Agitating Patents (Class 209/169)
  • Patent number: 10556195
    Abstract: A separation apparatus that includes a weir tank having a plurality of cells and fluid removal apparatus for each cell to remove the fluid from each cell. The fluid removal apparatus includes an actuator and an extension arm whose movement is caused by the actuator. In addition to the actuator and the extension arm, the fluid removal apparatus includes a plunger attached to the extension arm for selectively engaging a first opening in each cell. Furthermore, a method of removing fluid from the separation apparatus via the fluid removal apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: White's Equipment Rental, LLC
    Inventors: Billy R. Riggs, Christopher L. Kuykendall
  • Patent number: 10507472
    Abstract: The flotation apparatus includes a flotation vessel and a cover for closing an upwards open opening of the flotation vessel, wherein the cover and the flotation vessel limits a vessel space for receiving fluid, and an agitating means having a rotatable axis extending through a first aperture in the cover. The rotatable shaft is rotatable supported at a bearing housing outside the vessel space. A connection arrangement surrounds the rotatable shaft between the bearing housing and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Aleksi Peltola, Rodrigo Grau
  • Patent number: 10427112
    Abstract: Aeration device for bioreactors with an aeration element with gas outlet openings arranged in a housing, the aeration element taking the form of a microsparger, the gas outlet openings of which are in each case spaced apart from one another and have a size of between 100 ?m and 200 ?m. At least one second aeration element with gas outlet openings of a second size is preferably provided, the aeration elements being formed by a common housing with separate aeration channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM BIOTECH GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Weisshaar
  • Patent number: 10376815
    Abstract: An oily waste treatment array (23) is described, for use in a Marpol plant, allows the separation of low and high-flash-point material into high-flash-point dehydrated recovered oil, cleaned water, and solids, that can be operated in an urban environment. This can be achieved due to the coupling of six constituent devices, linked within the confines (28) of the sealed array (23), that enables odor control, and due to the unique treatment (30), prior to the centrifuge array (31). The pre-treatment array (30) allows the treatment of emulsified mixtures, optimizing the use of chemical additives, by use of an external-flow-array, that is thermally coupled and integrated within the overall array, that features an external circulation heating/stirring loop, in and out of an inclined and contracting tank (20), a ‘stirring region’ (41) and a series of three dimensional injection nozzles (9), making up a ‘dendrite’ structure (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER S.A.
    Inventor: Georgia Reppa
  • Patent number: 10238039
    Abstract: A combine harvester grain cleaner. The grain cleaner includes an upper, relatively moveable framework supporting one or more grain sieves, one or more sources of drive for causing reciprocating movement of the one or more grain sieves, a lower, relatively fixed framework supporting one or more grain or tailings sheets, and a vibrator connected to the one or more grain and tailings sheets for causing a vibratory motion thereof and for, through the vibratory motion, causing movement of grain thereon in a predetermined direction. The vibratory motion has a higher frequency than a frequency of the reciprocation of the one or more grain sieves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Raf De Smet
  • Patent number: 10202296
    Abstract: Aeration device includes a hollow casing having a motor therein; a mixing unit formed on front side of the casing and having a discharge hole formed in radial direction and an intake hole formed on front thereof; an impeller located inside the mixing unit and coupled to a driving shaft of the motor, the driving shaft extended to the mixing unit, so as to be rotated with the driving shaft, to generate flow in outward radial direction upon rotation, an air inflow unit having one side end located in front of the impeller and serving as an air inflow pipe for introducing air to the mixing unit; and an auxiliary intake unit located on front side of the impeller to be rotated with the driving shaft of the motor and inserted into the air inflow unit to allow fluid in the air inflow unit to flow backward upon rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Inventor: Sun Won Jang
  • Patent number: 10112162
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring a flow behavior of mixed components without requiring additional instrumentation or sampling. The method is carried out by determining ratios of the power required to rotate a mixing impeller at different rotational speeds and then comparing the ratios. Characteristics about the mixed components are determined based on differences between the ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignees: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH
    Inventors: Lars Boettcher, Jonathan E. Cutting, Sharon D. West, Martin Oschwald
