A self-suction flotation machine

Abstract

The application discloses a self-suction type flotation machine. The barrel is internally arranged with a stirring device and a self-suction device. The stirring device comprises a stirring vane and a stirring shaft. The stirring vane is fixedly arranged at one end of the stirring shaft. The stirring shaft drives the stirring vane to rotate under the drive of a driving mechanism, thereby completing the stirring of the ore pulp in the barrel. The stirring vane comprises a plurality of symmetrically arranged annular paddles. The cavities of the annular paddles are arranged at an angle with the rotating surface. The self-suction device is arranged on the stirring shaft. The outer wall of the barrel is provided with a liquid level observation device. The outer wall of the barrel opposite to the liquid level observation device is provided with an overflow groove. The foam formed by the ore pulp flows out from the overflow groove. The application effectively solves the problems of the self-suction type flotation machine, such as insufficient air suction amount, difficult control of bubble diameter, small specific surface area, difficult adjustment of air suction amount, low flotation efficiency, difficult liquid level measurement and the like. The flotation efficiency of the self-suction type flotation machine is effectively improved, and the energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of flotation equipment, specifically a self-priming flotation machine. Background Technology

[0002] In a flotation machine, after the slurry has been treated with reagents, it is agitated and aerated, causing some mineral particles to selectively adhere to the air bubbles and float to the surface of the slurry, where they are scraped off to form a froth product. The remaining particles remain in the slurry, thus achieving the purpose of mineral separation. There are many structural forms of flotation machines, the most common being the self-priming flotation machine. Other types include aerated flotation machines and aerated agitated flotation machines.

[0003] In conventional self-priming flotation machines, the aeration and agitation of the slurry are accomplished by an impeller and a custom-designed mechanical agitator. This type of machine is an externally aspirated self-priming flotation machine, typically using an upper gas intake system, meaning air is drawn in near the mechanical agitator at the bottom of the flotation cell. Conventional flotation machines draw in air by creating negative pressure through tip turbulence, which is then agitated into the slurry by the impellers, breaking the air into small bubbles. This working principle requires intense collisions between the impeller and the slurry, resulting in complex working conditions for the impeller and cover plate. The intense collisions between the gas-liquid two-phase mixture and the impeller and cover plate necessitate that the impeller material possess excellent impact resistance, wear resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance. Bubbles are generated on the surface of the slurry, leading to low bubble generation efficiency and insufficient air volume. Furthermore, because the bubbles are often relatively large with a low specific surface area, mineral adhesion efficiency is low, ultimately affecting flotation efficiency. Additionally, the complex transmission system typically results in high power consumption and significant wear. In contrast, aerated agitated flotation machines use external air supply, which, while providing sufficient air volume, requires an external air compressor, resulting in higher energy consumption. Aerated flotation machines have a more complex structure, smaller processing capacity, and are prone to clogging of the flotation column pores and uneven distribution of concentrate powder in the slurry. They are also too difficult to maintain and repair. Therefore, this type of flotation machine is rarely used in industrial settings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a self-priming flotation machine based on the existing technology. This application provides the following technical solution:

[0005] A self-priming flotation machine includes a cylinder. An agitator and a self-priming device are arranged inside the cylinder. The agitator includes an impeller and an agitator shaft. The impeller is fixedly mounted at one end of the agitator shaft. Driven by a drive mechanism, the agitator shaft rotates the impeller to agitate the slurry inside the cylinder. The impeller includes multiple symmetrically arranged annular blades, with the cavities of the annular blades forming a certain angle with the plane of rotation. The self-priming device is mounted on the agitator shaft for aeration of the slurry inside the cylinder. A liquid level observation device is provided on the outer wall of the cylinder for observing the level of the slurry inside the cylinder. An overflow trough is formed on the outer wall of the cylinder opposite the liquid level observation device, from which foam formed by the slurry flows out.

[0006] Preferably, the annular blade comprises two curved blades connected at the tail end of the curved section, and the blades gradually narrow from the head to the tail end.

[0007] Preferably, the included angle is between 30° and 50°.

