SYSTEM FOR PULVERIZATION OF SOLID MATERIALS AND/OR SEPARATION OF DISSIMILAR SOLID MATERIALS

Abstract

A method of pulverizing solid material for the purpose of extracting metals which may otherwise not be recoverable and/or cost prohibitive using conventional means and processes, said method comprising the steps of: using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material; transporting the fluidized flow of solid material to an apparatus which induces a high velocity flow stream in a constricted low-pressure stream; causing a rapid acceleration on a rotational angle of the crushed solid material resulting in increased interparticle collisions and collection of solid particles; and ejecting the material at a high rate of speed from the apparatus to a focal point where the material is pulverized.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/569,280, filed on Oct. 6, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a system and method which may pulverize solid materials and separate dissimilar solid materials unto themselves or to abrasively collide solid materials in a manner that will alter the physical characteristics of the solid material and which may allow a single or any number of solids to be captured, removed, recovered, separated or otherwise segregated from other materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The capture, reuse or repurpose of solid materials and in particular the capture, reuse or repurpose of solid materials from industry waste streams is often not cost-effective due to the extent of process required to capture the materials, often related to high energy and infrastructure cost requirements and the many variables that make consistency in composition of the waste streams impractical to manage and often leading to inabilities of systems to maintain a consistent level of performance. The environmental and sometime economic impact of such recycling processes can often exceed the costs and environmental impact of new materials.

In particular, the extent of effort and cost which may be incurred with normal means and methods to separate solid materials comprising of a waste and/or to segregate a single or any number of solids comprising a waste material may be difficult and expensive. Additionally, such waste may include product or material which may be valuable or reusable if it were possible to reduce the size of the material waste and enable a user to separate and clean the material in a cost-effective manner.

In particular lands with contaminated solids may have negative effects on the environment, the property, other properties or bodies of water which are difficult and expensive to remove or reclaim in a manner consistent with safety and environmental regulations. Additionally, there may be significant recovery value to the land or other lands if it were possible to separate and clean the material in a cost-effective manner or there may be a requirement to prevent environmental damage which may be caused by the presence of such materials in the lands and it is required to be removed to mitigate any such negative effect.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for methods and system which may capture, renew and/or repurpose or eliminate materials in industrial waste streams, preferably with minimal energy and infrastructure requirements, and which further can be accommodated on a consistent, sustainable and efficient manner that may provide the user capacity to reduce environmental footprints.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for methods and system which may capture, remove, or recover materials which may be unrecoverable, unrecoverable in a cost effective manner, or normally disposed as waste, preferably with minimal energy and infrastructure requirements, and which further can be accommodated on a consistent, sustainable and efficient manner that may provide the user capacity to recover valuable minerals from waste piles which may have been generated in any number of industries.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and system to clean, separate, pulverize and segregate solids, particularly in methods and systems to treat industrial waste streams having a solid material contaminated or associated with another solid material. Preferably, the treatment results in substantially clean, segregated or pulverized materials which may be acceptable and/or industry standard acceptable for reuse and or disposition as intended by a user. Operational costs to the user may be reduced through the diversion of disposal or retained holding of waste products. As a result, environmentally sustainable methods to manage solid based waste products may be possible.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pulverizing solid materials such as refractored ore for the purpose of extracting precious metals which may otherwise not be recoverable and/or cost prohibitive with normal industry means and methods comprising one or more of the following steps of:

• • a) using air, or as may be required by the user, air and a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid materials;
  • b) transporting the fluidized flow of solid material to an apparatus which induces high velocity flow streams in a constricted low-pressure stream to cause a result of rapid acceleration on a rotational angle of the materials which may result in interparticle collisions and collection of solid particles and eject the materials at a high rate of speed from the apparatus to a focal point which is a point which is the same point as a similar apparatus is ejecting a similar fluidized flow of the same type of material and in a directly opposing direction; and
  • c) using an apparatus which may aid the opposing material flows to abrasively collide and impact which may cause the particulates to break apart into smaller particulates and which may cause the particles to remain suspended in a low-pressure zone until particulate sizes as may be desired can be attained; and
  • d) using a system of fluidized floatation and classification cells to isolate, segregate, and capture a solid particulate material and or a series of solid particulates which may be desired by the user.
  • e) applying a magnetic and or eddy currents on solids for the purpose of separation of dissimilar solid materials by either weight, size, type or other.
  • f) purifying certain precious metals and which may separate and isolate some precious metals which are in an alloy form.
  • g) filtering and conditioning to capture the air and/or gas which passes through the various systems and apparatuses, for the purpose of removing particulates and reconditioning the air and/or gas to be recycled back into the process.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pulverizing solid material for the purpose of extracting metals which may otherwise not be recoverable and/or cost prohibitive using conventional means and processes, said method comprising the steps of:

• • a) using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material;
  • b) transporting the fluidized flow of solid material to an apparatus which induces a high velocity flow stream in a constricted low-pressure stream;
  • c) causing a rapid acceleration on a rotational angle of the crushed solid material resulting in increased interparticle collisions and collection of solid particles;
  • d) ejecting the material at a high rate of speed from the apparatus to a focal point where the material is pulverized.

