Solvent extraction settler arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9731222-B2
Application number	US-201314408703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2013
Priority date	Jun 26, 2012
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A solvent extraction settler arrangement comprises a settler ( 1 ) having a feed end ( 2 ) and a discharge end ( 3 ), said settler being arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion fed from the feed end while the dispersion flows to the discharge end. Elongated discharge launders ( 4, 5 ) are arranged at the discharge end ( 3 ) of the settler for each solution phase to be separated from the dispersion, each discharge launder ( 4, 5 ) including a first end ( 6 ), an outlet ( 7, 8 ) arranged at the first end, and a closed second end ( 9 ). At least one of the discharge launders ( 4, 5 ) has a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging from the first end ( 6 ) towards the second end ( 9 ) and an inclined bottom ( 10, 11 ) descending from the second end ( 9 ) towards the first end ( 6 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solvent extraction settler arrangement adapted for hydrometallurgical liquid-liquid extraction processes, the settler arrangement comprising
a settler having a feed end and a discharge end, said settler being arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion fed from the feed end while the dispersion flows to the discharge end,
first and second elongated discharge launders arranged at the discharge end of the settler, the first discharge launder collecting a separated lighter solution phase as an overflow from the settler and discharging the lighter solution phase to a first outlet, the second discharge launder collecting a separated heavier solution phase as an underflow from the settler and discharging the heavier solution phase to a second outlet, the second outlet having a terminal portion opening to the inner space of the discharge launder, each discharge launder including a first end, an outlet arranged at the first end, and a closed second end, characterized in that at least one of the discharge launders has a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging from the first end towards the second end and an inclined bottom descending from the second end towards the first end; and
a level control valve comprising:
an extendable and collapsible tube member having a lower end rigidly connected to the terminal portion of the second outlet, and an overflow lip attached to an upper end of the tube member, and
an actuator connected to the overflow lip capable of vertically adjusting the height of the overflow lip relative to the lower end.

2. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 , where the first outlet is located at the first end of the first discharge launder.

3. The settler arrangement according to claim 2 , where the second discharge launder is arranged beside and in parallel with the first discharge launder and the second outlet is located at the first end of the second discharge launder.

4. The settler arrangement according to claim 3 , where the arrangement comprises a plurality of second outlet pipes arranged along the length of the second discharge launder at a distance from each other, each second outlet pipe having a fifth end opening to the settler to receive the heavier solution phase as an underflow from the settler, and a sixth end opening to the inner space of the second discharge launder at the bottom of the second discharge launder.

5. The settler arrangement according to claim 4 , where a respective level control valve is connected to the sixth end of each second outlet pipe inside the second discharge launder.

6. The settler arrangement according to claim 4 , where the settler consists of one tank having a single uniform flow space; and where all first and second outlet pipes open to said single flow space.

7. The settler arrangement according to claim 4 , where the settler is divided into a plurality of mutually separated elongated parallel settler sections each extending from the feed end to the discharge end and forming a plurality of parallel flow spaces; and where at least one first outlet pipe and at least one second outlet pipe are connected to each settler section.

8. The settler arrangement according to claim 2 , where the settler arrangement comprises a plurality of first outlet pipes arranged along the length of the first discharge launder at a distance from each other, each first outlet pipe having a third end opening to the settler to receive the lighter solution phase as an overflow from the settler, and a fourth end opening to the inner space of the first discharge launder.

9. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 , where at least one of the first discharge launder and the second discharge launder is a hollow body made of a fibre-reinforced plastic composite and manufactured by filament winding technology.

10. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 , where at least one of the first discharge launder and the second discharge launder is a hollow body made of steel.

11. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 , where the level control valve comprises a bellows.

Assignees

• Outotec Finland Oy

Inventors

• Vaarno Jussi
• Saario Rami
• Fredriksson Henri

Classifications

• B01D11/0484

  Controlling means · CPC title

• C22B3/20

  Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching (C22B3/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D17/0208 Primary

  by sedimentation · CPC title

• C22B3/02 Primary

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B01D11/0449 Primary

  with stationary contacting elements · CPC title