A transport system and method for laterite nickel ore

Abstract

This invention provides a conveying system and method for laterite nickel ore. The conveying system includes: a beneficiation unit for obtaining a target slurry of laterite nickel ore; a rheological control unit for performing rheological tests on the target slurry and calculating its physical rheological properties based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation; the optimal operating conditions include the solid content of the slurry, the flow velocity of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline; a pipeline transportation unit for transporting the slurry under the optimal operating conditions determined by the rheological control unit; and a dewatering unit connected to the output end of the pipeline transportation unit for dewatering the pipeline-transported slurry for use in a subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant. This system optimizes rheology based on the Herschel-Balkley model, enabling operation under optimal conditions, high conveying efficiency, low cost, high safety, meeting production needs, and possessing long-term economic competitiveness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of hydrometallurgical technology, specifically relating to a conveying system and method for laterite nickel ore. Background Technology

[0002] Nickel is a versatile metal renowned for its excellent mechanical and chemical properties, making it indispensable in numerous industries. Nickel exhibits outstanding corrosion resistance, especially under harsh conditions, thanks to the protective oxide layer that forms on its surface. The stainless steel industry consumes approximately 73% of nickel, with the remainder used in electric vehicle batteries, alloys, electroplating, and other applications.

[0003] Laterite nickel ore is a significant source of nickel resources, primarily distributed in tropical regions such as Indonesia and the Philippines. The mining areas and downstream processing facilities for this type of ore are typically geographically distant, making efficient and economical transportation a key challenge for the industry. Currently, pipeline transport of ore slurry is the widely adopted mainstream method, offering advantages over traditional truck transport in terms of cost and environmental friendliness.

[0004] Although pipeline transportation of slurry has been widely adopted, it still faces two major technical challenges: laterite nickel slurry is a typical non-Newtonian fluid, and its physical rheological properties directly determine the friction resistance, energy consumption, and transportation stability during pipeline transportation, which can easily lead to problems such as pipeline blockage and pressure fluctuations; the slurry after pipeline transportation needs to be dewatered, and controlling the moisture content of the resulting filter cake after dewatering has become a key challenge for subsequent processes—the moisture content of the filter cake needs to be strictly controlled to ensure the efficiency and product quality of subsequent nickel extraction processes, thereby meeting the continuous and stable requirements of industrial production.

[0005] In summary, how to effectively improve the pipeline transportation efficiency of laterite nickel ore, enhance the stability of the transportation process, and accurately control the moisture content of the filter cake after dewatering are urgent technical challenges that need to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a conveying system and method for laterite nickel ore. This invention provides a highly efficient conveying system based on the Herschel-Balkley model for rheological fitting calculations of the target slurry. This system can accurately predict and control the flow characteristics of the slurry, enabling pipeline conveying to operate under optimal conditions. It minimizes pumping power requirements, effectively avoids the risks of pipeline blockage and wear, and reduces head loss and specific energy consumption during pipeline conveying, achieving a balance between conveying efficiency and energy optimization. Furthermore, it can precisely control the moisture content of the dewatered filter cake, meeting the feeding requirements of subsequent high-pressure acid leaching processes and exhibiting good industrial-scale adaptability. In addition, this conveying system reduces environmental impact, offers high safety, achieves cost-effectiveness, and possesses long-term economic competitiveness.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a conveying system for laterite nickel ore, the conveying system comprising: The mineral processing unit is used to obtain the target slurry of laterite nickel ore.

[0008] The rheological control unit is used to perform rheological tests on the target slurry and calculate the physical rheological properties of the target slurry based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry; the optimal operating conditions include the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline.

[0009] A pipeline transport unit is used to transport slurry under the optimal operating conditions determined by the rheological control unit.