[0008] Preferably, the self-priming device includes an air chamber, an air pipe, and a self-priming pipe. The air chamber is tubular and sleeved on the stirring shaft. The inner wall of the air chamber does not contact the stirring shaft. The air pipe is arranged radially on the outer wall of the air chamber and communicates with the air chamber to form an air intake channel. The air pipe is provided with at least one air inlet, and a self-priming pipe is provided at the air inlet.

[0009] Preferably, the air pipe is provided with one air inlet located at the end of the air pipe, or the air pipe is provided with two or more air inlets arranged from the end of the air pipe toward the stirring shaft.

[0010] Preferably, the self-priming pipe is a three-way structure with a small diameter in the middle and large diameters on both sides. The middle pipe is connected to the air pipe, and the openings on both sides are used for the inflow and outflow of slurry.

[0011] Preferably, the opening is provided with a mesh structure.

[0012] Preferably, the cylinder is provided with a cover plate, one end of the air chamber is fixed to the cover plate and communicates with the atmosphere, and the center of the cover plate is provided with a through hole through which the stirring shaft passes.

[0013] Preferably, the liquid level observation device includes an observation hood, a slurry inlet pipe, a baffle, and a trough. The observation hood is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the cylinder and communicates with the inner wall of the cylinder through the slurry inlet pipe. The slurry inlet pipe is inclined, and a baffle is installed on the upper part of the slurry inlet pipe. The baffle is installed on both sides adjacent to the position of the slurry inlet pipe and is offset from the inner wall of the observation hood, and is inclined downward at a certain angle. When a trace amount of mineral powder enters, it can settle and slide down to the bottom trough position. A trough is opened at the bottom of the observation hood, and a gate is installed in the trough. When the mineral powder is deposited too high, the gate can be opened to discharge the mineral powder into the tailings trough.

[0014] Preferably, the cylinder is provided with a first flow stabilizing structure and a second flow stabilizing structure. The first flow stabilizing structure is a flow stabilizing channel provided at the opening of the overflow channel. The second flow stabilizing structure includes a hanging rod and a flow stabilizing plate. The hanging rod is fixed to the inner wall of the cylinder, and the flow stabilizing plate is inclinedly fixed to the hanging rod. The flow stabilizing plate is covered with holes.

[0015] Preferably, a false bottom is provided at the bottom of the cylinder.

[0016] Working principle of the invention:

[0017] In this invention, the slurry enters the flotation machine through a slurry inlet pipe. A portion of the slurry passes through the inlet pipe into the liquid level observation device, maintaining it flush with the liquid level inside the flotation cylinder for easy monitoring of the liquid level. Because the inlet pipe is tilted and faces upwards, any bubbles generated during flotation that accidentally enter the inlet pipe will float back into the cylinder due to buoyancy, preventing the bubble layer from affecting the observation surface. The liquid level observation device contains two sets of opposing baffles. After the slurry flows in through the water channel, even if the liquid inside the cylinder experiences some turbulence during flotation, most of the resulting kinetic energy is absorbed by the baffles, resulting in a relatively stable observation surface. The external power source drives the main shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the impeller and air intake device. Due to the annular design of the blades, most of the tip flow flows downwards along the connecting surface of the blades. The slurry does not fly out along the blade tips and impact the cylinder wall in large quantities; instead, the vortex generated by the impeller is distributed throughout the entire impeller, reducing unnecessary turbulence. Since tip vortices are a significant source of energy consumption, the annular blade impeller is more energy-efficient and quieter than traditional impellers at the same rotational speed. Furthermore, the annular blade impeller has a larger liquid intake area than ordinary impellers, resulting in better slurry circulation and promoting mineralization and uniform distribution of mineral powder. During the mixing process, the slurry changes in velocity due to the change in cross-sectional size as it passes through the self-suction pipe, creating negative pressure. Air enters the air pipe through the air chamber and mixes in the self-suction pipe before being sprayed into the slurry. The mesh structure at the pipe opening further cuts the bubbles, facilitating the generation of smaller, more uniform bubbles. Compared to traditional flotation machines, the resulting bubbles have a larger specific surface area, increasing the area for concentrate adhesion. Because bubbles are continuously generated directly at different points in the lower part of the slurry, their distribution is more uniform and they are less prone to merging. Concentrate is more likely to adhere to the bubbles. The generated bubbles circulate with the impeller-shaped agitation of the slurry, and float to the surface after fully adhering to the minerals. After the energy absorption of the flow stabilizing baffle, the upper slurry can maintain a relatively stable state, which is conducive to the scraper removing the bubbles.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0019] 1) The use of annular blade impeller reduces unnecessary turbulence, saves more energy and reduces noise at the same speed. The annular blade impeller has a larger liquid suction area, which can form better slurry circulation and promote the mineralization and uniform distribution of mineral powder.