Preferably, said focal point is a shared focal point of a second apparatus performing substantially the same function from an opposite direction.

Preferably, the gas used to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid materials is selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, air and a combination thereof.

Preferably, the apparatus may aid the opposing material flows to abrasively collide and impact which may cause the particulates to break apart into smaller particulates and which may cause the particles to remain suspended in a low-pressure zone until particulate sizes as may be desired can be attained.

Preferably, the method further comprises a system of fluidized floatation and classification cells to isolate, segregate, and capture a solid particulate material and or a series of solid particulates which may be desired by the user.

Also preferably, the method further comprises an apparatus which may imply magnetic and or eddy currents on solids for the purpose of separation of dissimilar solid materials by either weight, size, type or other.

Preferably, the method further comprises an apparatus that may aide to purify certain precious metals and which may separate and isolate some precious metals which are in an alloy form.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pulverizing solid materials for the purpose of extracting metals which may otherwise not be recoverable and/or cost prohibitive using conventional means and processes, said method comprising the steps of:

• • using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material;
  • introducing said fluidized flow of material into a high-velocity accelerator, where said high-velocity accelerator is adapted to impart an increase in the velocity of the materials introduced therein;
  • expanding the volume of the fluidized flow of material introduced into the high-velocity accelerator without diminishing the velocity of the material;
  • entraining said expanded fluidized flow of material through injection of a gas at high pressure towards an outlet port located in the high-velocity accelerator; and
  • focusing the entrained fluidized flow onto a pre-determined point located proximate the outlet port of the high-velocity accelerator, where the material will collide with itself.

Preferably, the high-velocity accelerator comprises:

• • an internal chamber;
  • a material inlet port;
  • a material outlet port;
  • a back wall surrounding the inlet port; an internal wall having a first end connected to the back wall and a second opposite end tapering to the outlet port, the first end being located proximate the inlet port and the second end being located proximate the outlet port;
  • a plurality of injection ports positioned along the periphery of the internal wall proximate the first end;
    wherein said inlet port having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the internal chamber, and the injection ports are adapted to inject at a high rate of displacement a gas which, in operation, will create a vortex inside the internal chamber thereby entraining said material towards the outlet port.

Preferably, the step of entraining the expanded fluidized flow further comprises imparting a concentric movement to the entrained fluidized flow towards the outlet port of the high-velocity accelerator.

Preferably also, the imparting a concentric movement to the entrained fluidized flow is performed by injecting the gas through the injection ports at angle offset from a straight line between the outlet port and an injection port.

Preferably, the method further comprises a system of filtration and conditioning apparatuses which may capture the air and/or gas which passes through the various systems and apparatuses, for the purpose of removing particulates and reconditioning the air and/or gas to be recycled back into the process.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid-free method of extracting ore from waste material from mining operations, said method comprising:

• • using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid waste material;
  • transporting the fluidized flow of solid material to a first high-velocity accelerator apparatus;
  • imparting a high velocity to the fluidized flow of solid material in a constricted low-pressure stream to cause a result of rapid acceleration on a rotational angle of the materials resulting in interparticle collisions and collection of solid particles; and
  • ejecting the materials at a high rate of speed from the apparatus to a focal point.

Preferably, said focal point is a shared focal point with that of a second apparatus performing substantially the same function from an opposite direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pulverizing solid materials for the purpose of extracting metals from small granular material, said method comprising the steps of:

• • using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material;
  • introducing said fluidized flow of material into a high-velocity accelerator, where said high-velocity accelerator is adapted to impart an increase in the velocity of the materials introduced therein;
  • expanding the volume of the fluidized flow of material introduced into the high-velocity accelerator without diminishing the velocity of the material;
  • entraining said expanded fluidized flow through injection of a gas at high pressure towards an outlet port located in the high-velocity accelerator; and
  • focusing the entrained fluidized flow onto a pre-determined point located proximate the outlet port of the high-velocity accelerator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings form part of the specification and are included to further demonstrate certain embodiments or various aspects of the invention. In some instances, embodiments of the invention can be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in combination with the detailed description presented herein. The description and accompanying drawings may highlight a certain specific example, or a certain aspect of the invention. However, one skilled in the art will understand that portions of the example or aspect may be used in combination with other examples or aspects of the invention:

FIG. 1 shows a process flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section an apparatus than may generate high velocity acceleration of particles to a central focal point in opposing directions;

FIG. 3 shows schematically physical forces imparted on fluidized solids in the first step of separation;

FIG. 4 shows schematically physical forces imparted on fluidized solids in the second step of separation;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a high-velocity accelerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows an apparatus with means and methods which may cause the separation of some metal alloys; and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic describing the physical changes in the state of certain materials resulting from the use of the apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, certain terms have the meanings defined below. All other terms and phrases used in this specification have their ordinary meanings as one of skilled in the art would understand.