[0010] The dewatering unit, connected to the output end of the pipeline transport unit, is used to dewater the slurry transported by the pipeline for use in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

[0011] This invention provides a highly efficient conveying system based on the Herschel-Balkley model for rheological fitting calculations of the target slurry. This system can accurately predict and control the flow characteristics of the slurry, enabling pipeline conveying to operate under optimal conditions. It minimizes pumping power requirements, effectively avoids the risks of pipeline blockage and wear, and reduces head loss and specific energy consumption during pipeline conveying, achieving a balance between conveying efficiency and energy optimization. Furthermore, it can precisely control the moisture content of the dewatered filter cake, meeting the feeding requirements of subsequent high-pressure acid leaching processes and exhibiting good industrial-scale adaptability. In addition, this conveying system reduces environmental impact, offers high safety, achieves cost-effectiveness, and possesses long-term economic competitiveness.

[0012] It should be noted that the Herschel-Balkley model is a non-Newtonian fluid model that can describe shear-thinning or shear-thickening fluids with yield stress. When the shear stress τ exceeds the yield stress τ... y At this time, the shear stress and shear strain rate of this type of fluid The relation is Where K is the consistency and n is the non-Newtonian exponent, fluids satisfying this model are called Herschel-Barkley fluids. For example, the slurry provided by this invention has a consistency of 0-500 s. -1 Within the range of shear rates, it exhibits shear-thinning flow behavior with yield stress.

[0013] Preferably, the mineral processing unit includes a washing device, a screening device, a grinding device, a mineral processing device, and a thickening device connected in sequence.

[0014] In this invention, the laterite nickel ore is first subjected to hydraulic washing and mechanical dispersion to remove large particles of gravel, branches, and other impurities, resulting in a sticky fine mud, which reduces the load on subsequent processes. Secondly, the material is classified by a screening device to remove large pieces of waste rock that do not contain nickel, thus improving the grade of the material entering the mill. Subsequently, the undersize material enters a grinding unit to further reduce the particle size, and the discharged material enters a mineral processing unit to separate chromium concentrate. The tailings are then thickened to obtain the target slurry. Through these multiple steps, the solid content and particle size distribution of the target slurry can be effectively controlled, providing slurry raw materials for subsequent rheological control units and improving the accuracy and repeatability of pipeline transportation condition determination.

[0015] Preferably, the rheological control unit includes a rheological device for measuring the shear stress of the target slurry at a set shear rate to obtain a rheological curve.

[0016] In this invention, a rheological device (e.g., a rotational rheometer) is used to perform shear tests on slurry samples within a set shear rate range. The changes in shear stress with shear rate are recorded, and rheological curves are plotted. These rheological curves objectively reflect the stress response characteristics of the slurry under different flow states, providing raw data for subsequent fitting calculations based on the Herschel-Balkley model. This ensures that the yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index obtained from the fitting are accurate and reliable, guaranteeing the accuracy of determining the optimal operating conditions.

[0017] Preferably, the physical rheological properties include the yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index of the target slurry.

[0018] In this invention, yield stress characterizes the minimum shear stress that the slurry must overcome to transition from a static to a flowing state, directly affecting the pumping pressure during pipeline startup; consistency coefficient reflects the viscosity of the slurry during flow; flow index characterizes the degree to which the slurry deviates from Newtonian fluid behavior, used to determine whether it exhibits shear thinning or shear thickening behavior. By employing the Herschel-Balkley model for fitting calculations, the non-Newtonian fluid behavior of the slurry during pipeline transportation can be accurately described, thus providing a basis for determining optimal operating conditions.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for transporting laterite nickel ore, the method employing the transport system described in the first aspect, comprising the following steps: The laterite nickel ore is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry.

[0020] The target slurry was subjected to rheological tests, and its physical rheological properties were calculated based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry. The optimal operating conditions included the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline.