  • Patent number: 9968867
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a separator system comprising a compartment body defining an interior cavity, the interior cavity formed by interior walls of the compartment body. The separator system may further comprise an input section operable to receive an input mixture for housing in the interior cavity. The separator system may further comprise an output section. The separator system may further comprise a particulate-directing subsystem. The particulate-directing subsystem may comprise a disturbance assembly arranged along at least a bottom portion of the interior cavity. The disturbance assembly may comprise at least one rotary member operable to rotate in a first rotary direction and a second rotary direction. The particulate-directing subsystem may further comprise a discharge assembly arranged proximate to the output section. The discharge assembly may be configured so as to encourage particulates of the input mixture present in the interior cavity to pass through the output section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited
    Inventor: Somchai Warintarawat
  • Patent number: 9925503
    Abstract: A stirring-processing apparatus and a processing method are provided to realize excellent processing of a fluid regardless of the properties of the fluid. The stirring-processing apparatus is provided with the stirring blade and the stirring chamber provided with the screen, wherein the apparatus performs, under a state in which the stirring chamber is disposed in a fluid to be processed, a process of applying a shear force to the fluid by a relative rotation between the screen and the stirring blade. The stirring chamber is provided with the suction opening to suck the fluid from outside to inside and the ejecting opening to eject the fluid from inside to outside; these openings being disposed above and below. The suppressing body to control a flow of the fluid is disposed between the suction opening and the ejecting opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: M. TECHNIQUE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masakazu Enomura
  • Patent number: 9918463
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bioreactor for charging the outside and the interior of a hollow element (1) or hollow element framework with a liquid, having a housing (2) accommodating the liquid, forming a liquid surface, and a rotation device (3) arranged within the housing (2) and receiving the hollow element (1), which rotation device (3) is for rotating the hollow element (1) about the longitudinal axis (4) thereof in the region of the liquid surface. In known bioreactors of this type, the interior of the hollow element must be flushed with a special device, and so here also a liquid exchange takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BIOSTAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Roger Zink, Hermann Rees, Ottmar Heiny
  • Patent number: 9868093
    Abstract: A rotor for use in a slurry separation flotation cell having a tank within which the rotor is contained. The rotor has a shaft that has a conduit adapted to communicate a fluid, preferably a gas such as air, therethrough. The rotor also has impeller blades extending radially from the shaft and a baffle adjacent the bottom of the impeller blades. The baffle extends from an end of the shaft to at or near an outer edge of the impeller blades, directing the gas to the outer edges of the impeller blades for dispersion into the slurry. The rotor is located adjacent a floor of the tank and, in use, draws slurry downwards into the impeller portion and forces it outwards with the gas being mixed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventor: Roger Farnworth Bridson
  • Patent number: 9700858
    Abstract: A continuous kneading device is provided with an upper trunk (1) to which a powder supply tube (3) through which quantified powder is supplied is connected and in which the powder is blended with a fluid, and a lower trunk (2) concentrically connected to the bottom of the upper trunk (1). The continuous kneading device continuously kneads the powder and the fluid by a first rotating kneading plate (10) built into the upper trunk (1) and a second rotating kneading plate (11) built into the lower trunk (2), wherein surfaces of the base metals of the first and second rotating kneading plates (10, 11) are covered with a coating material (50) for reducing friction when the powder and the fluid are kneaded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mayumi Iwako, Masaaki Nakao, Ryuji Kitamura, Masakazu Abe, Toshiaki Ueda, Hiromichi Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9677039
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is saccharified in a vessel by operation of a jet mixer, the vessel also containing a fluid medium and a saccharifying agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • Patent number: 9381478
