Abstract: In one example, a method includes providing a pulp composed of a combination of particulate materials including particles of a target material. The pulp is mixed with a collector composed of anisotropic particles having at least two separate spatial domains that have different physiochemical properties, and the mixture of pulp and collector is fed into an aqueous solution containing air bubbles.

Abstract: A maintenance prioritization method, system, and computer program product, include collecting information including image data and status data for a plurality of objects of interest, building a three-dimensional image for each object, and estimating a risk factor of failure for each object by analyzing the information and the three-dimensional image of the object to compare with known characteristics of the object and a reference object description.

Abstract: A flocculation control system that floats particles that attach to nano and/or micro bubbles out of a liquid includes at least one sensing system, at least one processing system, and at least one fluid additive control system. The at least one sensing system is configured to reproduce one or more nano-bubbles with one or more particles suspended in a fluid. The at least one processing system is configured to measure, using outputs of the at least one sensing system, incident angles between the one or more nano-bubbles and the one or more particles suspended in the fluid. And the at least one fluid additive control system is configured to adjust, based on at least the incident angles, an amount of a surfactant being added to the fluid.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes providing a pulp composed of a combination of particulate materials including particles of a target material. The pulp is mixed with a collector composed of anisotropic particles having at least two separate spatial domains that have different physiochemical properties, and the mixture of pulp and collector is fed into an aqueous solution containing air bubbles.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes providing a pulp composed of a combination of particulate materials including particles of a target material. The pulp is mixed with a collector composed of anisotropic particles having at least two separate spatial domains that have different physiochemical properties, and the mixture of pulp and collector is fed into an aqueous solution containing air bubbles.

Abstract: A method of recovering particles from a liquid, a froth flotation apparatus, and a method of recovering particles in a flotation cell are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method comprises a technique of exposing the particles to first-size bubbles having a first predetermined size; the first-size bubbles adhering to the particles; and exposing the particles in a liquid, with the first-size bubbles adhering to the particles, to second-size bubbles having a second predetermined size, the second predetermined size being at least approximately ten times larger than the first predetermined size. The method further comprises the second-size bubbles adhering to the particles and engulfing the first-size bubbles on the particles; and using the second-size bubbles adhering to the particles to recover the particles from the liquid. In one embodiment a first surfactant is used to form the first-size bubbles, and a second surfactant is used to form the second-size bubbles.

Abstract: A flocculation control system that floats particles that attach to nano and/or micro bubbles out of a liquid includes at least one sensing system, at least one processing system, and at least one fluid additive control system. The at least one sensing system is configured to reproduce one or more nano-bubbles with one or more particles suspended in a fluid. The at least one processing system is configured to measure, using outputs of the at least one sensing system, incident angles between the one or more nano-bubbles and the one or more particles suspended in the fluid. And the at least one fluid additive control system is configured to adjust, based on at least the incident angles, an amount of a surfactant being added to the fluid.

Abstract: A flocculation control system that floats particles that attach to nano and/or micro bubbles out of a liquid includes at least one sensing system, at least one processing system, and at least one fluid additive control system. The at least one sensing system is configured to reproduce one or more nano-bubbles with one or more particles suspended in a fluid. The at least one processing system is configured to measure, using outputs of the at least one sensing system, incident angles between the one or more nano-bubbles and the one or more particles suspended in the fluid. And the at least one fluid additive control system is configured to adjust, based on at least the incident angles, an amount of a surfactant being added to the fluid.

Abstract: A method of recovering particles from a liquid, a froth flotation apparatus, and a method of recovering particles in a flotation cell are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method comprises a technique of exposing the particles to first-size bubbles having a first predetermined size; the first-size bubbles adhering to the particles; and exposing the particles in a liquid, with the first-size bubbles adhering to the particles, to second-size bubbles having a second predetermined size, the second predetermined size being at least approximately ten times larger than the first predetermined size. The method further comprises the second-size bubbles adhering to the particles and engulfing the first-size bubbles on the particles; and using the second-size bubbles adhering to the particles to recover the particles from the liquid. In one embodiment a first surfactant is used to form the first-size bubbles, and a second surfactant is used to form the second-size bubbles.

Abstract: Nanobubbles are employed to bridge microbubbles and non-buoyant particles, thereby creating sufficient capillary forces between the particles and microbubbles such that relatively large, heavy particles can be separated from an aqueous slurry. Nanobubbles are formed on hydrophobic particle surfaces. The microbubbles, which function as collecting air bubbles, form attachments with the particles. The nanobubbles create additional capillary attachment forces between the particles and microbubbles, allowing the microbubbles to rise with the attached particles to the top of the slurry for separation and recovery.