The present invention relates to methods and systems of cleaning solids to be free of, or separating solids from, other solids, such as, but not limited to, foreign debris, clays, silts, precious metals, minerals, plastic, rubber, glass, mixed and bonded solid materials, metals, silica sand and/or other aggregates. The solids may comprise any solid such as clays, silts, precious metals, minerals, plastic, rubber, glass, mixed and bonded solid materials, metals, silica sand and/or other aggregates, or other particulate solids, or mixtures thereof, regardless of the source of the solid.

It is believed that the primary industry segments which may benefit from use of the invention include mining waste products from the mining industry, the e-waste industry, recycling industry other than e-waste, metal foundry industry, frac sand industry, aggregate extraction and processing industry, metal processing industry, other industries which may benefit from high velocity particulate movement and/or where there may be a requirement to reduce the size of a solid particulate.

In the implementation of a preferred embodiment of the process according to the present invention, systems and methods are operated as a batch process or a continuous flow-through process, either as a fully mobile or semi-mobile implementation, or in a permanently installed facility, may be incorporated into various applications within an industry as it may be applied effectively and efficiently to the primary, secondary, tertiary or other point in the processing solid materials and may be applied to recover valuable solid materials that may have been lost in the user processing means and methods and/or to reduce the waste output that may normally occur with normal operation of the user processing means and methods.

The application of the invention may be incorporated into various applications within the industrial, commercial and private retail user market.

The application of the invention can be incorporated at any number of process volume rates and may be incorporated in both permanently located and mobile or semi-mobile processes in any applicable application.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, systems and methods are operated as a batch process either as a fully mobile or semi-mobile implementation, or in a permanently installed facility. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, systems and methods are operated as a continuous flow-through process, either as a fully mobile or semi-mobile implementation, or in a permanently installed facility. Systems may be scalable to suit a required application capacity as defined by the user and has the capacity to operate with no change in effectiveness of process at efficiency ranges of 10% to 100% and further with any variation of proportion of solid particles parts.

The effectiveness and process of the system is not dependent on the introduction or use of chemical aids or surfactants, although there may be applications where chemical use is desired to modify a specific intended result. The system may be configured to incorporate the introduction of chemicals as required or desired by the user, at different entry points in the process.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may encourage mechanically induced chemical reactions which assist in the separation of various materials from each other. These chemical reactions may be naturally occurring by mechanical induction and do not produce any substantial negative or by-product based residual effect at any point in the process, or by the end of the process.

Variations of embodiments of the invention process can be applied to any number of applications and associated industries. Though configuration of the invention may vary to include supportive or additional user required classification and or treatment of materials, the primary sequence of the process is integral and constant for its intended purpose of material medium separation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, some solid materials may have solid fine particles or other contaminants.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid materials may have a content of moisture and in some circumstances the user may be required to reduce the amount of moisture in the material.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it may be beneficial to the user to pretreat the solid material with a solution which may impregnate the solid material to aid in achievement of a desired outcome.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention of a system that is intended to be a permanent facility-based application comprises one or more of the following components, which are described herein below by their function: High Velocity Accelerator (HVA) (as illustrated in FIG. 5); Colloidal Classifier; Fluidized Gravity Separation Cell (as illustrated in FIG. 3); Fluidized Conveyance Separator (as illustrated in FIG. 1); Ferrous and

Non-Ferrous Materials Separator (as illustrated in FIG. 1); and Alloy Bond Separation System).

High-velocity accelerator HVA (also referred to as the STERN reactor system)

In an implementation of the apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as part of a process, a material slurry enters the STERN reactor system (HVA), which induces a state which reduces effects of gravity and friction and generates a highly turbulent flow state of the suspension while simultaneously applying energy to create shear forces and vacuum states which act on the various components of the suspension, which encourages rapid separation of the various components of the suspension.

Entry of material into the HVA during operation results in a pressure drop and rapid increase in the velocity of the suspension equally to the medium as a singular mass, but imparts specific and different actions to the individual medium components. As a result, the HVA outputs a high-energy material flow, which assists in maintaining separation as it passes to a subsequent separator or settlement treatment system.

The HVA may separate individual materials from each other and flow them forward as a bulk mass however, individual material components will flow as individual masses and at different velocities within the bulk mass. The variation of velocities may be dependent on the temperature, pressure and specific densities of each of the individual materials.