[0020] 2) The self-priming device is supported and fixed by the cover plate. When the impeller is working, the liquid flow rate in the self-priming tube changes to form a negative pressure, which in turn draws air from the air tube to form continuous bubbles. The bubbles are more evenly distributed and cut into uniformly sized bubbles by the energy mesh structure.

[0021] 3) The self-priming device can adjust the air intake by changing the diameter and number of self-priming tubes, making it more widely applicable;

[0022] 4) The installation of the liquid level observation tank can effectively avoid the influence of turbulence inside the cylinder and the two-phase surface of the bubble layer and the liquid layer on the liquid level observation.

[0023] 5) By combining the self-priming system with the paddles, the process of generating bubbles by the turbulent impact of the blade tip on the cover plate, which is required by traditional self-priming flotation machines, is solved, which greatly reduces the strength requirements of the stirring and self-priming components and reduces manufacturing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a self-priming flotation machine.

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Top view.

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Sectional view A-A in the diagram.

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The B-B sectional view in the diagram.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the self-priming device and the stirring device.

[0030] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Cross-sectional view.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the self-priming tube and the airway.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a top view of the cylinder.

[0033] Figure label:

[0034] 1. Cylinder body; 2. Stirring device; 3. Self-priming device; 4. Liquid level observation device.

[0035] Overflow trough-101, scraper-102, flow stabilizing trough-103, hanging rod-104, flow stabilizing baffle-105, slurry inlet pipe-106, tailings pipe-107, false bottom-109, tailings trough-108;

[0036] Impeller-201, Main shaft-202;

[0037] Air chamber - 301, air tube - 302, self-suction tube - 303, cover plate - 304, opening formed at the cover plate - 305, opening of the self-suction tube - 306, connecting tube - 307;

[0038] Slurry inlet pipe - 401, baffle plate - 402, tailings trough opening - 403. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0040] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 8 As shown, the self-priming flotation machine provided in this embodiment includes a cylinder 1, a stirring device 2, a self-priming device 3, and a liquid level observation device 4.

[0043] The cylinder 1 is designed with an overflow trough 101, which allows foam to flow out when scraped by the scraper 102. A flow stabilizing trough 103 is provided at the outlet of the overflow trough to help stabilize the flow of foam. A hanging rod 104 is connected to the cylinder wall, on which a flow stabilizing baffle 105 is placed at an angle. The flow stabilizing baffle is covered with small holes to facilitate water flow. The angled placement of the flow stabilizing baffle can simultaneously consume longitudinal and transverse turbulence, keeping the slurry in the upper part of the device relatively stable and facilitating the scraper to remove air bubbles. The cylinder 1 is provided with a slurry inlet pipe 106 for introducing slurry and a tailings pipe 107 for discharging residual tailings. A false bottom 109 is provided at the bottom of the cylinder 1 to form a tailings trough 108 for collecting tailings.

