System and method for the concentration of a slurry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101388-A1
Application number	US-201514976142-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Apr 29, 2010
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for the concentration of slurry, especially mineral containing slurry. The invention provides a system comprising an electrophoresis unit and a separation unit, where the separation unit comprises a recipient, preferably of half cylindrical form, with adjusted flanks for separating the solid material or cake from the rotating anodes and a sliding carriage suitable for closing the recipient and stripping resting solid material from the flanks into the recipient before the solid material or cake is pressed out of the recipient by a piston.

First claim

1 . A method for the concentration of a slurry of dispersed particles using a device with a supporting structure including modules received therein, the modules comprising:
a. an electrophoresis cell with at least one electrically connected cathode, and at least one electrically connected, rotatable anode disc, b. a separation unit adjacent to each anode surface for receiving a cake material of dispersed particles, comprising a recipient and a piston adapted to the recipient form, wherein the recipient has shoulders dimensioned to act as scraping flanges for taking off the cake material from each anode, the piston is dimensioned for pressing the cake material out of the recipient, the separation unit has a sliding carriage with a cover for closing the recipient and collecting residual cake material from the shoulders into the recipient while closing it, and the recipient has a half cylindrical form, the method comprising the following steps: (i) introducing a slurry with dispersed particles in the electrophoresis cell of the device; (ii) applying voltage to the resting electrodes of the electrophoresis cell; (iii) rotating each anode a defined angle of rotation and stripping resting solid material or cake into the recipient of the separation unit of the device; (iv) optionally closing the recipient with the sliding carriage; (v) pressing the solid material or cake out of the separation unit with the piston; and (vi) optionally introducing fresh slurry into the electrophoresis cell via an inlet opening and removing excess slurry via an outlet of each cell and repeating steps (i) to (vi).

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recipient of the separation unit is closed with the sliding carriage after stripping the material or cake into it.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is driven continuously, in intervals or by serial filling of each module.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersed particles are mineral particles.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersed particles are negatively charged.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersed particles are electrically negatively-dispersed calcium carbonate.

7 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the slurry has a mineral content of 10 to 50% by dry weight.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a voltage of about 20 V is applied to the electrodes.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the angle of rotation of each anode in the slurry is about 10°-15°.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein hoist time and interval time are adjusted to characteristics of the slurry.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each anode disc is in contact with the slurry for about 3 min.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrophoresis cell is a multiple compartment container.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the multiple compartment container is made from an outer container shell with flanges fixed inside the container to form the compartments.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the flanges are welded into the container shell.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the multiple compartment container is a single integral piece.

16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the electrophoresis cell or multiple compartment container is electrically isolated from all other components.

17 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein each anode disc is arranged vertically within the electrophoresis cell or compartments of the multiple compartment container.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each anode disc is mounted on a drive shaft for rotation.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein each anode disc is fixed on the drive shaft by a fixation flange, defining the distance between each anode disc.

20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein jumper rings are provided to electrically connect each anode.

21 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein each electrophoresis cell or compartment of the multiple compartment container has an inlet opening for the slurry at the bottom and an overflow at the upper margin.

22 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting structure is a frame made of aluminium.

23 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each anode comprises an anticorrosive coating.

24 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each anode comprises titanium.

25 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each separation unit is made of synthetic material comprising poly-tetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE).

26 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the piston is driven pneumatically.

Assignees

• Omya Int Ag

Inventors

• Sötemann Jörg
• Einspieler Herbert
• Schwarz Martin

Classifications

• B01D57/02 Primary

  by electrophoresis (treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge by electrophoresis C02F1/469; electrophoretic production of compounds or non-metals C25B7/00; investigating or analysing materials by using electrophoresis G01N27/26) · CPC title

• C02F11/121

  by mechanical de-watering · CPC title

• C02F11/15

  by treatment with electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields; by treatment with ultrasonic waves (for the purpose of heating C02F11/131) · CPC title

• B01D43/00

  Separating particles from liquids, or liquids from solids, otherwise than by sedimentation or filtration (flotation processes B03D1/00; drying solid materials or objects F26B) · CPC title

• B28C1/08

  Separating suspensions, e.g. for obtaining clay, for removing stones; {Cleaning clay slurries} · CPC title