Tailing field damming test system and method for small and medium-sized tailings ponds

Abstract

The invention discloses a tailing field damming test system and method for small and medium-sized tailing ponds, and belongs to the technical field of tailing pond damming field tests. The system comprises an ore pulp collecting and discharging system for collecting ore pulp and collecting the ore pulp to an ore pulp closed discharging facility; the ore pulp concentration adjusting system is used for injecting purified water into a concentration dilution facility through a purified water drawing device and distributing the purified water to a test chute through a concentration distribution device; and the damming test testing system is used for simulating the environment to rapidly solidify the ore pulp and synchronously collecting deposition parameters and samples. The problems that traditional damming test concentration adjustment is complex, the period is long, and the manual error is remarkable are solved. According to the system, negative-pressure collection and homogenization treatment of all-region tailing pulp are achieved through the ore pulp collecting and discharging system, the ore pulp concentration is accurately controlled through the ore pulp concentration adjusting system, the ore pulp is transferred to multiple chutes in a split-flow mode, and rapid solidification of the ore pulp, automatic data collection and sample packaging are completed in combination with the damming test system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tailings dam construction field testing technology, specifically to a system and method for on-site tailings dam construction testing of small and medium-sized tailings dams. Background Technology

[0002] Metal tailings contain high concentrations of toxic heavy metals, sulfides, and other substances, and are typically deposited in tailings ponds in slurry form. With the development of mineral processing technology, the number of fine-grained tailings and high-density tailings dams is rapidly increasing. The soft, weak beaches formed by fine-grained tailings deposits are characterized by low bearing capacity, poor drainage, and easy clogging of the seepage system. High water content and high compressibility result in significant coupling effects between the dam's physical field, seepage field, and deformation field, seriously threatening the dam's stability. According to specifications, upstream tailings dam construction requires dam testing when the slurry concentration is >35% or the fine particle content exceeds the standard. However, current testing methods have three shortcomings:

[0003] Inefficient concentration adjustment: Adjusting slurry concentration within the same tailings dam is complex, time-sensitive, and easily interferes with normal tailings discharge operations;

[0004] The testing cycle is lengthy: the tailings in the chute need to be allowed to solidify naturally for several days before the testing personnel can enter to collect data;

[0005] Significant data errors: The experiment requires simultaneous analysis of multiple parameters such as concentration, moisture content, density, and flow rate, which results in large errors and low efficiency due to manual operation.

[0006] High-concentration tailings transport can reduce energy consumption and save costs, but it shortens the length of the sedimentation beach and raises the wetting line, causing coarse particles to concentrate in front of the dam while fine particles diffuse, weakening the stability of the dam. Low-concentration transport, while beneficial for dam construction, increases operating costs. This contradiction is particularly prominent in newly built large tailings dams, and it is urgent to determine the optimal discharge concentration through field tests to balance safety and economy. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a system and method for on-site tailings dam construction testing of small and medium-sized tailings ponds, which significantly shortens the test cycle, precisely controls the slurry concentration, achieves rapid solidification and automated data acquisition, effectively solves the problems of low efficiency and large error in traditional dam construction tests, meets the requirements of precision and high efficiency in fine-grained tailings dam construction tests, and solves the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] A test system for on-site tailings dam construction of small and medium-sized tailings ponds includes:

[0010] The slurry collection and discharge system is located in the area in front of the tailings dam. It collects slurry throughout the area through negative pressure slurry collection devices and sloped drainage pipes and gathers it into the slurry closed discharge facility. The slurry is then homogenized by a slurry mixing device.

[0011] The slurry concentration adjustment system is connected to the slurry closed discharge facility. It is used to inject purified water into the concentration dilution facility through the water purification extraction device, dynamically adjust the slurry to the target concentration through the water slurry stirring device, and then divert it to the test sluice through the concentration distribution device.

[0012] The dam construction test system is deployed inside the test chute to simulate the rapid solidification of mineral slurry in the environment, and simultaneously collects physical parameters of the sedimentary beach and encapsulates samples.

[0013] Preferably, the negative pressure slurry collection device has a trumpet-shaped structure and is installed at the bottom of the tailings discharge pipe, with a collection range covering the entire tailings dam area; the negative pressure discharge pipe connects the negative pressure slurry collection device and the slurry closed discharge facility with a 5% slope; the slurry mixing device is located inside the slurry closed discharge facility and has a rotation speed of 5 revolutions / s.

[0014] Preferably, the water purification device is connected to an external water source and the water purification flow rate is digitally controlled; the rotation speed of the slurry mixing device is 5 revolutions / s; the concentration setting device is an adjustable three-way pipe used to switch the slurry discharge to different test chutes.

[0015] Preferably, the dam construction test system includes a slurry solidification facility, a data acquisition device, a data analyzer, and a sample collector. The slurry solidification facility is used to simulate sunlight and weathering environment and completes slurry solidification within 5 minutes. The data acquisition device is used to detect the slope, density, and water content of the sedimentary beach in real time. The data analyzer is used to automatically generate physical parameter change curves and transmit them to the terminal. The sample collector has built-in vacuum packaging to preserve solidified samples for laboratory retesting.

[0016] A test method for on-site tailings dam construction of small and medium-sized tailings ponds, based on a test system for on-site tailings dam construction of small and medium-sized tailings ponds, includes the following steps:

[0017] Step 1: Divide the area in front of the tailings dam into 5 equidistant zones, 4 of which are slurry collection zones and 1 is a test zone;

[0018] Step 2: The entire slurry is diverted into the closed slurry discharge facility through a negative pressure drainage pipe at a 5% slope.

[0019] Step 3: Start the slurry mixing device to eliminate the dispersion of slurry components;

[0020] Step 4: Inject digitally controlled flow purified water into the concentration dilution facility. After the concentration is adjusted by the water slurry mixing device, the water is diverted to the target test chute through the concentration distribution device.

[0021] Step 5: Start the slurry solidification facility to simulate the natural environment. After 5 minutes of solidification, simultaneously execute the following: the data acquisition device obtains the physical parameters of the sedimentary beach; the data analyzer generates curves and comparison charts; and the sample collector vacuum seals the solidified sample.

[0022] Preferably, for step two, the burial depth of the negative pressure drainage pipe is 1m to 10m.

[0023] Preferably, for step four, the slurry concentration adjustment range is 20%~45%, and the concentration distribution device supports the diversion and transfer of the same batch of slurry to ≤3 test chutes.

[0024] Preferably, for step five, each dam construction test system is deployed at 10m intervals along the test channel to simultaneously collect data from the head, middle and tail of the sedimentary beach and generate a slope change gradient map.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0026] 1. This invention offers high experimental precision, effectively reducing the dispersion of experimental results and significantly improving the accuracy of on-site dam construction tests. The slurry concentration adjustment system can quickly adjust the concentration of the previously collected tailings slurry through stirring, ensuring precise and accurate slurry concentration during dam construction tests.

[0027] 2. The present invention has high testing accuracy and fast testing speed. During the on-site dam construction test, it can quickly solidify slurries of different concentrations, quickly conduct tests on tailings moisture content, density, etc., and perform data analysis and collect test samples through slurry solidification facilities, data acquisition devices, data analyzers and sample collectors.

[0028] 3. This invention conforms to the general principles of on-site dam construction tests, complies with relevant specifications, has high safety and reliability, is low-cost and will not cause other safety hazards in the later stage, and can meet the needs of on-site dam construction tests for rapid slurry collection, slurry concentration adjustment, test data processing and data analysis. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a system flowchart of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall layout of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the slurry collection and discharge system of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slurry concentration adjustment system of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the dam construction test system of the present invention.