Vacuum states may form areas of space within the apparatus which may be void of liquid and/or solid materials such as in areas like, the core of the conical flow and/or in the area above the jet stream and between the jet stream an inner conical surface of the apparatus, as depicted in FIG. 5. As a result of the high energy cavitation forces imparted to the system by the high velocity water streams, the particles in suspension will collide with each other, particularly at the apex (9) of the vortex where the particles will have concentrated, as shown schematically in FIG. 5. The collisions occur with sufficient energy to fracture weaker state particles. All particles will undergo surface rounding, increasing the sphericity of the individual particles and the compressive strength of the bulk mass. Individual particles will undergo directional changes, rotational velocity and momentum changes as they accelerate, collide and are compressed in the vortex.

As the solid particles are buffeted in the vortex, contaminants, which adhere to the particles' surfaces, are dislodged. As such, contaminants will typically be less dense, they will migrate outwards and move with the liquid mass. Clay particles such as bentonite or other porous and or adherent type contaminants are also dislodged and flow freely in the liquid mass. Slag type materials are also dislodged but may become entrapped in the flow of other solids and can be separated, if desired, in secondary treatments.

Generally, components with higher density will concentrate in the center of the vortex, while lighter density components will migrate to the outer zones. Materials that may vaporize in the apparatus process may condense at points of the process where there is an increase in pressure to a point where the state of vacuum is no longer sufficient to maintain the material in a vaporized state.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at some points in the process of using the apparatus the increase in pressure may be sufficient to cause all vaporized liquids to condense. In some cases, materials that vaporize into a gaseous state may not condense as pressure increases. Notwithstanding any theory the conclusion is specific to specific physical characteristics and properties of some materials. At a point where vaporized materials condense, the action will generate an effect commonly referred to by persons skilled in the art, as a “water hammer”. The term “water hammer” is not intended to describe an effect specific to water and may describe different materials condensing. Notwithstanding any theory, it is believed the effect of “water hammer”, occurring at points where there may be a rapid compression and deceleration of materials, may produce either supersonic and/or subsonic shockwaves as depicted in FIG. 5.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process can generate material velocities which are supersonic.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at a point where all materials in the apparatus process are condensed to a maximum density and at a point where the material is condensed in to the smallest flow area of the process, the total sum of the energy of the process may be imparted on the material in a forward direction. Simultaneously, shockwaves will impart forces on the material consistent with energy disbursement laws and impart forces in both, a forward direction, and away from the condensed material.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, where the material is condensed to a maximum density within the process, is the outflow point of the material from the apparatus, the forces imparting on the material may transport the materials forward in a spiral motion. Preferably, materials in the process which remain in a vaporized state may expand outwardly. Preferably also, materials in the process which are liquid and emulsified with dissolved air and/or other gaseous may expand outwardly at a rate consistent with the laws of expanding fluids and fluids with dissolved air and/or gases.

Solid materials in the materials which are condensed may have forces imparted onto the materials which propel the material forward in a spiral motion and at a velocity which may not be consistent with liquid or vapor components of the material as described in FIG. 4. Material components which may be able to disburse imparted forces may not propel forward at velocities consistent with materials which may not disburse imparted forces at the same values. Notwithstanding any theory, it is believed materials which are propelled forward at lower velocities than other materials will be imparted by centripetal forces to a greater degree than materials with more forward velocity such as solid materials. Materials moving forward at lower velocities and imparted by centripetal forces to a greater degree may continue to expand outwardly and rapidly decrease in forward velocity.

According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the inlet pipe (501) leads to an inlet transition zone where the internal diameter of the reactor increases and liquid and/or semi liquid states begin to vaporize and, in some cases, to completely vaporize. It is understood that the inlet pipe may protrude into the reactor chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention, without departing from the person skilled in the art's understanding that the back wall surrounds the inlet port.

