Accelerated sedimenter

Abstract

The present application relates to a method and device for treating mine tailings. The invention discloses a method and device for working with high flows of mine tailing pulp, said pulp being formed by a liquid part and ground rock, which is classified into sands, silts and clays according to its granulometry. The method and device of the invention separates the solid part from the liquid part in a continuous process, recovers and separately delivers the elements of the solid part that react to magnetic fields, have a greater specific weight and the clays in water and sterile sands separately. The method and device of the invention is referred to as an accelerated sedimenter because it operates with acceleration fields that are greater than gravity.

Description

[0001] ACCELERATED SEDIMENTER

[0002] DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

[0003] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] This innovation relates to a process and device called an accelerated settler because it operates at accelerations greater than the force of gravity, with high performance, and continuously separates the solid from the liquid portion of a mixture.

[0005] Specifically, the field of application favors any industrial process that requires dehydration, but highlighting the work for large volumes of mixture as it is in the Sanitary and it can be used in active, passive and abandoned tailings dams in Mining, where the device has the characteristic of working continuously and autonomously with a self-cleaning process, moving large volumes and separately recovering elements with commercial and strategic value from the waste, which generates a benefit of high environmental and commercial impact.

[0006] In active tailings, it is possible to incorporate the accelerated settling system directly into the tailings treatment with a transition process that does not affect the plant.

[0007] In passive or abandoned tailings, it is possible to incorporate the accelerated settler directly into the tailings treatment, where it must always be fed with tailings in a fluid state (concentration 45% by weight). This means incorporating between 10% and 20% of water into the system to again recover between 80% and 90% of the water and reintegrate it back into the process in a circular economy.

[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The Accelerated Sedimentator device is a device designed to separate mixtures composed of solids and liquid, very suitable for tailings in the mining industry, being a complex technical object when structuring and integrating several technologies, making them compatible and functional to an objective: linear synchronous motor, levitation with powerful magnetic fields, ultrasound, magnetic fields to attract or repel elements, electric fields with direct current, high frequency immersion vibrators, which in combination act for a common function which is to separate solids from liquids, to this integration working together, new elements developed for this purpose have been incorporated and are part of this innovation, these elements are: VC Cylinder Valves with relative displacement, FLA filter self-cleaning blade retainer, BAI induction drag sweepers, DS diffuser for both expulsion and drying of the solid,Cartridge-type CC conveyor belts and sliding CD conveyor belts. The integration of all these elements as a whole makes this innovation possible to obtain a technology that works jointly, continuously, and autonomously, with both operation and maintenance control projected remotely and automatically. The device is designed to move large volumes of tailings pulp. Depending on the characteristics of the tailings and the valuable elements that need to be recovered, its performance can fluctuate between [20,000 to 35,000] tons / day.

[0010] The procedure and device "Accelerated settler" was designed to break down the pulp (tailings) into its component elements, delivering each of them separately: water, sand and silt, slimes, valuable elements that react with magnetic fields (ferromagnetic, diamagnetic and paramagnetic), elements of greater specific weight than quartz and valuable and strategic elements that are present in the slimes such as rare earths (REE), that is, at the same time that it separates the water from the solid, it also separates the solid with the aim of recovering all of the above elements with continuous and autonomous work.

[0011] PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The objective of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of current technology, namely, to be able to recover water from tailings slurries in large volumes with continuous, autonomous operation and to salvage valuable elements from mining waste.

[0013] The goal is to present a high-performance, continuous-operation process and device that allows processing of all the tailings produced and avoids tailings dams, something that is impossible with current technology such as filter presses.

[0014] The objective of the invention is to continuously and high-performance dehydration of tailings, thereby avoiding the construction of tailings dams and complying with the National Mining Policy 2050 (PNM 2050).

[0015] STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

[0016] Separating the solid part from the liquid part of a mixture until today in mining with tailings is a process that is done in batches and has been solved with equipment such as Filter Presses, formed by a set of stackable filter plates with pressure, but it is not efficient when it comes to large volumes, also presenting another problem, currently the devices can only separate the solid part as a whole (cake) without the possibility of recovering valuable elements that are still present in the solid.

[0017] Recovering water using filter presses presents the following drawbacks that the accelerated settler solves: 1. It is not a continuous or autonomous process.

[0018] 2. It is a process that requires the intervention of manual labor to remove solids from the filters, clean them for reuse, and replace damaged filters.

[0019] 3. It has a lower performance: less than 30,000 tons / day of tailings per team.

[0020] 4. For its operation, it requires external equipment to deliver the pressurized fluid with pumps, pneumatic equipment and high-pressure oil equipment to compress and that require high maintenance.

[0021] 5. It requires a two-level building to gravitationally remove the solid part.

[0022] 6. Only the liquid portion is recovered with a yield of around 70% to 80%.

[0023] 7. They do not recover valuable elements from the solid part, they do not separate the solid material into its elements, they are only able to deliver the solid as a whole.

[0024] Mining requires high-performance equipment with continuous operation that can process all the tailings produced and avoid tailings dams, something that is impossible with current filter presses.

[0025] Indeed, with the application of an accelerated settling tank, it is possible to eliminate tailings dams, which means significant economic, environmental, and social benefits.

[0026] A device has been presented that allows the separation of solids from liquids, patent MX2015004515A, using a conveyor belt between the fluid to retain the solid, then it is pressed between rollers and all under the acceleration of gravity, a device that has no points of comparison to the accelerated settler.

[0027] In this way, the need to carry out continuous, high-performance dewatering of tailings to avoid the construction of tailings dams means solving the major environmental problem of tailings dams, it means solving the need to have dry and controlled deposits of sterile sands, it means solving serious environmental problems by eliminating sources of contamination, it means solving for mining companies by lowering costs, lower expenditure on investment and maintenance by not having tailings dams and finally it means solving that it is possible to recover high-value mineral elements that are currently simply discarded.

[0028] Only with these profound differences do we manage to solve the mining challenges of continuously dewatering tailings in large volumes, reusing between 80% and 90% of the water, recovering valuable elements from the current waste, and feeding inputs to secondary mining.

[0029] With the recovery of water and valuable concentrates from the solid part in continuous operation, it is possible to say that this is a device and procedure whose implementation will mean great progress in environmental matters, use of water resources and recovery of high-value mining materials, in addition to constituting a safe and autonomous technology. DIRECT ADVANTAGES OF THE INNOVATION SUBJECT OF THIS APPLICATION

[0030] 1. -Continuous work of separating solids from liquid, recovering between 80% and 90% of the water.

[0031] 2. -It separates the solid, recovering the mineral and non-mineral elements that are currently discarded.

[0032] 3. -Self-cleaning filter system, using the same sand as the tailings as the filter bed.

[0033] 4. -It does not require a building to house it

[0034] 5. -Dewater large volumes of tailings in the range [25,000 to 35,000] ton / day

[0035] 6. -It has a low electricity consumption and the possibility of generating energy in the range [3 to 5] MW

[0036] 7. -It works continuously and automatically, remotely, and the central control uses electrical energy and pressurized water without using hydraulic pumps.

[0037] INDIRECT ADVANTAGES OF THE INNOVATION SUBJECT OF THIS APPLICATION

[0038] 1.- It does not require human intervention in its operation, which reduces the risk of accidents, designed with remote maintenance.

[0039] 2.- The dehydration plant occupies a small area, without requiring shelter or support facilities.

[0040] 3.- Since it is a continuous, automated process without tailings dams, a considerable reduction and optimization in investment and maintenance is achieved.

[0041] 4. By eliminating the direct source of contamination (tailings dams), the time required to obtain environmental permits issued by the authorities is reduced, generating economic benefits and a high environmental impact.

[0042] 5. -By recovering high-value and strategic minerals that are currently discarded, the business's profitability increases.

[0043] 6. -By rescuing valuable and strategic elements from waste, it generates work for secondary mining.

[0044] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0045] