles of undesired material from the particles of the desired material;
- and
- wherein the foam generating means comprises a generator chamber, means for introducing a measured flow of gas to the generator chamber, a bed of objects disposed within the generator chamber, and means for introducing a flow of liquid/frothing agent, wherein the porous element is protected and supported at its lower surface by a substantially rigid grid, wherein the porous element protecting a grid is stainless steel and has openings of between 6 and 70 mesh.
6 more elements
A reactor for separating desired material from sterile or undesired material, comprising:
- a reactor chamber having a lower part, a middle part, and an upper part aligned along a central axis, the upper part having a vertically narrowing section;
- means for introducing a slurry of a desired material to be separated into the reactor chamber along the central axis thereof;
- means for generating a foam comprising a generation chamber, means for introducing a measured flow of gas into the generation chamber, means for obstructing the direct flow of the gas which comprises a steel plate affixed to the generation chamber, a porous element having a pore size between about 0.5 and 5 .mu. disposed within the generation chamber and through which the gas flows, and means for introducing a flow of liquid/frothing agent into the generation chamber, whereby a stream of foam comprising controlled fine bubbles of a controlled size is produced, wherein the foam generation means is located external to the reaction chamber;
- means connected to said foam generating means for introducing the foam into the lower part of the reactor chamber;
- means for dispersing the foam into the slurry in the lower part of the reactor chamber by mixing with an impeller means located along the central axis of the reactor chamber to effect a downward flow which permits the foam to be substantially homogeneously dispersed into the slurry as the foam in contact with the aforesaid slurry ascends through the middle part of the reactor chamber to the upper part thereof for a sufficient time to permit particles of the desired material in the slurry to adhere to the bubbles in the foam;
- and
- means for providing a controlled stream of water to the foam in the upper part of the reactor chamber, wherein the vertically narrowing section and the water providing means cause separation of particles of undesired material from the particles of the desired material.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.