FIG. 5 illustrates a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The material inflow pipe (501) is in fluid operational connection with the apparatus' internal apparatus chamber (502). The size and configuration of the internal apparatus chamber (502) is determined by the intended application. There is a pressurized fluid chamber (503) which is in operational fluid connection with the internal chamber (502). There is also an inlet (504) for the pressurized fluid chamber (503), the fittings of which are also determined by the requirements of the intended application. There are high pressure seals (506) found around the internal chamber (502). A gas or air inlet (505) is located in fluid operational connection to the internal apparatus chamber and is used depending on the needs and requirements of the application. The outflow pipe (507) is in fluid operational connection with the internal chamber (502). According to a preferred embodiment, an eddy current or magnetic apparatus may be located at the inflow section (508) of the apparatus. According to another preferred embodiment, an eddy current or magnetic apparatus may be located at the outflow section (509) of the apparatus. The jets (508) are aimed along the conical inner surface to create high velocity streams which collide at the apex (509) of the HVA. In one embodiment, the jets may be aimed slightly tangentially so that the high velocity streams spiral along the inner surface, creating a central vortex in the chamber. By operation of the venturi principle, a low-pressure zone is created in the central volume of the internal chamber of the HVA.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the suspension enters the inlet transition zone, it rapidly decelerates with a resultant increase in pressure and coinciding loss of pressure due to expansion of liquid materials. It is then very rapidly accelerated by the action of the high velocity water streams towards the apex (411). Thus, the suspended material is displaced into the apex by the action of the high velocity streams. Shear forces are focused at the apex (411) of the vortex and act on the solids which are concentrated there. The inventors surmise that, at an ideal point of maximum material compression or at an ideal point of expansion of the material after the point of maximum material compression, the material may have the required amount of energy imparted on a substance or body to cause displacement through a conserved level of work power and the imparted work power may be sufficient to propel and/or move a body or object in a forward direction, and/or propel and/or move the apparatus in the opposite direction of the material leaving the apparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention where two high-velocity accelerators are positioned opposite one another in order to project the material onto a common focal point. This dual HVA system allows to reach interparticle forces which achieve pulverization of material to collect metals entrapped in said granular material, such as rock.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 1, the process comprises a first step where a solid material which has been previously processed to a user defined maximum size is transported to a mixing tank where materials are easily separated from any free liquids. The solids are extracted from the tank and transported to the feeder of the HVA (100 and 102), in a closed system which should be sealed from outside atmosphere. The air scrubber is labelled as 110, the dust baghouse (105) receives material from the article separator (115) which is, itself, is operational connection with the air flotation cell (120). A fluidized bed conveyor (125) is connected to a STERN wet process assembly (150). This assembly contains an HVA (155), a pair of cyclones (160 and 161), an eductor (165). This assembly (150) is connected to a magnetic separator (170) downstream. After passing through the magnetic separator (170) the material passes through a ferrous/non-ferrous metal separator (175). The air flotation cell (120) is fluidly connected to a metal recovery unit (130) as well as a water treatment unit (145). There is a metal dryer (135) connected to another ferrous/non-ferrous metal separator (140).

FIG. 3 illustrates another part of the method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The material enters at air intake pipe (301) and the inflow chamber (305). There is an airtight screw conveyor (310) which transports the material into the chamber. Air is pumped in at (301) to create a suction draw at (311) which will be set to lift lighter particles and not heavier ones. Air from (301) fluidizes the sand and allows heavier particles to drop. Paddles (308 and 309) allow deviations in bubble pockets and helps trapped heavy materials to drop. Heavier particles to drop to the bottom where there is a collection trough (302). This is a batch process which operates in series to allow continuous flow. Once the chamber is substantially free from the light material, the heavy material will be flushed out.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a second step where air, which may be preconditioned as may be required in some applications, is transported to a inductor which draws solid materials from the closed system feed hopper and transports the solids, at a predetermined velocity at a predetermined volume of solids per hour, to the HVA inflow point.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a third step where materials entering the HVA will be imparted with a low-pressure zone which may cause the material flow to be drawn outwards and into a high velocity stream on a rotational axis towards the HVA outflow.

Preferably, the high velocity stream, which may transport materials at supersonic velocities along a rotational axis may accelerate the materials within a perimeter area which may be of low-pressure and turbulent and to the HVA outflow.

At the HVA outflow materials and gaseous materials, which may have been caused from liquid vaporization in within the high velocity and low-pressure areas of flow, may condense and may impart a sum of the energy of the flow stream on to the materials in a manner which may be substantially imparted on to the materials in a manner which would cause the materials to compress and rapidly accelerate outward in a linear forward direction.

In the implementation of a process according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, some materials may break apart at the outflow of the HVA and cause the material to become more condensed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a fourth step where materials which may be ejected from two opposing HVA's, in a condensed stream of materials, may abrasively collide at a point at or near the equal distance of the outflow of each HVA and may be transported to the point of collision at a high rate of speed within a low-pressure flow.

As may be defined by a person with knowledge in the art, the speed and flow rate of the materials may be defined in effort to determine and impart a force which may be substantially required to cause some or all of the solid materials to be broken in to smaller particles.

In some application of the method and apparatus, not all solid materials may be broken in to particle sizes which may be intended by the user during the period of initial collision, and in such circumstances may be suspended in the low-pressure area which may be turbulent in manner in areas not directly in, but surrounding the ejected material flow path which may cause additional collisions of materials and formation of smaller particles, and until such time whereas the particle size may be of a size and mass whereas the expanding air may cause a desired particle mass to rise up a column of air to a colloidal chamber point of exhaust.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a fifth step where particles of a specific or a specific range of masses, as may be desired by the user, may rise in a low-pressure flow stream in a vertical direction and to an exhaust point and into a chamber intended to, in addition to other desired effects, reduce and disburse the energy of the flow stream.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a sixth step where materials flowing from the vertical rise chamber will be transported though a ductile system to a solid fluidization and settlement (SFSC) chamber at a velocity, a pressure and a volume flow rate that shall be defined by a person experienced in the art, to cause the solid materials in the chamber and the solid materials which have been transported to the SFSC to become fluidized with air.

Fluidizing the solid materials may cause solid materials with a mass or masses above a specific mass, to settle to the base of the chamber.