    Abstract: A rotary impeller having a solid disk-shaped body with a center bore, a first major face, an opposed major face, and an outer peripheral side edge face that is circular in plan and that extends along an outer diameter of the body is provided. A plurality of separate, circumferentially-spaced apart, radially-extending grooves are formed in the first major face, and each of the grooves extends through the outer peripheral side edge face and is of a depth that terminates a spaced distance from the opposed major face of the disk-shaped body such that the grooves do not extend fully through the disk-shaped body. An array of separate, upstanding, circumferentially-spaced teeth project from the first major face adjacent the grooves along the outer peripheral side edge face of the disk-shaped body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: Daniyel Firestone
  • Patent number: 9339778
    Abstract: A column-type solid-liquid countercurrent contact apparatus, a washing apparatus for solid particles such as poly(arylene sulfide) (PAS) particles, a PAS manufacturing apparatus, a method of solid-liquid countercurrent contact, a method of washing solid particles such as PAS particles, and a method of manufacturing PAS, wherein a column top part, a column body part, and a column bottom part are included, the column body part is provided with a plurality of stirring chambers connected in the vertical direction and mutually divided by a ring-shaped partitioning plate, a paddle blade (a blade diameter/a diameter of the stirring chamber?0.65 and the blade diameter/the diameter of the stirring chamber?0.10) and a baffle are disposed at each of the plurality of stirring chambers, and a disc having a size covering at least a part of a communication opening positioned below the paddle blade is attached to a rotating shaft or to the paddle blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KUREHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Koizumi, Kimihiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9079192
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of using a flotation machine that is used in metallurgical processes and to a flotation machine. The flotation machine foams hydrophobic particles from an aqueous slurry that contains these particles. The flotation machine includes a flotation cell (1), and a rotor (2) that is inside the flotation cell. The rotor (2) is rotated at a mixing power, which maintains the suspension in the slurry and mixing of air with the slurry to form the foam, and the mixing power is controlled by adjusting the rotation speed of the rotor. The amount of solid matter S accumulated on the bottom of the cell (1) is determined, and the rotation speed of the rotor (2) is adjusted on the basis of the determined amount of solid matter. The flotation machine includes a measuring device (5) for determining the amount of solid matter accumulated on the bottom of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Outotec Oy
    Inventors: Antti Rinne, Kari Saloheimo
  • Patent number: 9056287
    Abstract: An air distribution and mixing device is arranged in the vicinity of the bottom of a flotation cell for distributing air to the slurry for forming froth and mixing the slurry in the flotation cell. A rotor part of the air distribution and mixing device has air distribution apertures and is attached to the lower end of a drive shaft extending vertically in the flotation cell. The drive shaft has a hollow interior, which constitutes a flow channel for conducting flotation air to the air distribution holes of the rotor part. An electric motor for rotating the drive shaft is supported by a separate supporting framework, which is on top of the flotation cell. The electric motor is a permanent magnet motor having a vertical rotor shaft, the lower end of which is in permanent contact directly with the upper end of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Aleksi Peltola, Antti Rinne
  • Publication number: 20150108044
    Abstract: What is claimed is a flotation separation system for partitioning a slurry. The slurry includes a hydrophobic species that can adhere to gas bubbles that form within the slurry. The flotation separation system includes a flotation separation cell. The flotation separation cell has a sparger unit and a separation tank. The separation tank is constructed to allow the bubble dispersion to form a froth at the top of the slurry contained in the separation tank. The sparger unit includes a slurry inlet, a slurry outlet, a sparging mechanism, a high shear element, and a gas inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Michael J. Mankosa, Jaisen Kohmuench, Eric S. Yan, Gerald H. Luttrell
  • Patent number: 8960443
    Abstract: A flotation separation system is provided for partitioning a slurry that includes a hydrophobic species which can adhere to gas bubbles formed in the slurry. The flotation separation system comprises a flotation separation cell that includes a sparger unit and a separation tank. The sparger unit has a slurry inlet for receiving slurry and a gas inlet to receive gas with at least enough pressure to allow bubbles to form in the slurry within the sparger unit. The sparger unit includes a sparging mechanism constructed to disperse gas bubbles within the slurry. The sparging mechanism sparges the gas bubbles to form a bubble dispersion so as to cause adhesion of the hydrophobic species to the gas bubbles substantially within the sparger unit while causing a pressure drop of about 10 psig or less across the sparging mechanism. The sparger unit includes a slurry outlet to discharge the slurry and the bubble dispersion into the separation tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Eriez Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Michael J. Mankosa, Jaisen Kohmuench, Eric S. Yan, Gerald H. Luttrell
