GB1000717A - Process for the centrifugal separation of minerals - Google Patents

Abstract

1,000,717. Centrifugal separators. BETEILIGUNGSUND PATENTVERWALTUNGS G.m.b.H. May 8, 1964 [May 11, 1963], No. 19327/64. Heading B2P. Fine-grained minerals are separated from a slurry by means of a collecting basket 2, Fig. 1, which rotates in a stationary vessel 1 containing the slurry and is provided on its inside with grooves in which the heavier fractions of the minerals separated by centrifugal force collect, the slurry being removed from the vessel after separation while the basket is rotating after which the heavier fractions are removed from the basket. The basket is mounted on a shaft 3 driven by a motor 4 and carrying at its lower end a stirrer 5 which produces rotation of the slurry in the vessel 1. Turbulence is produced in the stream of the rotating slurry by means of vertical baffle strips 6 fixedly arranged in the vessel 1. The slurry is fed from a tank 10 through a valve 11. A 3-way cock 12 serves to close the vessel outlet 9 or to connect it via a pipe 13 to a collecting tank for the heavier fractions or via a pipe 14 to a second vessel 1 situated at a lower level thereby to feed the latter by gravity with slurry discharged from the first vessel, the pipe 14 from the second vessel being connected to a third vessel or to a collecting tank. After discharge of the slurry from the vessel and before the heavier fractions are removed from the basket, the vessel is rinsed with clear water introduced through pipes 15, 16 and nozzles 17. The rinsing water may be recirculated into the vessel by connecting the pipe 13 via a pump to a return pipe. The heavier fractions may be removed from the grooves in the basket 2 by means of a scraping tool or, as shown, by means of spray water or compressed air supplied through a pipe 18 and nozzles 19. The basket 2 may rotate at a lower speed during removal of the heavier fractions. The vessel may be rinsed out with clear water after removal of the heavier fractions and the rinsing water directed to the collecting tank for heavier fractions. In Fig. 2, two pressure vessels 20 provided with lids 22 are arranged side by side on the same level. The slurry is forced from one vessel to the other by means of compressed air fed through a valve 23. A mushroom-shaped screening body is provided over the outlet 9 to prevent compressed air being blown straight into the pipe 26. The same slurry may be fed several times to the same vessel. In a modification of Fig. 2, the vessels have no baffle strips. In a further modification, the vessels 1 or 20 may be formed with an approximately horizontal bottom 28, Fig. 4, and with a tangential outlet 29 arranged in the direction of rotation of the rotating basket 2.