Abstract: A maintenance prioritization method, system, and computer program product, include collecting information including image data and status data for a plurality of objects of interest, building a three-dimensional image for each object, and estimating a risk factor of failure for each object by analyzing the information and the three-dimensional image of the object to compare with known characteristics of the object and a reference object description.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes providing a pulp composed of a combination of particulate materials including particles of a target material. The pulp is mixed with a collector composed of anisotropic particles having at least two separate spatial domains that have different physiochemical properties, and the mixture of pulp and collector is fed into an aqueous solution containing air bubbles.

Abstract: A flocculation control system that floats particles that attach to nano and/or micro bubbles out of a liquid includes at least one sensing system, at least one processing system, and at least one fluid additive control system. The at least one sensing system is configured to reproduce one or more nano-bubbles with one or more particles suspended in a fluid. The at least one processing system is configured to measure, using outputs of the at least one sensing system, incident angles between the one or more nano-bubbles and the one or more particles suspended in the fluid. And the at least one fluid additive control system is configured to adjust, based on at least the incident angles, an amount of a surfactant being added to the fluid.

Abstract: A control system for a froth flotation system receives inputs from one or more sensors comprising images of a fluid having bubbles and particles therein; some of the bubbles are attached to some of the particles and suspended in the fluid. For at least some of the bubbles with attached particles, it is determined from the inputs at least two contact angles at different locations at which the respective bubble is attached to the particle. These contact angles are used to predict a process improvement by which bubbles would more efficiently float the particles out of the fluid, as compared to that represented by the input images. An output is then provided for driving a graphical display screen, the output comprising at least one of: a) a graphical representation of the determined at least two contact angles; and b) a graphical representation of the predicted process improvement.

Abstract: An early fault detection system for a low voltage distribution network including: at least two detectors, each located on one of two power poles at either end of a section of a power distribution line; each detector includes a GPS unit, an uninterruptable power supply, a communication means to send data to a base station, antenna sensors having a bandwidth range of 1 MHz to 3 GHz for each wire in the power line, and a processor receiving signals from each sensor and collecting data relating to a maximum value, a time of maximum value, a minimum value, and a time of minimum value for partial discharge signals within the bandwidth range; and the processor or base station being programmed to analyze the collected data to identify a location of pulses above a predetermined value and record the number of such pulses at each location over a predetermined time interval.

Abstract: Nanobubbles are employed to bridge microbubbles and non-buoyant particles, thereby creating sufficient capillary forces between the particles and microbubbles such that relatively large, heavy particles can be separated from an aqueous slurry. Nanobubbles are formed on hydrophobic particle surfaces. The microbubbles, which function as collecting air bubbles, form attachments with the particles. The nanobubbles create additional capillary attachment forces between the particles and microbubbles, allowing the microbubbles to rise with the attached particles to the top of the slurry for separation and recovery.

Abstract: A method of recovering particles from a liquid, a froth flotation apparatus, and a method of recovering particles in a flotation cell are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method comprises a technique of exposing the particles to first-size bubbles having a first predetermined size; the first-size bubbles adhering to the particles; and exposing the particles in a liquid, with the first-size bubbles adhering to the particles, to second-size bubbles having a second predetermined size, the second predetermined size being at least approximately ten times larger than the first predetermined size. The method further comprises the second-size bubbles adhering to the particles and engulfing the first-size bubbles on the particles; and using the second-size bubbles adhering to the particles to recover the particles from the liquid. In one embodiment a first surfactant is used to form the first-size bubbles, and a second surfactant is used to form the second-size bubbles.

Abstract: A control system for a froth flotation system receives inputs from one or more sensors comprising images of a fluid having bubbles and particles therein; some of the bubbles are attached to some of the particles and suspended in the fluid. For at least some of the bubbles with attached particles, it is determined from the inputs at least two contact angles at different locations at which the respective bubble is attached to the particle. These contact angles are used to predict a process improvement by which bubbles would more efficiently float the particles out of the fluid, as compared to that represented by the input images. An output is then provided for driving a graphical display screen, the output comprising at least one of: a) a graphical representation of the determined at least two contact angles; and b) a graphical representation of the predicted process improvement.

Abstract: A system for the early detection of faults in a low voltage distribution network in which at least two detectors are each located on one of two power poles at either end of a section of a power distribution line, each detector includes a GPS unit, an uninterruptable power supply, a communication means to send data to a base station, antenna sensors having a bandwidth of 1 MHz to 3 GHz for each wire in the power line, a processor to receive signals from each sensor and collect data relating to the maximum value, time of maximum value, minimum value and time of minimum value for partial discharge signals within the range and the processor or base station being programmed to analyse the collected data to identify location of pulses above a predetermined value and record the number of such pulses at each location over a predetermined time interval to enable identification of likely sites of faults in the distribution line.