Fluidizing the solid materials may promote materials less than a certain mass will be extracted from the top of the SFSC through an overflow duct system which shall be imparted with a flow of air at a velocity as may be determined by a person with knowledge in the art, to create a suction effect at a level which may be capable of extracting material particles at a desired efficiency which may be below a defined mass. FIG. 4 illustrates the fluidized bed conveyor. In the conveyor, solid materials travel at a horizontal distance in an air or gar entrained fluidized state. Light materials remain in the fluidized flow. Heavy materials sink to the bottom/base of the flow bed. Mixing paddles (408) prevent heavy particles entrapment within the flow. At (409), the light material exits to with the next conveyor or to a disposal point. At (410), heavy materials are scraped from the bottom and dropped to lower level. The same process occurs with up to element (403) but without the paddles. At (403), the light materials exit the conveyor to a disposition point. At (404) the heavy materials scraped off the bottom all the way to (405) are to be conveyed to a further processing point.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may require one or more than one SFCS which may operate concurrently to efficiently and effectively achieve a result desired by the user at a volume flow rate as may be desired by the user.

In some applications of the apparatus it may be required to have one or more than one consecutive SFCS's to efficiently and effectively achieve a result desired by the user to achieve a minimum required amount of separation of material particles by mass.

In some applications, as may be normally applied by industry, gravity separation of material particles of certain sizes and/or of certain masses by other means and methods, may be more efficient in an aqueous solution settlement tank.

In some applications, gravity separation of material particles of certain sizes and/or masses may be of a size or mass where gravity separation in an aqueous solution is not efficient and/or effective in a timely manner which would allow a continuous flow through process of an operation.

In some applications, gravity separation of material particles as accomplished in a bed of solids and fluidized with air may have limited degrees of separation of particles by mass or size however the application may provide the user the benefit of a degree of separation which is at least consistent with or better than what may be accomplished by other means and methods at a same or similar cost and in a same or similar amount of time.

In some applications, gravity separation of material particles as accomplished in a bed of solids and fluidized with air may have limited degrees of separation of particles by mass or size however the application may provide the user the benefit of a degree of separation which is deemed to be cost effective and/or in a period of time which may be consistent with the requirements of an overall continuous flow process.

In some applications gravity separation of material particles as accomplished in a bed of solids and fluidized with air may have limited degrees of separation of particles by mass or size however the limited degree of separation may be greater than and/or more cost effective than other means and methods.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a seventh step where a desired amount of lighter material particles are removed from the SFCS and where a desired maximum amount of lighter material particles are remaining in the SFCS with the material particles with a heavier mass, the materials are transported from the SFCS to a conveyance system on a horizontal plane of a designed width and distance which is designed to transport the solid material particles in a state which is fluidized with the entrainment of air and to a container for further processing.

In some applications of the apparatus the fluidized bed of solid material particles may be further agitated by mechanical means by an apparatus which may be suspended above the fluidized flow and in a manner which may assist additional gravity separation of material particles having a heavier mass.

As may be determined by a person with knowledge in the art, the volume, velocity and pressure of the air entraining the solid material particles may be designed to encourage particles of a certain mass or range of certain masses to separate and settle to the bottom of the fluidized flow.

As may be determined by a person with knowledge in the art, the width and length of the fluidized conveyance may be established in consideration to the vertical depth of the material particles and which may further be with consideration to an average mass of materials based on flow volume rates.

As may be determined by a person with knowledge in the art, the determination of the total mass per cubic volume per cubic area, may be used to determine the volume per time, pressure and velocity of air required for fluidized entrainment which may encourage material particles of a certain size and mass to settle to the base of the conveyed material flow.

As may be determined by a person with knowledge in the art, the material particles suspended in a fluidized flow may be conveyed on a bed which is on a declining slope from the material entry point to the material exit point.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises an eight step where near, and at a distance from the material particle exit point from the fluidized bed conveyance apparatus, an abrasive conveyor belt, rotating at a revolution rate designed to move materials at a rate which is greater than the flow rate of the material particle flow rate, and with a baffle located near or nearly immediately forward of the conveyor belt may cause the materials having a greater mass to be separated from the material particle flow prior to the material exit point and further to collect the greater mass materials to be transported to a container which is separate from the lighter material particles.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a ninth step where the lighter materials which are not removed from the material flow as described in the eighth step of the invention may be conveyed to a container which is separate from the heavier material particles.

In some applications of the invention, as may be required by the user, the lighter materials may be further processed to remove additional solid, chemical or other materials or contaminations.

In some applications of the invention, as may be determined by the user, lighter materials may be transported to a final disposition place by user defined means and methods that may be defined by a person with knowledge of the art.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a tenth step where the concentrated collection of heavier materials and a percentage of lighter materials are transported from a container to an apparatus which may have a capacity to gravity separate solid materials with the assistance of magnetic fields and eddy current fields with the express intent to separate material particles based on particle mass, and further by particle mass and by means of energy imparted due to a magnetic field, and/or further by means of energy imparted due to and eddy current field.

