The dynamic behavior of coarse particles in flotation froths

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:276665

Van Dyk, W A; Van Deventer, J S.J.; Lorenzen, L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Stellenbosch (South Africa). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

Hydrophobic particles with diameters between 1 and 3 mm are poorly recovered by conventional flotation techniques. A novel reverse flotation technique is described whereby coarse particles with surfaces rendered highly hydrophobic, repel the bubble films in a froth and thus drop through the froth under gravity, to be recovered as a sink product. Conversely, gangue or hydrophilic particles are supported by the bubble films in the froth and are therefore recovered as a floating product. Tracer tests were conducted in the cell in order to study the dynamic behavior of solid particles in the froth. The effects of hydrophobicity, density, particle size and particle shape were investigated experimentally. The higher the hydrophobicity of the particles, the lower the recovery of particles as a floating product, while the recovery of particles as a sink product increases with an increase in particle density. Furthermore, a decrease in particle size results in an increase recovery of hydrophobic particles as a floating product. When treating particles of the same mass-to-surface-area ratio in the froth, flat particles would be recovered as a floating product in preference to cubic, disc-shaped, cylindrical and spherical particles, in that order.

• OSTI ID: 276665
• Report Number(s): CONF-9510120--; ISBN 0-87335-141-X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
BUBBLES
COAL PREPARATION
DENSITY
DESIGN
FLOTATION
FLUID MECHANICS
ORE PROCESSING
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICULATES
SEDIMENTATION
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SHAPE
TAILINGS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WETTABILITY