  • Publication number: 20140001103
    Abstract: A rotor for flotation machines or flotation cells of flotation machines includes blades that are configured to provide improved bubble flow and bubble generation performance while also reducing the power requirements for rotating the rotor to generate bubble flow within a tank of a flotation cell used to generate froth. Embodiments of the rotor may also be configured to be smaller than conventional rotor designs, which may help reduce the costs of manufacturing the rotor or flotation machines using such embodiments of the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC
    Inventors: Roe-Hoan Yoon, Gerald Luttrell, Saad Ragab, Demetri Telionis, Abdel-Halim Said, Sanja Miskovic, Aaron Noble, Yihong Yang
  • Publication number: 20130140218
    Abstract: A flotation cell and a method of froth flotation. The flotation cell comprises a first vessel portion and a second vessel portion. The first vessel portion has a feed slurry input, an agitator and a gas input located in or operatively connected thereto. The first vessel portion is a mechanically agitated pressure vessel and acts as a particle collection unit. The second vessel portion has a tailings output and a froth discharge operatively connected thereto. The second vessel portion is hydraulically connected to the first vessel portion and receives agitated slurry and gas from the first vessel portion. The second vessel portion acts as a bubble disengagement unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Glenn S. Dobby, Glenn A. Kosick
  • Patent number: 8454745
    Abstract: To reduce cost of chemical by reducing quantity of foaming agent used when removing unburned carbon in fly ash with wet floatation and to prevent decrease in activity index of the fly ash. In wet decarburization of fly ash, the solution comprising the steps of: adding water to fly ash to generate slurry; adding hydrophobizing agent and foaming agent to the slurry and agitating them to generate bubbles; and adhering unburned carbon in the fly ash to the bubbles to float them to remove the unburned carbon in the fly ash, when sedimentation component at wet floatation separation is solid-liquid separated and liquid phase obtained by solid-liquid separation is reused for another floatation separation for new fly ash, the quantity of foaming agent added to the slurry is adjusted such that concentration of the foaming agent in liquid phase is in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation, Mitsui Enigneering and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomichi Nakamura, Takao Suzuki, Kazuyoshi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8439202
    Abstract: To effectively utilize coal ash while reducing mercury concentration in cement kiln exhaust gas. Coal ash is received from a thermal power plant or the like; the received coal ash is separated into ash and unburned carbon; the separated ash is utilized in a cement manufacturing facility as a cement raw material; and the separated unburned carbon is utilized in the cement manufacturing facility in accordance with mercury concentration in gas exhausted from a cement kiln of the cement manufacturing facility. In case that the mercury concentration in the gas exhausted from the cement kiln of the cement manufacturing facility is high, in the coal ash, unburned carbon with high mercury content can be treated in facilities other than the cement manufacturing facility without feeding the unburned carbon to the cement manufacturing facility, or the quantity of such unburned carbon fed to the cement manufacturing facility can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation
    Inventors: Tomomichi Nakamura, Hisashi Kondo, Shinichiro Saito
  • Patent number: 8360245
    Abstract: The invention relates to an equipment and method for flotating mineral slurry (4) in a flotation cell provided with a flotation mechanism (3), comprising at least a drive shaft (6), a rotor (5) and a stator (7), and at least one inlet (11) for feeding mineral slurry (4), a froth launder system (8) for removing mineral enriched froth, at least two discharge outlets (28, 12) for removing two material flows with two different grain sizes from the flotation cell, in which case the flotation cell (2) is provided with a classifying equipment (1) including means for setting the mineral slurry (24) to be classified, separated from the mineral slurry, in an essentially upwardly moving rotary motion in the flotation cell, as well as means for separating coarser material (25) from finely divided material (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Timo Niitti
  • Patent number: 8360246
    Abstract: In a froth flotation method and apparatus an upwardly open circular trough (4) having outlets (5) on the outer periphery of the trough is arranged horizontally above the froth phase (F) so that the trough is coaxial with the flotation vessel (1), and said circular trough is rotated around its center axis. A stationary water pipe (6) is arranged above the trough (4). Fresh water (W) is fed via the water pipe (6) into the trough (4) while the trough is rotating, and the water is let to flow by gravity and centrifugal force from the trough (4) via the outlets (5) into the froth phase (F).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Outotec Oy
