Air-assisted density separator device and method
AssigneeEriez Magnetics
InventorsMichael J. Mankosa, Gerald H. Luttrell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is described for separating particles based on differences in mass after the selective attachment of air bubbles to reduce the density of one or more of the components of the feed. A novel feature of this process is aeration of a hindered-bed of solids in a fluidized-bed separator to create particle/bubble agglomerates that can be separated based on the principal of gravity. This approach offers an improvement in process efficiency that cannot be achieved by other processes. Air and water are mixed in a shear device before the aerated fluidized water is introduced to the separation chamber.
Claims20
A method of separating at least one of a plurality of species of particulate solids from the remaining species, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an upward flow of water;
- providing an upward flow of air bubbles;
- providing a mixture of said plurality of species of particulate solids, said species of particulate solids having one or more specific gravities;
- permitting a hindered fluidized bed to form;
- attaching air bubbles selectively to one or more species present in said mixture of particulate solids effectively lowering an apparent specific gravity of said one or more species;
- gathering said one or more species with the lowered apparent specific gravity in an upper portion of the hindered fluidized bed;
- gathering the remaining species with a higher apparent specific gravity in a lower portion of the hindered, fluidized bed.
A method of separating a mixture of species of particulate solids by species, each species having a specific gravity, the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) providing an upward flow of water;
- (2) providing an upward flow of air bubbles;
- (3) forming a hindered fluidized bed;
- (4) attaching air bubbles selectively to one or more of said species to effectively lower an apparent specific gravity of said one or more species of particulate solids;
- whereby steps (1) and (2) are performed concurrently.
The method of 5 further comprising the step of adding the species of particulate solids to be separated as needed.
A method of separating a mixture of particulate solids by species, each said species having its own specific gravity, the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) forming a hindered fluidized bed;
- (2) lowering an effective specific gravity of selected species of particulate solids by attaching air bubbles thereto;
- (3) gathering the species with the lower effective specific gravity in an upper portion of the hindered fluidized bed;
- (4) gathering the species with the higher effective specific gravity in a lower portion of the hindered fluidized bed;
- whereby steps (3) and (4) are conducted concurrently.
A method of separating a mixture of species of particulate solids, each species having a specific gravity, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a hindered fluidized bed;
- attaching air bubbles selectively to one or more of said species of particulate solids whereby the effective specific gravity of said one or more species is lowered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.