[0021] Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported through pipelines to the dewatering unit for dewatering, so that it can be used in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

[0022] This invention provides an efficient method for transporting laterite nickel ore. Based on the Herschel-Balkley model, this method performs rheological fitting calculations on the target slurry, accurately predicting and controlling the slurry's flow characteristics. This allows pipeline transport to operate under optimal conditions, minimizing pumping power requirements, effectively avoiding the risks of pipeline blockage and wear, and reducing head loss and specific energy consumption during pipeline transport. A balance is achieved between transport efficiency and energy optimization. Furthermore, it can precisely control the moisture content of the dewatered filter cake, meeting the feed requirements of subsequent high-pressure acid leaching processes and exhibiting good industrial-scale adaptability. In addition, this transport method reduces environmental impact, offers high safety, achieves cost-effectiveness, and possesses long-term economic competitiveness.

[0023] Preferably, in the target slurry, the mass percentage of slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm is >90%, for example, it can be 91%, 93%, 95%, 96% or 98%, etc.

[0024] This invention controls the proportion of mineral slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm to be above 90%, which enables the slurry to maintain good suspension stability during pipeline transportation, reduces the risk of sedimentation at the bottom of the pipeline caused by coarse particles and wear on the pipeline, reduces the probability of pipeline blockage, and has strong fluidity.

[0025] Preferably, in the optimal operating conditions, the solid content of the slurry is 10-30%, for example, it can be 10%, 12%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 22%, 25%, 28% or 30%, etc., preferably 15-25%.

[0026] In the optimal operating conditions obtained by this invention, the solid content is controlled at 10-30%, which can ensure the conveying efficiency and avoid insufficient conveying volume due to too low solid content, while also preventing the increase in viscosity and yield stress due to too high solid content, which would lead to increased energy consumption. At the same time, it can also reduce wear on the pipeline.

[0027] Preferably, in the optimal operating condition, the flow velocity of the slurry in the pipeline is 2-2.5 m / s, for example, it can be 2 m / s, 2.1 m / s, 2.2 m / s, 2.3 m / s, 2.4 m / s or 2.5 m / s, etc.

[0028] In the optimal operating conditions obtained by this invention, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline is controlled at 2-2.5 m / s, which can effectively maintain particle suspension and avoid increased pipeline wear and pumping energy consumption caused by excessive flow rate.

[0029] Preferably, in the optimal operating condition, the inner diameter of the pipe is 0.58-0.62m, for example, it can be 0.58m, 0.59m, 0.6m, 0.61m or 0.62m, etc.

[0030] In the optimal operating conditions obtained by this invention, the inner diameter of the pipeline is adjusted to 0.58-0.62m. This inner diameter range is compatible with the solid content and flow rate of the target slurry under optimal operating conditions, so that the slurry is in an optimized flow state during pipeline transportation, thereby effectively reducing head loss and specific energy consumption.

[0031] Preferably, the dewatering process yields a filter cake slurry with a water content ≤30wt%, such as 30wt%, 28wt%, 25wt%, 22wt%, 20wt%, or 18wt%.

[0032] Preferably, the method for transporting the laterite nickel ore includes the following steps: (1) The laterite nickel ore is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry; the mass percentage of slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm in the target slurry is >90%.

[0033] (2) In 0-500s -1 The target slurry was subjected to rheological tests within a certain shear rate range to obtain its yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index. The Herschel-Balkley model was then used for fitting calculations to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry.

[0034] The optimal operating conditions include: a solid content of slurry of 10-30%, a slurry flow velocity of 2-2.5 m / s in the pipeline, and an inner diameter of 0.58-0.62 m in the pipeline.

[0035] (3) Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported through a pipeline to the dewatering unit for filtration and dewatering to obtain a filter cake slurry with a water content of ≤30wt%.

[0036] The filter cake slurry is transported to a high-pressure acid leaching plant for use.

[0037] The numerical range described in this invention includes not only the point values ​​listed above, but also any point values ​​within the numerical ranges not listed above. Due to space limitations and for the sake of brevity, this invention will not exhaustively list all the specific point values ​​included in the range.

[0038] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention provides a highly efficient conveying system based on the Herschel-Balkley model for rheological fitting calculations of the target slurry. This system can accurately predict and control the flow characteristics of the slurry, enabling pipeline conveying to operate under optimal conditions. It minimizes pumping power requirements, effectively avoids the risks of pipeline blockage and wear, and reduces head loss and specific energy consumption during pipeline conveying, achieving a balance between conveying efficiency and energy optimization. Furthermore, it can precisely control the moisture content of the dewatered filter cake, meeting the feeding requirements of subsequent high-pressure acid leaching processes and exhibiting good industrial-scale adaptability. In addition, this conveying system reduces environmental impact, offers high safety, achieves cost-effectiveness, and possesses long-term economic competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solution of the present invention will be further illustrated below through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described are merely illustrative of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way.

[0041] The scope of this invention can be defined by lower and upper limits. The selected lower and upper limits define the boundaries of a specific range. The range defined in this way can be defined by the inclusion or exclusion of endpoints. Any endpoint can be independently selected for inclusion or exclusion, and all lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined to form new ranges. That is, any lower limit can be combined with any upper limit to form an effective range. For example, if the ranges of 60~120 and 80~110 are listed for specific parameters, it should be understood that the ranges of 60~110 and 80~120 also fall within the scope of this invention. In addition, if the minimum range values ​​1 and 2 are listed, and the maximum range values ​​3, 4 and 5 are also listed, then all ranges of 1~3, 1~4, 1~5, 2~3, 2~4 and 2~5 fall within the scope of this invention. In this invention, the numerical range "a~b" represents a shortened representation of any combination of real numbers between a and b, where a and b are both real numbers. For example, the numerical range "0~5" means that all real numbers between 0 and 5 have been fully listed in this document, and "0~5" is only a shortened representation of this set of numerical combinations. When a parameter is expressed as an integer ≥2, it is equivalent to listing positive integers that meet the requirements, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. When a parameter is expressed as an integer selected from "2~10", it is equivalent to listing any integer among 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

[0042] In this invention, "a combination of at least two" refers to a quantity greater than or equal to 2 unless otherwise specified. For example, "any one or a combination of at least two" means that any one of the listed items can be selected, or a combination of at least two of the listed items formed in a manner that does not conflict and enables the implementation of this invention. In this invention, unless otherwise specified, the features or solutions corresponding to "and / or" cover any one of two or more related listed items, as well as any and all combinations of the related listed items. The arbitrary and all combinations include any two related listed items, any more related listed items, or a combination of all related listed items. For example, "A and / or B" means a set consisting of A, B, and combinations of A and B, where "containing A and / or B" can be understood, depending on the context of the statement, as containing A, containing B, or simultaneously containing both A and B. In this invention, "optional" means that the corresponding feature, component, step or solution is not necessary, that is, it is selected from either "with" or "without". If there are multiple "optional" limitations in a technical solution, unless otherwise specified and there is no technical conflict or mutual constraint, each "optional" limitation is independent and does not affect the others.

[0043] In this invention, technical features or solutions described using open-ended terms such as "comprising" or "including" do not exclude additional non-conflicting elements beyond the listed elements unless otherwise specified. They are considered to disclose both closed-ended features or solutions consisting solely of the listed elements and open-ended features or solutions that may include additional non-conflicting elements beyond the listed elements. For example, if A includes a1, a2, and a3, unless otherwise specified, this means that A can consist only of a1, a2, and a3, or it can include other non-conflicting elements based on a1, a2, and a3. This corresponds to the disclosure of technical solutions such as "A consists of a1, a2, and a3," "A is selected from a1, a2, and a3," and "A not only includes a1, a2, and a3, but may also include other non-conflicting elements." All embodiments and optional embodiments of this invention, unless otherwise specified and without technical conflict, can be combined to form new technical solutions, and such combinations fall within the scope of this invention. The term "embodiment" as used in this invention means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment or implementation of the invention. The appearance of this phrase in various locations throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, explicitly and implicitly, that the embodiments described in this invention can be combined with other embodiments that do not conflict with the technology. The ordinal numbers "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," etc., used in the expressions "first aspect," "second aspect," "third aspect," and "fourth aspect" in this invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or quantity, nor should they be construed as implicitly specifying the importance or quantity of the indicated technical features. They serve only as a non-exhaustive enumeration and do not constitute a closed limitation on quantity.