An apparatus which separates particles by mass through a means of imparting a magnetic field and/or an eddy current field may be specified to be an apparatus which may be readily available to industry and be of normal means of methods.

An apparatus which separates particles by mass through a means of imparting a magnetic field and/or an eddy current field may be specified by a person with knowledge in the art.

An apparatus which separates particles by mass through a means of imparting a magnetic field and/or an eddy current field may be specified to separate materials by mass, type or level of impedance as may be applied or imparted by a magnetic field and or further by the repulsive impartment of an eddy current field. As such material particles may be separate into separate containers by classification for further processing and/or for transportation to a container of same of similar materials and/or a point of final disposition.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises an eleventh step where a single or plurality of materials which may have been separated by classification as may be defined by the user and which may have been transported to a container of the same or similar material may be transported to an apparatus for further processing as may be defined by the user and/or a person with knowledge in the art.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, gold and gold alloys such as but not limited to electrum may be transported to an apparatus for the purpose of:

• • a) Separating the gold and silver and breaking the alloy fusion; and/or
  • b) Purifying gold; and/or
  • c) Purifying silver; and/or
  • d) Removal of impurities from a valuable metal.

For the extraction of gold for example, electrocoagulation may be used. Researchers have found that silver and gold can be successfully adsorbed on iron species produced by the electrocoagulation process. However, electrocoagulation comprises many complex chemical and physical processes. Electrocoagulation involves the production of cations electrolytically from iron and/or aluminum anodes (by oxidation). These cations will help promote the coagulation of contaminants present in a slurry. The sacrificial anodes degrade as they provide metal cations in the proximity of a corresponding anode. The cations neutralizing the anions present in solution, are transported toward the anode by electrophoresis. In a continuous-flow electrocoagulation system, the current applied to the system dictates how many cations are produced from the anodes. The current will also dictate how much electrolysis gases are evolved during the reaction (H2 is evolved at the cathode and O2 is evolved at the anode). The evolved gases are also understood to promote the flocculation of the coagulant species.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a chamber with in inflow port at one end of the chamber and an outflow port at an opposite end of the chamber.

At points and as may be defined by a person with knowledge in the art, there may be a plurality of equally spaced anodes and cathodes placed sequentially and repetitiously in a manner and configuration which would cause an aqueous solution comprising water, an acidic compound and gold and/or electrum.

The aqueous solution may have a pH level as defined by a person with knowledge in the art.

Anodes which may be placed and configured sequentially and repetitiously in the apparatus may carry a power negatively charged at a defined voltage and amperage as may be defined by a person with knowledge in the art.

Cathodes which may be placed and configured sequentially and repetitiously in the apparatus may be connected to a ground.

The aqueous solution and the pH level of the aqueous solution may cause a level of impedance between the anode and the cathode.

A person with knowledge in the art may cause the anodes and cathodes to be placed and configured in the apparatus and at a specific size and specific number of occurrences as may be required to cause the configuration of anodes and cathodes, together with the defined pH level of the aqueous solution to generate the desired level of impedance as may be required to:

• • a) Cause the electrum to separate into separately gold and silver
  • b) Cause the gold and silver to separately become purer by an action of the reaction of the apparatus which would cause dissimilar materials to separate from one another.

Valuable metals which may have been separated and purified in an apparatus may be transported from an apparatus to a container for additional sorting and processing.

Aqueous solutions which enter the apparatus and then exit the apparatus free of all or substantially all of the entrained or suspended solids may be transported to a tank which may be designed by a person with knowledge in the art, to allow any solids and/or sediments to settle to the bottom of the tank.

Aqueous solutions which flow from the settlement tank may be transported to a blending tank which may be designed to reconstitute the desired pH level as may be required and to further mix or blend additional solids such as but not limited to gold and electrum, which may then be recirculated back to the apparatus.

One of the advantages of using two reactors with solids pointed at themselves is that the force of the impact is equal to the potential energy in each moving particle in that it is imparted with a particle at equal force. The particle will explode from the center outwards. In the case of gold extraction and recovery, as the gold is captured in the iron oxidized quartz which is brittle in comparison to gold or silver, it shatters and absorbs the energy in an outward burst and reduces the impact on the gold. Implementation of this practice will reduce the time to process material, size particles in manner that is more efficient and not require a lot of mechanical processes which is what is normally used. The gold typically captured in the refactored ore is small, 30 microns and less. Thus, there is a clear need to reduce the ores to ultra-fines to get it out. The deformation of the gold in the impact will help to separate the metals from the ores.

Definitions and Interpretation

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. To the extent that the following description is of a specific embodiment or a particular use of the invention, it is intended to be illustrative only, and not limiting of the claimed invention.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims appended to this specification are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.