[0044] The stirring device 2 includes an impeller 201 and a main shaft 202. The main shaft 202 is driven by an external power source to rotate with the impeller, thus completing the stirring. The impeller blades are designed with an irregular structure, similar to a ring-shaped blade structure with double-layered blade tips connected (e.g., ...). Figure 5 The annular impeller consists of two curved blades connected at the tail, with the angle between the upper and lower blades between 30° and 50°. The cavity of the annular impeller forms a certain angle with the rotating surface. Due to the annular design, the slurry does not fly out along the impeller tip and impact the cylinder wall in large quantities. Instead, the vortex generated by the impeller is distributed throughout the entire impeller, reducing useless turbulence. Since the tip vortex is a significant source of energy consumption, the annular impeller structure is more energy-efficient and quieter than traditional impellers at the same rotational speed. Furthermore, the annular impeller structure has a larger liquid intake area than ordinary impellers, which can form better slurry circulation and promote the mineralization and uniform distribution of mineral powder.

[0045] The self-priming device 3 includes: an air chamber 301, an air pipe 302, and a self-priming pipe 303. The air chamber 301 and the cover plate 304 are connected. The cover plate prevents external dust and debris from entering and supports the air-priming device. An opening 305 is formed in the cover plate for air intake. A pipe is provided in the middle of the cover plate for the main shaft 202 to pass through, and the inside of the pipe does not contact the main shaft (e.g., ...). Figure 6The air tubes 302 are radially distributed and connected to the air chamber. Several air inlets are arranged at the bottom of the air tubes. In this embodiment, multiple air inlets are arranged to obtain the maximum linear velocity and thus improve the air intake efficiency. If multiple inlets are arranged, they are arranged from the end of the air tube towards the air chamber. The self-suction tube 303 is designed with a large diameter on both sides and a small diameter in the middle. Openings 306 on both sides are used for the slurry to enter and exit, creating a flow rate difference. Preferably, a mesh-like woven material, such as stainless steel mesh or nylon mesh, can be wrapped around the openings 306 to further cut the air bubbles. A connecting tube 307 is arranged in the middle of the self-suction tube to connect the self-suction tube 303 and the air tubes 302. Preferably, the connection port between the connecting tube 307 and the air tube 302 can be designed as a detachable interface, such as a threaded interface or a snap-fit ​​interface, for replacing different models of self-suction tubes 303 or directly sealing them to adjust the air intake.

[0046] The liquid level observation device 4 includes: a slurry inlet pipe 401, a baffle plate 402, and a tailings trough opening 403. The liquid level observation device 4 is connected to the outer wall of the cylinder 1 and communicates with it through the slurry inlet pipe 401. The slurry inlet pipe 401 is placed at an angle to allow the slurry inside the cylinder 1 to enter the liquid level observation device 4. The baffle plate 402 is placed on both sides of the liquid level observation device 4 and has liquid channels (e.g., ...). Figure 4 The baffles 402 are staggered and tilted downwards at a certain angle. When trace amounts of mineral powder enter, they can settle and slide to the bottom of the trough, stabilizing the slurry in the observation device. The bottom of the connection surface between the liquid level observation device 4 and the cylinder has a tailings trough 403, which is equipped with a gate. When the mineral powder deposition is too high, the gate can be opened to discharge the mineral powder into the tailings trough 108.

[0047] By controlling the ore dressing machine to an effective volume of 4m³ 3 Slurry feed rate 3m 3 Under the conditions of 225 r / min, impeller diameter 620 mm, and impeller speed 225 r / min, a comparative test was conducted between a conventional flotation machine and the flotation machine of the present invention, and the following results were obtained:

[0048]

[0049] Note: 1. Bubble diameter only accounts for about 80% of the data.

[0050] 2. Concentrate recovery rate = (Concentrate grade * Concentrate yield) / Ore grade * 100%

[0051] 3. Mineral processing efficiency = Concentrate recovery rate - Concentrate yield * 100%

[0052] This embodiment has the following advantages:

[0053] 1. The use of annular blade impellers reduces unnecessary turbulence, resulting in lower energy consumption and noise at the same rotational speed. The annular blade structure of the impeller provides a larger liquid intake area, which can create better slurry circulation and promote the mineralization and uniform distribution of mineral powder.

[0054] 2. The self-priming system can continuously generate microbubbles at different points within the slurry, resulting in more uniform and consistent bubble formation. This reduces the likelihood of bubble merging and prevents the loss of attached concentrate. It avoids the problem of large bubble diameter differences and easy merging common in traditional flotation machines.

[0055] 3. Traditional flotation technology often only allows for adjusting the air intake by changing the impeller speed. If the impeller speed is too high, it causes surface turbulence, affecting mineral processing; if it is too low, the air intake is insufficient. The self-priming method provided by this invention offers a larger air intake. Compared to the small number of bubbles formed by surface slapping, it directly forms bubbles within the slurry, which is more efficient. Furthermore, the air intake can be adjusted by changing the type or number of self-priming pipes, making it suitable for mineral processing operations of different types.

[0056] 4. Compared with traditional flotation technology, adding a liquid level observation tank can effectively avoid the influence of turbulence inside the tank and the two-phase surface of the bubble layer and the liquid layer on the liquid level observation, so as to observe the liquid level height more accurately and reduce the difficulty of liquid level measurement.

[0057] 5. Traditional flotation technology involves complex air intake devices and numerous mechanical transmission components, which are prone to equipment damage and have high maintenance costs. Furthermore, the method of creating turbulence through impellers to form bubbles places extremely high demands on the strength of the impeller and air intake structure materials. In contrast, the transmission structure of this invention is simple, with low mechanical loss. Because it does not require the formation of intense turbulence at the bottom of the slurry, it has lower requirements for material strength and lower manufacturing costs.

[0058] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A self-aspirating flotation machine comprising a tank, characterized in that: The cylinder is equipped with a stirring device and a self-priming device. The stirring device includes a stirring impeller and a stirring shaft. The stirring impeller is fixedly mounted at one end of the stirring shaft. Driven by a driving mechanism, the stirring shaft rotates the stirring impeller to stir the slurry inside the cylinder. The stirring impeller includes multiple symmetrically arranged annular blades, with the cavities of the annular blades forming an angle of 30°-50° with the plane of rotation. The self-priming device is mounted on the stirring shaft and includes an air chamber, an air pipe, and a self-priming pipe. The air pipe has at least one air inlet, and a self-priming pipe with a central diameter is located at the air inlet. The cylinder has a small, two-way, large-diameter three-way structure with a central pipe connected to an air pipe and openings on both sides. A mesh structure is installed at the openings. A liquid level observation device is installed on the outer wall of the cylinder. An overflow trough is opened on the outer wall of the cylinder opposite the liquid level observation device. The foam formed by the slurry flows out from the overflow trough. The liquid level observation device includes an observation hood, a slurry inlet pipe, a baffle, and a trough opening. The observation hood is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the cylinder and communicates with the inner wall of the cylinder through the slurry inlet pipe. The slurry inlet pipe is inclined and a baffle is installed on the upper part of the slurry inlet pipe. The baffle is installed on both sides adjacent to the location of the slurry inlet pipe and is staggered and inclined on the inner wall of the observation hood.

2. A self-aspirating flotation machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The annular blade consists of two curved blades connected at the tail.

3. A self-aspirating flotation machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air chamber is tubular and sleeved on the stirring shaft. The inner wall of the air chamber does not contact the stirring shaft. The air pipe is arranged radially on the outer wall of the air chamber and communicates with the air chamber to form an air intake channel.

4. A self-priming flotation machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The trachea is provided with an air inlet, which is located at the end of the trachea.

5. A self-aspirating flotation machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cylinder is provided with a cover plate, one end of the air chamber is fixed to the cover plate and communicates with the atmosphere, and the center of the cover plate is provided with a through hole through which the stirring shaft passes.

6. A self-aspirating flotation machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The observation cover has a slot at the bottom, and a gate is installed in the slot.

7. A self-aspirating flotation machine according to claim 6, characterized in that The cylinder is provided with a first flow stabilizing structure and a second flow stabilizing structure. The first flow stabilizing structure is a flow stabilizing channel set at the opening of the overflow channel. The second flow stabilizing structure includes a hanging rod and a flow stabilizing plate. The hanging rod is fixed to the inner wall of the cylinder, and the flow stabilizing plate is inclined and fixed on the hanging rod. The flow stabilizing plate is covered with holes.

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