A test flotation column combination system and method capable of automatically adjusting height difference

Abstract

The invention discloses a test flotation column combined system and method capable of automatically adjusting the height difference. The system comprises a roughing flotation column and several scavenging flotation columns, which are respectively equipped with a stirring barrel for feeding, each column body is respectively supported by an automatic telescopic device, and a liquid level sensor is respectively arranged on the top; the tailings discharged from the roughing flotation column are sent to the stirring barrel of the first-stage scavenging flotation column, the flotation concentrate of the first-stage scavenging flotation column is sent back to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, the flotation concentrate of each scavenging flotation column body is respectively sent back to the stirring barrel of the upper-stage scavenging flotation column, or to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, the flotation concentrate is discharged from the concentrate outlet of the roughing flotation column body, the tailings discharged from each scavenging flotation column are sequentially sent to the stirring barrel of the next-stage scavenging flotation column, and finally the tailings are discharged from the bottom outlet of the last-stage scavenging flotation column. The flotation column can maintain the dynamic stability of the liquid level and the foam layer, so as to ensure the continuous operation of the test and obtain stable test indicators.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of mineral processing, and in particular relates to a test flotation column combination system and method capable of automatically adjusting height differences. Background Art

[0002] Flotation columns have been widely used in the recycling and utilization of resources such as non-ferrous metal mines, coal mines, and non-metallic mines due to their advantages of small investment, small footprint, simple structure, and high sorting efficiency. Usually, in order to achieve the purpose of equipment selection, flotation process adjustment, reagent system improvement, and economic accounting in the ore dressing plant, it is necessary to use laboratory small flotation columns for testing to obtain indicators such as reagent dosage, product quality, and sorting efficiency. Therefore, the smooth operation of the test flotation column in the mineral sorting stage is quite necessary. Existing test flotation columns usually use rubber tubes as slurry conveying pipelines, and peristaltic pumps provide power sources for slurry conveying. The speed of the peristaltic pump on the tailing pipe is adjusted in real time through the foam layer control system to adjust the speed of tailings discharge and ensure the stability of the liquid level and foam layer.

[0003] The above system has two disadvantages:

[0004] 1. For ore systems with high pulp concentration and large fluctuations in the target mineral content in the original ore, because the test flotation column has a small processing capacity, when the target mineral content fluctuates greatly, the foam layer will fluctuate significantly, and the tailings discharge rate will vary greatly, resulting in the peristaltic pump speed on the tailings discharge pipe being fast and slow. When the peristaltic pump speed is too slow, it is easy to cause ore accumulation in the pipeline, which will continue to deteriorate and eventually form a blockage. The test cannot be carried out continuously and stable test indicators cannot be obtained;

[0005] 2. It is inevitable that there will be a small amount of coarse particles in the grinding products of the grinding workshop of the ore dressing plant. When the slurry containing such coarse particles enters the flotation column system, it is difficult for bubbles to adhere to its surface to make it float, or it is very easy to fall off during the floating process, and it is likely to sink into the tailings system. When passing through the tailing pipe equipped with a peristaltic pump, the continuous squeezing of the rubber tube by the roller causes the coarse particles to be unable to pass through and accumulate, eventually forming a blockage, or the rubber tube is ruptured due to the squeezing effect between the roller and the coarse particles, resulting in the termination of the test.

[0006] Practice has proved that when the slurry concentration is high, the target mineral content in the original ore fluctuates greatly, the ore is coarsely ground or contains a small amount of coarse particles, the flotation column uses the above system to conduct conventional flotation tests, which usually causes pipeline blockage, rubber tube rupture and other consequences. The test needs to be interrupted to clear the pipeline or replace the rubber tube, which affects the continuity of the test and cannot obtain stable test indicators. Ultimately, it is difficult to provide reliable data support for the equipment selection, flotation process adjustment and reagent system improvement of the ore dressing plant. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a test flotation column combination system and method which can overcome the above-mentioned defects.