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Negative pressure slurry collection device; 2. Negative pressure drainage pipe; 3. Slurry closed drainage facility; 4. Slurry mixing device; 5. Water extraction device; 6. Slurry mixing device; 7. Concentration setting device; 8. Concentration dilution facility; 9. Slurry solidification facility; 10. Data acquisition device; 11. Data analyzer; 12. Sample collector; 13. Test chute; 14. Tailings dam. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] To address the problems of long testing cycles, large errors, and complex operations associated with traditional tailings dam construction, this embodiment provides the following technical solution:

[0037] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 When the tailings dam construction test begins, the test slurry is first collected by the negative pressure slurry collection device 1, and then discharged to the slurry closed discharge facility 3 through the negative pressure discharge pipe 2. After being mixed evenly by the slurry mixing device 4, it is discharged into the test chute 13 and the data is analyzed by the dam construction test system.

[0038] The negative pressure slurry collection device 1 uses fine natural filter material. These devices are distributed in a roughly parallel pattern in the area in front of the tailings dam, with a total of four devices deployed throughout the tailings dam. Additional devices can be added as needed based on the existing conditions of the tailings dam. This allows for efficient negative pressure collection of the test slurry in a short time. One end of the negative pressure slurry collection device 1 is funnel-shaped, providing a wide collection range.

[0039] All negative pressure drainage pipes 2 are made of PPR material, which is lightweight and has good heat resistance. They are 40mm in diameter and of varying lengths, determined by the axial length of the tailings dam. The negative pressure drainage pipes 2 are laid out from the perimeter of the tailings dam to the slurry concentration adjustment system at a 5% slope. Each section of the negative pressure drainage pipe 2 is connected to the negative pressure slurry collection device 1 and the slurry closed drainage facility 3.

[0040] The slurry mixing device 4 is located within the closed slurry drainage facility 3. The slurry mixing device 4 continuously mixes the test slurry collected within the closed drainage facility 3 by stirring, with a rotation speed of 5 revolutions / s. This reduces the rapid settling and solidification of the tailings slurry, thus minimizing experimental errors.

[0041] The slurry closed-loop discharge facility 3 has an open and close valve that controls whether the test slurry flows into the slurry concentration regulating device and the flow rate of the test slurry into the slurry concentration regulating device, thus effectively controlling the test progress.

[0042] Please see Figure 3 The negative pressure slurry collection device 1 is located at the bottom of different tailings discharge pipelines, and the other end of the negative pressure slurry collection device 1 is connected to the negative pressure discharge pipe 2. The negative pressure discharge pipe 2 is a circular pipe structure, which is set under the tailings pile in the dam, with a burial depth of about 1m to 10m. The other end of the negative pressure discharge pipe 2 is connected to the slurry closed discharge facility 3. The slurry closed discharge facility 3 is located at the top of the chute built in the dam during the on-site dam construction test of the tailings in the small and medium-sized tailings dam.

[0043] The purified water intake device 5 is located on one side of the slurry closed-loop discharge facility 3. This device is actually for holding purified water and can purify the water in real time, providing a certain clarification effect. The purified water intake device 5 is connected to the on-site tap water pipe and can also be replenished manually to adjust the concentration of the test slurry. The purified water intake device 5 has a certain reverse filtration effect, preventing the test slurry from flowing into it.

[0044] Please see Figure 4 After the slurry mixing device 4 has mixed the test slurry evenly, it is discharged into the slurry concentration regulating device through the slurry closed discharge facility 3.

[0045] The purified water intake device 5 is located in the concentration dilution facility 8 and serves as a container for purified water. When the water slurry mixing device 6 is working, it effectively discharges the clarified purified water into the concentration dilution facility 8 at a uniform speed. The flow rate and velocity of the discharged purified water can be adjusted by a numerical control device.

[0046] The water slurry mixing device 6 is evenly distributed inside the concentration dilution facility 8, and rotates at a speed of 5 revolutions / s. It has the effect of uniformly mixing the purified water discharged from the purified water intake device 5 with the slurry discharged from the closed slurry discharge facility 3 into the test slurry, thereby achieving the expected concentration of the test slurry.

[0047] One end of the concentration dilution facility 8 is connected to the concentration distribution device 7. The other end of the concentration distribution device 7 contains an open pipe, the direction of which can be adjusted in real time by a CNC device to align its port with the center of the test sluice's starting point. The test slurry, after being thoroughly mixed with the purified water discharged from the purified water extraction device 5, is then discharged into the test sluice. The concentration distribution device 7 can effectively adjust the discharge rate of the test slurry.

[0048] Please see Figure 5The dam construction test system is evenly distributed in the same test chute 13. Each test chute 13 has a total of ten dam construction test systems. The spacing between different dam construction test systems is the same, and the spacing length is determined according to the length of the test chute 13 and the test requirements. Each dam construction test system is equipped with a slurry solidification facility 9, a data acquisition device 10, a data analyzer 11, and a sample collector 12.

[0049] The test sluice 13 is sloped and discharges from top to bottom, allowing the test slurry to flow evenly from top to bottom. The dam construction test system is located at different positions in the test sluice 13, which can measure the test slurry data at different test distances.

[0050] The slurry solidification facility 9 is located inside the dam construction test system. It has the effect of rapidly solidifying the test slurry, with a solidification time of approximately 5 minutes. Since tailings slurry requires 2-3 days to solidify after discharge, the slurry solidification facility 9 contains a simulated natural environment of sunlight and weathering, enabling rapid solidification of the test slurry to a testable state and effectively shortening the test cycle.

[0051] After the test slurry is solidified by the slurry solidification facility 9, the data acquisition device 10 can quickly perform test analysis on the solidified test slurry. Specific test items can be formulated according to the needs of the on-site test. The sample collector 12 can quickly perform test analysis on the solidified test slurry. It contains a vacuum packaging bag, which can effectively collect the sample by vacuum packaging. Test personnel can conduct further laboratory tests on the test samples in the sample collector 12 according to the test needs.

[0052] After the data acquisition device 10 collects the test data of the test slurry, the data analyzer 11 processes and optimizes the test data. The data analyzer 11 can automatically generate simulated curves and comparison bar charts from the test data and automatically send the processed results to the computer.

[0053] Working Principle: This system is designed for on-site dam construction tests of small and medium-sized tailings dams. Its core components include a slurry collection and discharge system, a slurry concentration adjustment system, and a dam construction test system. First, the area in front of the tailings dam is divided into five equally spaced zones, four for slurry collection and one for testing. The slurry collection and discharge system uses a negative pressure slurry collection device 1 with a funnel-shaped structure to collect tailings slurry from different zones, covering the entire area. A negative pressure discharge pipe 2, buried at a depth of 1m-10m with a 5% slope, guides the slurry to a closed discharge facility 3. A slurry mixing device 4 rotates at a rate of 5 revolutions / s within the closed discharge facility to ensure homogenization of the slurry and eliminate component dispersion caused by sedimentation. This stage achieves efficient negative pressure collection and preliminary treatment of the tailings slurry.

[0054] The slurry concentration adjustment system is connected to the closed-loop slurry drainage facility. It receives purified water from an external water source or manually via a purified water extraction device 5, with flow rate digitally controlled. The slurry mixing device 6 rotates at a rate of 5 revolutions / s within the concentration dilution facility 8, thoroughly mixing the slurry and purified water to precisely adjust the concentration to the target range. The concentration distribution device 7 uses a three-way directional pipeline to divert the adjusted slurry to different test chutes 13, supporting efficient transfer of the same batch of slurry to multiple chutes and reducing the workload of the experiment. The dam construction test system is deployed within the test chutes 13, with each system set every 10m along the chutes, covering the head, middle, and tail sections. The slurry solidification facility 9 simulates sunlight and weathering environments, completing slurry solidification within 5 minutes. The data acquisition device 10 monitors the slope, density, and water content of the sedimentary beach in real time. The data analyzer 11 automatically generates change curves and transmits them to the terminal. The sample collector 12 has a built-in vacuum packaging bag to seal the solidified samples for laboratory retesting. The entire testing process achieves simultaneous execution of slurry solidification, data acquisition, and sample preservation.

[0055] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0056] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A test system for on-site tailings dam construction of small and medium-sized tailings ponds, characterized in that, include: The slurry collection and discharge system is located in the area in front of the tailings dam (14). It collects slurry throughout the area through the negative pressure slurry collection device (1) and the slope guide pipe (2) and gathers it into the slurry closed discharge facility (3). The slurry is then homogenized by the slurry mixing device (4). The slurry concentration adjustment system is connected to the slurry closed discharge facility (3) and is used to inject clean water into the concentration dilution facility (8) through the clean water extraction device (5), dynamically adjust the slurry to the target concentration through the water slurry stirring device (6), and divert it to the test sluice (13) through the concentration distribution device (7). The dam construction test system is set up in the test sluice (13) to simulate the rapid solidification of slurry in the environment and to collect physical parameters of the sediment beach and encapsulate samples simultaneously.

2. The on-site dam construction test system for small and medium-sized tailings ponds according to claim 1, characterized in that, The negative pressure slurry collection device (1) has a trumpet-shaped structure and is installed at the bottom of the tailings discharge pipe, covering the entire tailings pond area; the negative pressure discharge pipe (2) connects the negative pressure slurry collection device (1) and the slurry closed discharge facility (3) with a 5% slope; the slurry stirring and mixing device (4) is located inside the slurry closed discharge facility (3) and has a rotation speed of 5 revolutions / s.

3. The on-site dam construction test system for small and medium-sized tailings ponds according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water purification device (5) is connected to an external water source and the water purification flow rate is adjusted by digital control; the rotation speed of the water slurry mixing device (6) is 5 revolutions / s; the concentration distribution device (7) is an adjustable three-way pipe used to switch the slurry discharge to different test chutes (13).

4. The on-site dam construction test system for small and medium-sized tailings ponds according to claim 3, characterized in that, The dam construction test system includes a slurry solidification facility (9), a data acquisition device (10), a data analyzer (11), and a sample collector (12). The slurry solidification facility (9) is used to simulate sunlight and weathering environment and complete slurry solidification within 5 minutes. The data acquisition device (10) is used to detect the slope, density, and water content of the sedimentary beach in real time. The data analyzer (11) is used to automatically generate physical parameter change curves and transmit them to the terminal. The sample collector (12) has built-in vacuum packaging to preserve solidified samples for laboratory retesting.

5. A method for on-site tailings dam construction test of small and medium-sized tailings dams, implemented based on the on-site tailings dam construction test system of any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Divide the area in front of the tailings dam (14) into 5 equidistant areas, 4 of which are slurry collection areas and 1 is a test area; Step 2: The slurry from the entire area is diverted into the slurry closed discharge facility (3) through the negative pressure drainage pipe (2) at a 5% slope. Step 3: Start the slurry mixing device (4) to eliminate the dispersion of slurry components; Step 4: Inject numerically controlled flow purified water into the concentration dilution facility (8), and after the concentration is adjusted by the water slurry mixing device (6), it is diverted to the target test chute (13) through the concentration distribution device (7). Step 5: Start the slurry solidification facility (9) to simulate the natural environment. After solidification for 5 minutes, the following actions are performed simultaneously: Data acquisition device (10) to obtain the physical parameters of the sedimentary beach; Data analyzer (11) to generate curves and comparison charts; Sample collector (12) to vacuum seal and solidify the sample.

6. The method for on-site tailings dam construction test of a small to medium-sized tailings dam according to claim 5, characterized in that, As described in step two, the burial depth of the negative pressure drainage pipe (2) is 1m~10m.

7. The method for on-site tailings dam construction test of a small to medium-sized tailings dam according to claim 6, characterized in that, As described in step four, the slurry concentration adjustment range is 20%~45%, and the concentration distribution device (7) supports the diversion and transfer of the same batch of slurry to ≤3 test chutes (13).

8. The method for on-site tailings dam construction test of a small to medium-sized tailings dam according to claim 7, characterized in that, As described in step five, each dam construction test system is set up at 10m intervals along the test chute (13) to simultaneously collect data from the head, middle and tail of the sedimentation beach and generate a gradient map of slope change.

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