References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment referred to in other portions of the specification. Further, when a particular aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to combine, affect or connect such aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic with other embodiments, whether or not such connection or combination is explicitly described. In other words, any element or feature may be combined with any other element or feature in different embodiments, unless there is an obvious or inherent incompatibility between the two, or it is specifically excluded.

It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for the use of exclusive terminology, such as “solely,” “only,” and the like, in connection with the recitation of claim elements or use of a “negative” limitation. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.

The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “and/or” means any one of the items, any combination of the items, or all of the items with which this term is associated.

As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, particularly in terms of providing a written description, all ranges recited herein also encompass any and all possible sub-ranges and combinations of sub-ranges thereof, as well as the individual values making up the range, particularly integer values. A recited range (e.g., weight percent or carbon groups) includes each specific value, integer, decimal, or identity within the range. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, or tenths. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etc.

As will also be understood by one skilled in the art, all language such as “up to”, “at least”, “greater than”, “less than”, “more than”, “or more”, and the like, include the number recited, and such terms refer to ranges that can be subsequently broken down into sub-ranges as discussed above. In the same manner, all ratios recited herein also include all sub-ratios falling within the broader ratio.

Claims

1. A method of pulverizing solid material for the purpose of extracting metals which may otherwise not be recoverable and/or cost prohibitive using conventional means and processes, said method comprising the steps of:

using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material;

transporting the fluidized flow of solid material to an apparatus which induces a high velocity flow stream in a constricted low-pressure stream;

causing a rapid acceleration on a rotational angle of the crushed solid material resulting in increased interparticle collisions and collection of solid particles; and

ejecting the material at a high rate of speed from the apparatus to a focal point where the material is pulverized.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said focal point is a shared focal point with that of a second apparatus performing substantially the same function from an opposite direction.

3. The method according to claim 1, where the gas used to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid materials is selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, air and a combination thereof

4. The method according to claim 1, where an apparatus which may aid the opposing material flows to abrasively collide and impact which may cause the particulates to break apart into smaller particulates and which may cause the particles to remain suspended in a low-pressure zone until particulate sizes as may be desired can be attained; and

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a system of fluidized floatation and classification cells to isolate, segregate, and capture a solid particulate material and or a series of solid particulates which may be desired by the user.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an apparatus which may imply magnetic and or eddy currents on solids for the purpose of separation of dissimilar solid materials by either weight, size, type or other.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an apparatus that may aide to purify certain precious metals and which may separate and isolate some precious metals which are in an alloy form.

8. A method of pulverizing solid materials for the purpose of extracting metals which may otherwise not be recoverable and/or cost prohibitive using conventional means and processes, said method comprising the steps of:

using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material;

introducing said fluidized flow of material into a high-velocity accelerator, where said high-velocity accelerator is adapted to impart an increase in the velocity of the materials introduced therein;

expanding the volume of the fluidized flow of material introduced into the high-velocity accelerator without diminishing the velocity of the material;

entraining said expanded fluidized flow of material through injection of a gas at high pressure towards an outlet port located in the high-velocity accelerator; and

focusing the entrained fluidized flow onto a pre-determined point located proximate the outlet port of the high-velocity accelerator, where the material will collide with itself

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the high-velocity accelerator comprises:

an internal chamber;

a material inlet port;

a material outlet port;

a back wall surrounding the inlet port; an internal wall having a first end connected to the back wall and a second opposite end tapering to the outlet port, the first end being located proximate the inlet port and the second end being located proximate the outlet port;

a plurality of injection ports positioned along the periphery of the internal wall proximate the first end;

wherein said inlet port having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the internal chamber, and the injection ports are adapted to inject at a high rate of displacement a gas which, in operation, will create a vortex inside the internal chamber thereby entraining said material towards the outlet port.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of entraining the expanded fluidized flow further comprises imparting a concentric movement to the entrained fluidized flow towards the outlet port of the high-velocity accelerator.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the imparting a concentric movement to the entrained fluidized flow is performed by injecting the gas through the injection ports at angle offset from a straight line between the outlet port and an injection port.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a system of filtration and conditioning apparatuses which may capture the air and/or gas which passes through the various systems and apparatuses, for the purpose of removing particulates and reconditioning the air and/or gas to be recycled back into the process.

13. A method of pulverizing solid materials for the purpose of extracting metals from small granular material, said method comprising the steps of:

using a gas to create a fluidized flow of previously crushed solid material;

introducing said fluidized flow of material into a high-velocity accelerator, where said high-velocity accelerator is adapted to impart an increase in the velocity of the materials introduced therein;

expanding the volume of the fluidized flow of material introduced into the high-velocity accelerator without diminishing the velocity of the material;

entraining said expanded fluidized flow through injection of a gas at high pressure towards an outlet port located in the high-velocity accelerator; and

focusing the entrained fluidized flow onto a pre-determined point located proximate the outlet port of the high-velocity accelerator.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said focal point is a shared focal point with that of a second apparatus performing substantially the same function from an opposite direction.