    Inventor: Peter Bourke
  • Patent number: 8276761
    Abstract: A froth flotation method and apparatus for extracting a valuable substance from a slurry comprising a mixture of solid phase, liquid phase and said substance. A gas dispersing mechanism (4) feeds gas into the slurry (1) in a flotation vessel (2) to infuse gas bubbles into the slurry. The slurry is agitated in the flotation vessel (2) for dispersing the gas bubbles into the slurry. The gas bubbles capture the valuable substance from the slurry and form a froth phase F above the slurry phase S. The froth phase F exits the vessel by overflow. Continuously moving negative pressure zones (7) are mechanically generated by rake blades (9) in the froth phase (F). The negative pressure zones (7) extend from the froth phase (F) to the slurry phase (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Christian Kujawa
  • Publication number: 20120061298
    Abstract: A method of separating mixed particles in a flotation cell uses a fluidized bed within the cell where particles are fluidized in a quiescent zone by liquid moving upwardly through the fluidized bed. The fluidizing liquid may be provided by the feed or by recycling liquid from upper parts of the cell such as from the disengagement zone. Bubbles are introduced into the lower part of the cell through a mechanical impeller which also breaks up any channels in the mixing zone, or by separate aeration in the bottom of the cell or by introduction through a recycle pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: NEWCASTLE INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Graeme John Jameson
  • Patent number: 7950525
    Abstract: A method and a device for separating plastic materials in accordance with their chemical composition, which is based on the difference in density of such materials. For this purpose, a flotation process which works with a flotation liquid that is put into vibration is used, the frequency of which is controlled in accordance with the density of the particles to settle. Heavier plastic particles settle on a perforated plate bottom and are removed to a collecting container filled with the same liquid to the same level as the flotation tank. Lighter plastic particles float to the surface and are fed into a follow-up flotation tank for further separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Inventor: Alexander Koslow
  • Patent number: 7886912
    Abstract: The invention provides an agitator (1) is disposed to agitate slurry within a flotation tank (2). The agitator includes a rotor (6) mounted on one end of a centrally disposed drive shaft (7) extending axially downwardly into the tank and driven by a motor (8) and associated gearbox (not shown). The other end of the drive shaft includes a mounting flange (9) adapted for connection to the motor. A stator (10) is also provided around the rotor. A froth deflection cone (11) extends around the drive shaft adjacent the top of the tank. The deflection cone is oriented such that its smallest diameter is located at its lower-most end nearest the rotor (6). An auxiliary agitator (12) is connected to the drive shaft at a position substantially midway between the underside of the deflection cone (11) and the top of the rotor (6), as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The auxiliary agitator (12) includes agitation blades (13) extending radially outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of the shaft (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Peter Gerard Bourke
  • Publication number: 20100059415
    Abstract: A froth flotation method and apparatus for extracting a valuable substance from a slurry comprising a mixture of solid phase, liquid phase and said substance. A gas dispersing mechanism (4) feeds gas into the slurry (1) in a flotation vessel (2) to infuse gas bubbles into the slurry. The slurry is agitated in the flotation vessel (2) for dispersing the gas bubbles into the slurry. The gas bubbles capture the valuable substance from the slurry and form a froth phase F above the slurry phase S. The froth phase F exits the vessel by overflow. Continuously moving negative pressure zones (7) are mechanically generated by rake blades (9) in the froth phase (F). The negative pressure zones (7) extend from the froth phase (F) to the slurry phase (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Christian Kujawa
  • Publication number: 20100051515
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for efficient hydrophobic particles to gas bubble attachment in a slurry is provided. The process comprises: tangentially introducing a slurry stream into a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall with sufficient volume and pressure to develop a vortex in the flowing slurry; introducing gas into the flowing slurry during at least a portion of its travel in the chamber, the gas being introduced orthogonally to the stream through means located at the chamber inner wall and for developing gas bubbles which move into the slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Jakob H. Schneider, Tomasz Duczmal
  • Publication number: 20100051516
    Abstract: Unburned carbon is efficiently separated according to the properties of fly ash. An apparatus is provided which comprises: a slurry preparation tank (10) in which water (c) is added to fly ash (a) to produce a slurry (d); a scavenger addition device (20) for adding a scavenger (e) to the slurry (d); a vertical surface-modification device (30) in which the slurry after addition of the scavenger is stirred at a high speed to impart shear force thereto and thereby cause the scavenger (e) to adhere to the surface of unburned carbon (b) contained in the slurry; a regulating tank (60) in which a blowing agent (f) is added to the slurry (d?) which has undergone surface modification with the surface modification device; and a flotation machine (70) with which the unburned carbon (b) is floated together with bubbles (n) and separated from the slurry containing the blowing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Matsuo, Kazuo Abe, Hitoshi Koyama, Toshio Yamaki
  • Publication number: 20100018907
    Abstract: The invention relates to an equipment and method for flotating mineral slurry (4) in a flotation cell provided with a flotation mechanism (3), comprising at least a drive shaft (6), a rotor (5) and a stator (7), and at least one inlet (11) for feeding mineral slurry (4), a froth launder system (8) for removing mineral enriched froth, at least two discharge outlets (28, 12) for removing two material flows with two different grain sizes from the flotation cell, in which case the flotation cell (2) is provided with a classifying equipment (1) including means for setting the mineral slurry (24) to be classified, separated from the mineral slurry, in an essentially upwardly moving rotary motion in the flotation cell, as well as means for separating coarser material (25) from finely divided material (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Timo Niitti
  • Publication number: 20100000913
    Abstract: Collectors for froth flotation including oxidized fatty acid compositions and oxidized and maleated compositions. In particular, use of oxidized tall oil compositions and oxidized and maleated fatty acid compositions are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC
    Inventors: Phillip W. Hurd, John B. Hines
  • Patent number: 7624877
    Abstract: The invention provides a flotation device including a series of flotation tanks (1) for processing a slurry incorporating valuable minerals for extraction. At least one of the tanks includes a side outlet (15) adapted for the withdrawal of targeted relatively fine coarse particles from the slurry. The tanks also include a bottom outlet (14) for the withdrawal of relatively dense or coarse components of the slurry. The incorporation of bottom and side outlets allows the slurry to be separated into two parallel streams, one configured for optimal recovery of the relatively coarse or dense slurry components and the other for optimal recovery of the relatively fine slurry components. In this way, outflow slurry from downstream tanks in the coarse particle stream has a higher proportion of coarser particles than was present in the inflow slurry from the upstream tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Peter Gerard Bourke
  • Publication number: 20090288995
    Abstract: A flotation cell for separating hydrophobic particles from hydrophilic particles uses a mixer (1) with an air inlet (8) and slurry feed (7) to form a bubbly mixture in a u-tube mixer (4, 5, 6) and feed the mixture into a separation vessel (2). Plant cost and operating efficiencies are optimised by gravity feed of slurry and admitting air at atmospheric pressure. The separation vessel (2) has an upper inclined plate (9) which guides the froth layer (33) containing the hydrophobic particles to an overflow launder (11) without any significant turbulence or change in direction optimising the retention of hydrophobic particles in the froth, while the hydrophilic particles drop down in the liquid layer (34) guided along a lower inclined plate (24) to a tailings outlet (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: NEWCASTLE INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Noel William Alexander Lambert
  • Patent number: 7468136
    Abstract: A vortex grit trap comprising a generally vertically extending tank of circular cross-section including a separation zone having an inlet and an outlet for liquid flow to and from the tank, and in which liquid is circulated about a longitudinal axis of the tank, and, a grit collection zone positioned beneath the separation zone in use, the trap being characterized by a generally circular tank divider centered on the vertical longitudinal axis of the tank and extending transverse thereto, the divider defining a notional boundary between the separation and collection zones of the tank and being of smaller diameter than the adjacent region of the tank so as to define with the adjacent tank wall an annulus through which grit passes from the separation zone to the collection zone in use, and, means for generating a cloud of gas bubbles migrating in use upwardly through substantially the whole of said annulus whereby substantially all grit passing from the separation zone into the collection zone passes through the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: GL&V Management Hungary Kft.
