System and method for liquid-organic particle separation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11359257-B2
Application number	US-202017114075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2020
Priority date	Aug 7, 2019
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for separating a liquid from organic particles. The mixer-settler extraction cell includes a flow distributor. The flow distributor comprises a chevron-shaped series of welded plates, which separates the incoming flow stream of liquid and organic particles from one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for separating a liquid from organic particles, comprising:
introducing a mixture of at least one liquid in combination with organic particles into an inbound portion of a vessel comprising the inbound portion and an outbound portion, wherein the mixture comprises a first phase and a second phase;
separating the liquid from the organic particles by passing the mixture through a chevron-shaped coupled plate comprising a first plate coupled to a second plate, and a second plate coupled to a third plate having an end with a square edge surface, wherein the first plate coupled to a first support structure is configured to be substantially parallel to the first support structure, wherein a leading edge coupled to a weir is configured to be spaced from the first plate and have an end surface facing in an upstream direction, wherein the weir coupled to the first support structure is configured to be substantially parallel to the first support structure and perpendicular to the leading edge, wherein the flow of the mixture passes initially from the third plate, second plate and first plate sequentially to the weir, wherein both (i) the square edge surface of the third plate and (ii) a flow opening to the weir created by the coupling of the first and second plates being spaced from the leading edge are configured to cause the organic particles to separate from the liquid, wherein the first and third plates extend at a different angles from the second plate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquid in the mixture comprises a metal.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the metal is copper.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge is spaced below the first plate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the angle formed by the first plate coupled to the second plate is configured to be above the leading edge.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the end of the third plate with the square edge surface is not coupled to the second plate.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the end of the weir that is not coupled to the leading edge has a square edge surface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coupling of the first plate to the first support structure, the second plate to the first plate, the third plate to the second plate, and the weir to the leading edge are welded together.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second plate coupled to the third plate comprises a substantially chevron-shaped configuration; wherein the apex of the chevron is where the second plate is welded to the third plate.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a shielded front edge is coupled to a second support structure.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the shielded front edge comprises a fourth plate, and fifth plate, and a sixth plate; wherein the fourth plate is coupled to the fifth plate, and the fifth plate is coupled to the sixth plate, all at substantially perpendicular angles.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the end of the third plate with a square edge surface is configured to lie approximately halfway between a middle portion of the fourth plate and sixth plate coupled to the fifth plate comprising the shielded front edge.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second plate coupled to the third plate comprises a substantially inverted chevron-shaped configuration; wherein the apex of the chevron is where the second plate is welded to the third plate.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein an end of the first plate having a square edge surface is parallel to an end of the weir having a square edge surface.

15. A method for separating a liquid from organic particles, comprising:
introducing a mixture of at least one liquid in combination with organic particles into an inbound portion of a vessel comprising the inbound portion and an outbound portion, wherein the mixture comprises a first phase and a second phase;
producing a first aqueous solution and a first organic particle layer by passing the mixture through a chevron-shaped coupled plate comprising a first plate coupled to a second plate, and a second plate coupled to a third plate having an end with a square edge surface, wherein the first plate coupled to a first support structure is configured to be substantially parallel to the first support structure, wherein a leading edge coupled to a weir is configured to be spaced from the first plate and have an end surface facing in an upstream direction, wherein the weir coupled to the first support structure is configured to be substantially parallel to the first support structure and perpendicular to the leading edge, wherein the flow of the mixture passes initially from the third plate, second plate and first plate sequentially to the weir, wherein both (i) the square edge surface of the third plate and (ii) a flow opening to the weir created by the coupling of the first and second plates being spaced from the leading edge are configured to cause the organic particles to separate from the liquid, wherein the first and third plates extend at a different angles from the second plate; and
producing a second aqueous solution and a second organic layer by passing the first aqueous solution through a second weir that is spaced downstream from the first weir and configured to be substantially parallel to the first weir, wherein the space between the first weir and the second weir is configured to cause the organic particles to separate from the liquid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the leading edge is spaced below the first plate.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the angle formed by the first plate coupled to the second plate is configured to be above the leading edge.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising producing a third aqueous solution by passing the second aqueous solution through a third weir that is spaced downstream from the second weir and configured to be substantially parallel to the second weir, wherein the second aqueous solution flows through the third weir into an aqueous launder.

Assignees

• Freeport Minerals Corp

Inventors

• Richardson Steven

Classifications

• C25C1/12

  of copper · CPC title

• B01D21/0048

  Plurality of plates inclined in alternating directions · CPC title

• B01D21/0042

  Baffles or guide plates · CPC title

• B01D17/0211

  with baffles · CPC title

• C22B3/02 Primary

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title