[0044] In this invention, the order in which the steps are written in the methods described in each embodiment does not imply a strict execution order. The actual execution order of each step should be determined based on its function and possible internal logic. Unless otherwise specified, all steps of this invention can be executed in the order they are written, or in any order without technical conflict. For example, if the method includes steps (a) and (b), it means that the method may include steps (a) and (b) executed sequentially, or it may include steps (b) and (a) executed sequentially. If the method also includes step (c), then step (c) can be added to the method in any order without conflict, including but not limited to the execution order of steps (a), (b), and (c), steps (a), (c), and (b), steps (c), (a), and (b), etc.

[0045] It should be noted that the following implementation method is illustrated using the Tanamaria mining area in Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia as an example.

[0046] Example 1 This embodiment provides a conveying system for laterite nickel ore, the conveying system comprising: The mineral processing unit is used to obtain the target slurry of laterite nickel ore.

[0047] The rheological control unit is used to perform rheological tests on the target slurry and calculate the physical rheological properties of the target slurry based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry; the optimal operating conditions include the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline.

[0048] A pipeline transport unit is used to transport slurry under the optimal operating conditions determined by the rheological control unit.

[0049] The dewatering unit, connected to the output end of the pipeline transport unit, is used to dewater the slurry transported by the pipeline for use in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

[0050] The mineral processing unit includes a washing device, a screening device, a grinding device, a mineral processing device, and a thickening device connected in sequence; the rheological control unit includes a rheological device for controlling the temperature and humidity of minerals within 0-500 seconds. -1 The shear stress of the target slurry is measured within a shear rate range to obtain a rheological curve; the physical rheological properties include the yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index of the target slurry.

[0051] This embodiment, based on the aforementioned laterite nickel ore conveying system, also provides a method for conveying laterite nickel ore, the process flow diagram of which is shown below. Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps: (1) The laterite nickel ore in the Tanamaria mining area is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry; the target slurry contains 92% slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm by mass.

[0052] (2) In 0-500s -1 The target slurry was subjected to rheological tests within the range of shear rates to obtain the yield stress (i.e., 10 Pa), consistency coefficient (i.e., 0.6), and flow index (i.e., 0.6) of the target slurry. The Herschel-Balkley model was used for fitting calculations to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry.

[0053] The optimal operating conditions include: a solid content of 20% in the slurry, a slurry flow velocity of 2.3 m / s in the pipeline, and an inner diameter of 0.6 m in the pipeline.

[0054] (3) Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported to a dewatering plant through a 60-kilometer pipeline for filtration and dewatering to obtain a filter cake slurry with a water content of 28 wt%.

[0055] The filter cake slurry is transported by conveyor belt and then by sea to a high-pressure acid leaching plant for use.

[0056] Example 2 This embodiment provides a conveying system for laterite nickel ore, the conveying system comprising: The mineral processing unit is used to obtain the target slurry of laterite nickel ore.

[0057] The rheological control unit is used to perform rheological tests on the target slurry and calculate the physical rheological properties of the target slurry based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry; the optimal operating conditions include the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline.

[0058] A pipeline transport unit is used to transport slurry under the optimal operating conditions determined by the rheological control unit.

[0059] The dewatering unit, connected to the output end of the pipeline transport unit, is used to dewater the slurry transported by the pipeline for use in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

[0060] The mineral processing unit includes a washing device, a screening device, a grinding device, a mineral processing device, and a thickening device connected in sequence; the rheological control unit includes a rheological device for controlling the temperature and humidity of minerals within 0-500 seconds. -1 The shear stress of the target slurry is measured within a shear rate range to obtain a rheological curve; the physical rheological properties include the yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index of the target slurry.