    Inventor: John C. Bache
  • Patent number: 7458467
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stator for a flotation cell to be used in the flotation of slurry-like material, such as ore and concentrate containing valuable minerals, by means of which stator the orientation of the slurry flow created by the flotation cell rotor can be controlled. The stator is composed of at least three structural elements to be installed around the rotor provided with at least one flow regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Sami Grönstrand, Raimo Airola, Seppo Ronkainen
  • Patent number: 7441662
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stator for a flotation cell to be used in the flotation of slurry-like material, such as ore and concentrate containing valuable minerals, said stator including flow regulators installed at regular distances from each other. The stator flow regulators are installed to be movable, so that the flow regulators can be adjusted at a desired distance from the rotor rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Seppo Ronkainen
  • Patent number: 7328806
    Abstract: A process of separating a desired constituent from a mixture of particulate matter including the steps of: conditioning a liquid mixture of particulate matter with a frothing agent to create a pulp; aerating the pulp to generate a float fraction of froth supported on the surface of a non-float fraction of pulp; separating a portion of froth from the float fraction; draining the separated froth; washing the separated froth with a liquid to dislodge particles comprising one or more of non-selectively attached, entrained, and entrapped particles; and recovering the washed froth, is disclosed herein. Also disclosed herein are a froth cleaning apparatus and a froth flotation apparatus for separating a desired constituent from a mixture of particulate matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: University of Illinois
    Inventors: Latif A. Khan, John Lytle, Ken Ho
  • Patent number: 7267232
    Abstract: An apparatus for froth flotation including a flotation vessel including a side wall and a bottom wall that includes a fluid drain, and a mixing eductor inside the vessel disposed to impart net rotational force to contents of the vessel about an axis; and a method of separating a desired constituent (e.g., coal) from a mixture of particulate matter, including the steps of conditioning a liquid mixture of particulate matter including a desired constituent with a frothing agent to create a pulp, and injecting the pulp into a vessel to impart net rotational movement of pulp in the vessel, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
    Inventors: Latif Khan, Christopher R. Manrique
  • Patent number: 6991111
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a froth flotation mechanism located in a flotation cell, comprising a directional element suspended from the lower end of a hollow shaft extending to the lower section of the cell and vertical vanes attached to said directional element, which extend above and below the directional element and horizontally beyond the directional element. The substantially horizontal circular plate of the directional element is symmetrically attached around the shaft at its centre and the outer edge of the central plate is bent downwards to form the lap of the guiding part. The gas spreading plate is located on the inner side of the lap. The flotation cell is comprised of a cylindrical lower section, a middle section located above it in the form of a truncated cone widening upwards, and a cylindrical upper section attached to the top of it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Outokumpu Technology Oy
    Inventors: Launo Leo Lilja, Bror Göran Nyman, Heikki Tapani Oravainen
  • Patent number: 6968956
    Abstract: A separation apparatus and method for use in separating magnetic material from non-magnetic material that includes the use of a magnetic grid, e.g., a permanently magnetic grid, which defines a plurality of openings. The grid assists in preventing magnetic material from being transported to an overflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventor: Iwao Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 6945408
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flotation machine, particularly to a flotation machine rotor, that is used for dispersing air, supplied via the rotor axis, to the surrounding slurry, and in which rotor there are formed alternating air ducts and slurry grooves, so that the ends of both the air ducts and the slurry grooves, projecting outwardly from the rotor, form the outer surface of the rotor According to the invention the air ducts (3,15) are arranged in the rotor at essentially equal distances, starting radially from the rotor outer surface, so that the air ducts (3,15) form in the center part of the rotor a space (6,17) for the slurry, in which space the slurry surrounding the rotor is to be made to flow along the slurry grooves (5, 16) provided in between the air ducts (3,15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Outokumpu Technology Oy
    Inventor: Timo Niitti
  • Patent number: 6926154