[0008] The test flotation column combined system capable of automatically adjusting the height difference provided by the present invention adopts the following technical scheme: comprising a roughing flotation column and a plurality of scavenging flotation columns, each of which is provided with a stirring barrel to feed the column body, each column body is supported by an automatic telescopic device, and a liquid level sensor is arranged on the top of each column body; tailings discharged from the roughing flotation column body are fed into the stirring barrel of the first-stage scavenging flotation column, the flotation concentrate of the first-stage scavenging flotation column body is returned to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, the flotation concentrate of each scavenging flotation column body is returned to the stirring barrel of the upper-stage scavenging flotation column, or is returned to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, the flotation concentrate is discharged from the concentrate outlet of the roughing flotation column body, the tailings discharged from each scavenging flotation column body are sequentially fed into the stirring barrel of the next-stage scavenging flotation column, and finally the tailings are discharged from the bottom outlet of the last-stage scavenging flotation column body.

[0009] In one implementation of the above technical solution, the automatic telescopic device is one of an electro-hydraulic push rod / electric push rod / cylinder / hydraulic cylinder.

[0010] In one implementation of the above technical solution, the automatic telescopic device is an electro-hydraulic push rod.

[0011] In one implementation of the above technical solution, a bubble gun is arranged at the bottom of the column, the bubble gun is connected to a foaming machine outside the column, and a liquid level sensor is arranged at the top of the column.

[0012] In one embodiment of the above technical solution, a flow direction converter is arranged at the bottom of the inner cavity of each column corresponding to the bottom of the bubble gun, and the flow direction converter includes an outer shell, a central axis and a turning strip. The cross-section of the turning strip is a curved surface, and multiple turning strips are evenly distributed in the annular area between the central axis and the outer shell.

[0013] In one implementation of the above technical solution, a slurry pump is arranged in the mixing barrel, and an outlet pipe of the slurry pump is connected to the middle part of the column.

[0014] In one implementation of the above technical solution, the system also includes a hydraulic station, and the liquid level sensor of each column digitizes the detected liquid level height change data and feeds it back to the hydraulic station, and the hydraulic station adjusts the support height of the electro-hydraulic push rod according to the signal.

[0015] The flotation method using the above system provided by the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0016] (1) Open the bubble generator of each flotation column and introduce gas into the column through the bubble gun inside the column;

[0017] (2) Add clean water to each column until it reaches the middle of the column;

[0018] (3) Add the slurry into the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, and then add the flotation reagent and stir;

[0019] (4) The slurry pump in the stirring barrel in step (3) is operated to pump slurry into the column of the roughing flotation column, and the tailings are discharged by gravity into the stirring barrel configured for the first-stage scavenging flotation column. The concentrate is collected and analyzed or further flotated;

[0020] (5) The roughing tailings enter the first-stage scavenging flotation column for flotation, and the discharged tailings flow by gravity into the stirring barrel configured for the next-stage scavenging flotation column. The slurry pump in the stirring barrel provides slurry to the scavenging flotation column of this stage. Finally, the tailings are discharged from the last-stage scavenging flotation column, and the concentrates of each stage of scavenging flotation column are returned to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, or returned to the stirring barrel of the previous stage of scavenging flotation column. The concentrate is discharged from the pipe at the top of the column of the roughing flotation column;

[0021] (6) Continuously feed ore from the roughing mixing tank. After the system is stable and the flotation process reaches equilibrium, samples are taken from the roughing feeding mixing tank, the roughing concentrate discharge port, and the final scavenging flotation column discharge port and analyzed to judge the final flotation index of the flotation system or reagent system, and provide data and basis for subsequent industrial process transformation or reagent system update;

[0022] During the flotation process of steps (4) and (5), the hydraulic station controls the extension and retraction of the electro-hydraulic push rod according to the signal of the liquid level sensor to adjust the height of the corresponding column to ensure the stability of the liquid level and the foam layer in the column.

[0023] During the flotation process of steps (4) and (5), the hydraulic station controls the extension and retraction of the electro-hydraulic push rod according to the signal of the liquid level sensor to adjust the height of the corresponding column to ensure the stability of the liquid level and the foam layer in the column.

[0024] In the above method, when the liquid level is too high, the electro-hydraulic push rod extends to increase the height of the corresponding column to increase the column discharge speed and reduce the liquid level in the column; when the liquid level is too low, the electro-hydraulic push rod retracts to decrease the height of the corresponding column to reduce the column discharge speed and increase the liquid level in the column.

[0025] The present invention aims at the problems that the existing test flotation column is easy to block and rupture the pipeline when processing the pulp system with high slurry concentration, large fluctuation of the target mineral content in the raw ore, and coarse particles. The automatic telescopic device is used to adjust the height difference to replace the peristaltic pump to provide the power source for the slurry flow, so as to realize the gravity flow of the slurry, increase the flow direction converter, enhance the tangential velocity of the hydrophilic mineral particles, form a vortex flow, and prevent it from clogging at the discharge port. Through the organic combination of the liquid level sensor, the hydraulic station, and the automatic telescopic device, the real-time control of the height of the flotation column is realized, and the dynamic stability of the liquid level and the foam layer is maintained. The hydraulic push rod is used to adjust the height difference to replace the traditional peristaltic pump to provide the power source, overcome the technical difficulties that the discharge flow in the tailings pipeline is unstable and easy to cause blockage, and fundamentally eliminate the problem of the rubber tube rupture due to the squeezing effect between the peristaltic pump roller and the coarse particles, ensure the continuous conduct of the test, and obtain stable test indicators, and finally provide reliable data support for the equipment selection, flotation process adjustment, and reagent system improvement of the ore dressing plant. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 1 is an enlarged top view of the flow direction converter in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the test flotation column combination system with automatic height adjustment disclosed in this embodiment includes two flotation columns connected in series, one of which is a roughing flotation column A, and the other is a scavenging flotation column B. The height of the base platform 1 for installing the roughing flotation column A is greater than the height of the base platform for installing the scavenging flotation column B.

[0029] The column 2 of the roughing flotation column A is supported and fixed by a hydraulic push rod 8 on the base platform 1, and is equipped with a mixing barrel 3. A slurry pump 4 is arranged in the mixing barrel 3. The middle of the column 2 is connected to the outlet of the slurry pump through a slurry inlet pipe 10, and the end of the slurry inlet pipe 10 extends into the column 2. The support of the mixing barrel 3 is not shown in the figure, and can be handled according to the actual situation. The slurry pump 4 works to send the roughing slurry in the mixing barrel 3 into the column 2 through the slurry inlet pipe 10.

[0030] A foaming gun 7 is installed at the lower part of the inner cavity of the column 2, and the foaming gun 7 is connected to a bubble generator 6 outside the column through a pipeline.

[0031] A liquid level sensor 5 is installed at the upper part of the inner cavity of the column 2 , and a data transmission line of the liquid level sensor is connected to an electronically controlled hydraulic station 9 located on the basic platform 1 .

[0032] The hydraulic push rod 8 is connected to the electronically controlled hydraulic station 9 via a hydraulic pipeline.

[0033] A downwardly inclined concentrate pipe 11 is arranged at the top of the column 2, and a flow direction converter 14 is arranged at the bottom.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the flow direction converter 14 includes a shell 141, a central axis 142 and a steering bar 143. The cross section of the steering bar is a curved surface, and a plurality of steering bars are evenly distributed in the annular area between the central axis and the shell.

[0035] The internal and external configuration of the scavenging flotation column B is the same as that of the roughing flotation column A. In order to avoid unclear views, the structure and configuration marks of the scavenging flotation column B are omitted.

[0036] The bottom outlet of the primary flotation column sends the tailings to the scavenging mixing barrel configured for the scavenging flotation column B through the tailings pipeline 12.

[0037] The concentrate in the concentrate pipeline 11 at the top of the scavenging flotation column B is returned to the roughing mixing barrel configured for the roughing flotation column A through a peristaltic pump.

[0038] The final tailings pipe discharge port at the bottom of the scavenging flotation column is fixed to ensure that the height of each tailings pipe discharge port remains unchanged.

[0039] It is obvious that the two sets of flotation columns in this system are connected in series to form a closed-loop circulation system.

[0040] The flotation process of the above system is as follows:

[0041] 1. Turn on the two bubble generators 6, and introduce gas into the inner cavity of the two columns 2 through the foaming guns 7, and then add clean water to the middle of the two columns to prevent the slurry from being directly injected and causing the tailings pipeline to be blocked. Then put the slurry material in the roughing mixing barrel 3, add the activator, inhibitor, collector and other flotation agents required for roughing, and after stirring by the stirring device, pump it into the column 2 of the roughing flotation column A through the slurry inlet pipeline 10 by the slurry pump 4.

[0042] 2. After the minerals acted by the activator, inhibitor and collector enter the roughing flotation column A, they are affected by gravity and the buoyancy generated by the bubbles attached to the surface of the minerals. The floating and sinking of the minerals are determined by the relative magnitude of these two forces. Since the target minerals have strong surface hydrophobicity after the action of the reagents, bubbles are easily adsorbed on the surface of the target minerals and enter the foam layer to become concentrate products, while other gangue minerals have strong surface hydrophilicity after the action of the reagents. Due to the hydration, a hydration film is formed on their surface, and bubbles are difficult to adsorb on their surface. Therefore, such gangue minerals sink only under the action of gravity. After passing through the flow converter 14, the vertical movement speed of the hydrophilic mineral particles is converted into a tangential speed, forming a vortex flow, which prevents them from being blocked at the discharge port due to deposition, and finally enter the tailings pipeline 12 and are discharged to the scavenging mixing barrel.

[0043] 3. After the roughing tailings are discharged into the scavenging mixing barrel, the activators, inhibitors, collectors and other flotation agents required for scavenging are added, and after being stirred by the stirring paddle, they are pumped into the scavenging flotation column through the slurry inlet pipe by the slurry pump. After the mineralization floating, desorption and sinking processes in the scavenging flotation column, the mineral particles are divided into scavenging concentrate and scavenging tailings. The scavenging concentrate is pumped to the roughing mixing barrel through the concentrate pipe by the peristaltic pump 13, and enters the roughing flotation column A again for flotation. The concentrate is finally discharged from the concentrate pipe at the top of the roughing flotation column, and the scavenging tailings are discharged through the tailings pipe of the scavenging flotation column to become the final tailings.

[0044] 4. During the entire flotation process, due to the fluctuation of the target mineral content in the raw ore, the floating amount of the target mineral and the discharge of the gangue mineral will change, resulting in fluctuations in the liquid level and the height of the foam layer. If the liquid level is too high, the target mineral content in the concentrate product will be too low. If the liquid level is too low, the recovery rate of the target mineral in the concentrate product will be affected. Therefore, in order to obtain continuous and reliable flotation indicators, the stability of the liquid level and the foam layer must be ensured. The change of the liquid level is detected by the liquid level sensor 5, and the signal is digitized and fed back to the electronic control hydraulic station 9. The electronic control hydraulic station 9 adjusts the height of the hydraulic push rod 8 according to the signal, and the height of the flotation column changes accordingly.

[0045] 5. The specific control method of the flotation column height is as follows:

[0046] When the liquid level is too high, the liquid level sensor 5 transmits this signal to the electronically controlled hydraulic station 9, which then adjusts the hydraulic push rod 8 to rise, and the height of the flotation column also rises. As the height difference between the column height and the tailings pipe discharge port increases, the discharge speed increases, and the liquid level decreases accordingly.

[0047] When the liquid level is too low, the liquid level sensor 5 transmits the signal to the electronically controlled hydraulic station 9, which then adjusts the hydraulic push rod 8 to drop, and the height of the flotation column also drops. As the height difference between the column height and the tailings pipe discharge port decreases, the discharge speed slows down, and the liquid level rises accordingly, thereby ensuring the stability of the liquid level and the foam layer.

[0048] In other embodiments, multiple sets of scavenging flotation columns can be arranged according to actual needs. The tailings of each scavenging flotation column are sequentially sent to the stirring barrel of the next scavenging flotation column, and the concentrate is returned to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, or returned to the stirring barrel of the previous level.

[0049] The present invention aims at the problems that the existing test flotation column processes high slurry concentration, large fluctuation of the target mineral content in the raw ore, and the slurry system containing coarse particles, and the pipeline is easy to be blocked and broken. The hydraulic push rod is used to adjust the height difference to replace the peristaltic pump to provide the power source for the slurry flow, so as to realize the gravity flow of the slurry, increase the flow direction converter at the same time, enhance the tangential velocity of the hydrophilic mineral particles, form a vortex flow, and prevent it from being blocked at the discharge port. Through the organic combination of the liquid level sensor, the electronic control hydraulic station, and the hydraulic push rod, the real-time control of the height of the flotation column is realized, and the dynamic stability of the liquid level and the foam layer is maintained. The hydraulic push rod is used to adjust the height difference to replace the traditional peristaltic pump to provide the power source, overcome the technical difficulties that the discharge flow rate in the tailings pipeline is unstable and easy to cause blockage, and fundamentally eliminate the problem of the rubber tube being broken due to the squeezing effect between the peristaltic pump roller and the coarse particles, ensure the continuous conduct of the test, and obtain stable test indicators, and finally provide reliable data support for the equipment selection, flotation process adjustment, and reagent system improvement of the ore dressing plant.

Claims

1. A flotation method using a test flotation column system capable of automatically adjusting the height difference, characterized in that: The experimental flotation column combined system used includes a roughing flotation column and several scavenging flotation columns, each of which is equipped with a stirring bucket to feed the column. Each column is supported by an automatic telescopic device, and a liquid level sensor is set on the top of each column. The automatic telescopic device is an electro-hydraulic push rod. The tailings discharged from the roughing flotation column are sent to the mixing barrel of the first-stage scavenging flotation column, and the flotation concentrate of the first-stage scavenging flotation column is returned to the mixing barrel of the roughing flotation column. The flotation concentrate of each scavenging flotation column is returned to the mixing barrel of the previous-stage scavenging flotation column, or returned to the mixing barrel of the roughing flotation column. The flotation concentrate is discharged from the concentrate outlet of the roughing flotation column, and the tailings discharged from each scavenging flotation column are sequentially sent to the mixing barrel of the next-stage scavenging flotation column. Finally, the tailings are discharged from the bottom outlet of the last-stage scavenging flotation column. A bubble gun is arranged at the bottom of the column, the bubble gun is connected to a foaming machine outside the column, and a liquid level sensor is arranged at the top of the column; A slurry pump is arranged in the mixing barrel, and an outlet pipe of the slurry pump is connected to the middle part of the column; The flotation steps are as follows: (1) Turn on the foaming machine of each flotation column and introduce gas into the column through the bubble gun inside the column; (2) Add clean water to each column until it reaches the middle of the column; (3) Add the slurry into the mixing barrel of the roughing flotation column, then add the flotation reagent and stir; (4) The slurry pump in the mixing tank in step (3) works to pump slurry into the column of the roughing flotation column, and the tailings are discharged by gravity into the mixing tank configured for the first-stage scavenging flotation column. The concentrate is collected and analyzed or further flotated; (5) The roughing tailings enter the first-stage scavenging flotation column for flotation, and the discharged tailings flow by gravity into the stirring barrel configured for the next-stage scavenging flotation column. The slurry is provided to the scavenging flotation column of this stage through the slurry pump in the stirring barrel. Finally, the tailings are discharged from the last-stage scavenging flotation column. The concentrates of each stage of scavenging flotation column are returned to the stirring barrel of the roughing flotation column, or returned to the stirring barrel of the previous stage of scavenging flotation column. The concentrate is discharged from the pipe on the top of the column of the roughing flotation column; (6) Continuously feed ore from the roughing mixing tank. After the system is stable and the flotation process reaches equilibrium, samples are taken from the roughing feeding mixing tank, the roughing concentrate discharge port, and the final scavenging flotation column discharge port for analysis to judge the final flotation index of the flotation system or reagent system, providing data and basis for subsequent industrial process transformation or reagent system update; During the flotation process of steps (4) and (5), the hydraulic station controls the extension and retraction of the electro-hydraulic push rod to adjust the height of the corresponding column according to the signal of the liquid level sensor to ensure the stability of the liquid level and the foam layer in the column; When the liquid level is too high, the electro-hydraulic push rod extends, raising the height of the corresponding column to increase the column discharge speed and lowering the liquid level in the column; when the liquid level is too low, the electro-hydraulic push rod retracts, lowering the height of the corresponding column to reduce the column discharge speed and raising the liquid level in the column.

2. The flotation method of the test flotation column combined system capable of automatically adjusting the height difference as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic telescopic device is one of an electro-hydraulic push rod / electric push rod / cylinder / hydraulic cylinder.

3. The flotation method of the test flotation column combined system capable of automatically adjusting the height difference as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: A flow direction converter is arranged at the bottom of the inner cavity of each column corresponding to the bottom of the bubble gun. The flow direction converter comprises a shell, a central axis and a steering strip. The cross section of the steering strip is a curved surface. A plurality of steering strips are evenly distributed in the annular area between the central axis and the shell.

4. The flotation method of the test flotation column combined system capable of automatically adjusting the height difference as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The test flotation column combination system also includes a hydraulic station. The liquid level sensor of each column digitizes the detected liquid level height change data and feeds it back to the hydraulic station. The hydraulic station adjusts the support height of the automatic telescopic device according to the signal.

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