[0061] Based on the aforementioned laterite nickel ore conveying system, this embodiment also provides a method for conveying laterite nickel ore, comprising the following steps: (1) The laterite nickel ore in the Tanamaria mining area is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry; the target slurry contains 93% slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm by mass.

[0062] (2) In 0-500s -1 The target slurry was subjected to rheological tests within the range of shear rates to obtain the yield stress (i.e., 4 Pa), consistency coefficient (i.e., 0.2), and flow index (i.e., 0.8) of the target slurry. The Herschel-Balkley model was used for fitting calculations to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry.

[0063] The optimal operating conditions include: a solid content of slurry of 15%, a slurry flow velocity of 2 m / s in the pipeline, and an inner diameter of 0.62 m in the pipeline.

[0064] (3) Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported to the dewatering plant through a 60-kilometer pipeline for filtration and dewatering to obtain a filter cake slurry with a water content of 29 wt%.

[0065] The filter cake slurry is transported by conveyor belt and then by sea to a high-pressure acid leaching plant for use.

[0066] Example 3 This embodiment provides a conveying system for laterite nickel ore, the conveying system comprising: The mineral processing unit is used to obtain the target slurry of laterite nickel ore.

[0067] The rheological control unit is used to perform rheological tests on the target slurry and calculate the physical rheological properties of the target slurry based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry; the optimal operating conditions include the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline.

[0068] A pipeline transport unit is used to transport slurry under the optimal operating conditions determined by the rheological control unit.

[0069] The dewatering unit, connected to the output end of the pipeline transport unit, is used to dewater the slurry transported by the pipeline for use in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

[0070] The mineral processing unit includes a washing device, a screening device, a grinding device, a mineral processing device, and a thickening device connected in sequence; the rheological control unit includes a rheological device for controlling the temperature and humidity of minerals within 0-500 seconds. -1 The shear stress of the target slurry is measured within a shear rate range to obtain a rheological curve; the physical rheological properties include the yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index of the target slurry.

[0071] Based on the aforementioned laterite nickel ore conveying system, this embodiment also provides a method for conveying laterite nickel ore, comprising the following steps: (1) The laterite nickel ore in the Tanamaria mining area is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry; the mass percentage of slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm in the target slurry is 94%.

[0072] (2) In 0-500s -1 The target slurry was subjected to rheological tests within the range of shear rates to obtain the yield stress (i.e., 30 Pa), consistency coefficient (i.e., 3), and flow index (i.e., 0.5) of the target slurry. The Herschel-Balkley model was used for fitting calculations to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry.

[0073] The optimal operating conditions include: a solid content of slurry of 25%, a slurry flow velocity of 2.5 m / s in the pipeline, and an inner diameter of 0.58 m in the pipeline.

[0074] (3) Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported to a dewatering plant through a 60-kilometer pipeline for filtration and dewatering to obtain a filter cake slurry with a water content of 27 wt%.

[0075] The filter cake slurry is transported by conveyor belt and then by sea to a high-pressure acid leaching plant for use.

[0076] Comparative Example 1 The difference between this comparative example and Example 1 is that no rheological control unit is set up, that is, step (2) is not performed. Instead, the conveying parameters are determined by empirical values: the slurry solid content is 20%, the slurry flow velocity in the pipeline is 5m / s, and the pipeline inner diameter is 0.4m.

[0077] The remaining methods and parameters are consistent with those in Example 1.

[0078] Comparative Example 2 This comparative example provides a truck-type transportation method, in which the raw laterite nickel ore, after beneficiation, is transported directly from the mining area to the high-pressure acid leaching plant by truck for subsequent use.

[0079] analyze: As can be seen from the comparison between Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, if the conveying parameters are determined solely based on empirical values, it is easy to cause a significant increase in the head loss of the pipeline, an increase in specific energy consumption, and an increase in wear on the inner wall of the pipeline due to excessive flow velocity, resulting in a decrease in conveying stability.

[0080] As can be seen from the comparison between Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, if a truck-type transportation method is used, this method requires a wide road network and infrastructure, resulting in high transportation costs, greater safety risks, more serious environmental impact, and a significantly increased possibility of ore leakage and accidents during transportation.

[0081] It should be noted that the present invention is illustrated through the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above process steps, that is, it does not mean that the present invention must rely on the above process steps to be implemented. Those skilled in the art should understand that any improvements to the present invention, equivalent substitutions of the raw materials used in the present invention, additions of auxiliary components, selection of specific methods, etc., all fall within the protection scope and disclosure scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for transporting laterite nickel ore, characterised in that, The conveying system includes: The mineral processing unit is used to obtain the target slurry of laterite nickel ore. The rheological control unit is used to perform rheological tests on the target slurry and calculate the physical rheological properties of the target slurry based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry; the optimal operating conditions include the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline. A pipeline transport unit for transporting slurry under optimal operating conditions determined by the rheological control unit; The dewatering unit, connected to the output end of the pipeline transport unit, is used to dewater the slurry transported by the pipeline for use in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

2. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein, The mineral processing unit includes a washing device, a screening device, a grinding device, a mineral processing device, and a thickening device connected in sequence.

3. The conveying system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The rheological control unit includes a rheological device for measuring the shear stress of the target slurry at a set shear rate to obtain a rheological curve. And / or, the physical rheological properties include the yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow index of the target slurry.

4. A method for transporting lateritic nickel ore, characterized in that, The conveying method employs the conveying system as described in any one of claims 1-3, and includes the following steps: Laterite nickel ore is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry; The target slurry was subjected to rheological tests, and its physical rheological properties were calculated based on the Herschel-Balkley model to determine the optimal operating conditions for pipeline transportation of the target slurry. The optimal operating conditions included the solid content of the slurry, the flow rate of the slurry in the pipeline, and the inner diameter of the pipeline. Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported through pipelines to the dewatering unit for dewatering, so that it can be used in the subsequent high-pressure acid leaching plant.

5. The method for transporting laterite nickel ore according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the target slurry, the mass percentage of slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm is >90%.

6. The method for transporting laterite nickel ore according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, In the optimal operating conditions, the solid content of the slurry is 10-30%, preferably 15-25%.

7. The method for transporting laterite nickel ore according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that, Under the optimal operating conditions, the flow velocity of the slurry in the pipeline is 2-2.5 m / s.

8. The method for transporting laterite nickel ore according to any one of claims 4-7, characterized in that, In the optimal operating condition, the inner diameter of the pipe is 0.58-0.62m.

9. The method for transporting laterite nickel ore according to any one of claims 4-8, characterized in that, The dewatering process yields a filter cake slurry with a water content ≤30wt%.

10. The method for transporting laterite nickel ore according to any one of claims 4-9, characterized in that, The method for transporting the laterite nickel ore includes the following steps: (1) The laterite nickel ore is beneficiated to obtain the target slurry; in the target slurry, the mass percentage of slurry particles with a particle size of less than 41.61 μm is >90%; (2) Rheological test is performed on the target ore pulp in a shear rate range of 0-500 s -1 to obtain the yield stress, consistency coefficient and flow index of the target ore pulp, and fitting calculation is performed based on the Herschel-Bulkley model to determine the optimal working condition of the target ore pulp for pipeline transportation; The optimal operating conditions include: a solid content of slurry of 10-30%, a slurry flow velocity of 2-2.5 m / s in the pipeline, and an inner diameter of 0.58-0.62 m in the pipeline. (3) Under the optimal operating conditions, the target slurry is transported through a pipeline to the dewatering unit for filtration and dewatering to obtain a filter cake slurry with a water content of ≤30wt%; The filter cake slurry is transported to a high-pressure acid leaching plant for use.

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