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flotation machine which at least contains a flotation cell having a means for feeding slurry in the flotation cell, a means for feeding air into the slurry and producing froth, a means for removing froth from the flotation cell and a means for removing tailings from the flotation cell. According to the invention the flotation cell (1,21) is provided with at least one rotating froth removal device (8,26) immersed at least partly in the froth (9,27) and so shaped that one end of the froth removal device (8,26) is extendible over the launder (12) attached to the flotation cell (1) in order to recover the froth (9,27) from the flotation cell (1,21) using the centrifugal force generated by the froth removal device (8,26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Bourke, David Taylor
  • Patent number: 6832690
    Abstract: The Invention relates to a flotation machine (1) which at least consists of a flotation cell (2) having a means for feeding slurry in the flotation cell, a gas dispersion mechanism (3) for feeding gas into the slurry and producing froth, a means for removing froth from the flotation cell and a means for removing tailings from the flotation cell, when there is arranged at least one guiding device (4) near the gas dispersion mechanism (3) in order to guide the dispersed gas (5) away from the gas dispersion mechanism (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventor: Christian Kujawa
  • Publication number: 20040245151
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a froth flotation mechanism located in a flotation cell, comprising a directional element suspended from the lower end of a hollow shaft extending to the lower section of the cell and vertical vanes attached to said directional element, which extend above and below the directional element and horizontally beyond the directional element The substantially horizontal circular plate of the directional element is symmetrically attached around the shaft at its centre and the outer edge of the central plate is bent downwards to form the lap of the guiding part. The gas spreading plate is located on the inner side of the lap. The flotation cell is comprised of a cylindrical lower section, a middle section located above it in the form of a truncated cone widening upwards, and a cylindrical upper section attached to the top of it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Launo Leo Lilja, Bror Goran Nyman, Heikki Tapani Oravainen
  • Patent number: 6805243
    Abstract: In a flotation machine rotor, a body portion defines an interior area that is adapted to communicate with a gas source. At least one rotor blade projects radially outwardly from the body portion with at least one aperture being defined thereby and in gaseous communication with the interior area. The aperture is positioned adjacent the rotor blade and is defined in part by a lower peripheral edge. At least one lip projects radially outwardly from the lower peripheral edge so that during operation of the rotor, solids traveling along the body portion are projected radially away from the rotor by the lip and become approximately aligned with the aperture so that gas flowing from the aperture creates bubbles in the slurry that entrain at least a portion of the solid particles. The bubbles and solid particles form a froth on the surface of the slurry which can then be removed from the flotation machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: GL&V Dorr-Oliver Inc.
    Inventors: Jouko Kallioinen, Virendra Mody
  • Publication number: 20040195154
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flotation machine used for separating valuable ingredients, such as metal concentrates, from the rest of the material, which flotation machine comprises at least means for feeding slurry to be treated in the flotation cell into said flotation cell, means for agitating the slurry by a rotor which is to be rotated by a rotation device installed in the vertical direction of the flotation cell underneath the rotor, means for feeding air into the slurry, means for removing the material flotated in the flotation cell and means for removing material that is left non-flotated in the flotation cell. According to the invention the shaft (11, 28) of the rotor (10, 26) meant for agitating the slurry (3, 23) and for feeding air into the slurry (3, 23) and of the rotation device (12, 27) is sealed in the flotation cell (1, 21) by a mechanical sealing member (15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Heikki Oravainen, Seppo Ronkainen, Risto Jappinen, Raimo Airola, Jari Sormunen
  • Patent number: 6799683
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flotation mechanism (4) comprising a directional element (25) and vertical vanes (26) located in a flotation cell (2). The directional element is symmetrical and is fixed at the center to the lower section of the hollow shaft of the mechanism. According to the corresponding method, due to the directional element (25), which is cylindrically inclined downwards from the outer edge the flotation mechanism directs the gas-slurry suspension that is formed in a downward slanting direction towards the side wall of the cell. The mineral suspension rises upwards from the side wall towards the center of the cell, from where the flow is diverted to the edges of the cell and the froth generated is removed from the cell. Using this flotation mechanism enables a powerful agitation, extending throughout the entire mixing zone (I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventors: Seppo Jounela, Launo Lilja, Bror Nyman