Re-entrainment prevention apparatus
AssigneeHatch Associates Pty Ltd
InventorsScott Brian Poulter, Ross Jeffrey Haywood, Wesley Adam Taylor, Christos Panaou
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Abstract
A re-entrainment prevention apparatus (18) for use in a settler area (12) of a mixer-settler, the re-entrainment prevention apparatus (18) comprising: at least one panel (28, 30) of generally vertical linearly-spaced barrier elements (31), an upper barrier element (24) and a lower barrier element (26), wherein the upper and lower barrier elements (24, 26) are arranged relative to the generally vertical barrier elements (31) so as to constrain a fluid flow (32) that impinges thereon such that it is directed through fluid flow channels defined between the generally vertical linearly-spaced barrier elements (31).
Claims19
A re-entrainment prevention apparatus for use in a settler tank that receives fluid from a mixer tank, the re-entrainment prevention apparatus comprising:
- at least one panel of generally vertical linearly-spaced barrier elements, an upper barrier element and a lower barrier element, wherein the upper and lower barrier elements are arranged relative to the generally vertical barrier elements so as to constrain a fluid flow that impinges thereon such that it is directed through fluid flow channels defined between the generally vertical linearly-spaced barrier elements, wherein the lower barrier element is configured to extend to a bottom of the settler tank to prevent fluid flow between the lower barrier element and the bottom of the settler tank, and wherein the fluid flow channels are configured to extend through a midpoint of a height of the settler tank.
The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an organic/aqueous interface of the constrained fluid flow passes through the panel at a midpoint between the upper and lower barrier elements.
A method for preventing re-entrainment in a settler area or tank of a mixer-settler, the method comprising:
- forming fluid flow channels in the settler area or tank using at least one panel of generally vertical barrier elements;
- and
- using upper and lower barrier elements, constraining all fluid flow in the settler area or tank to pass through the fluid flow channels at a level in the settler area or tank that is generally intermediate relative to a level of fluid within the settler area or tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.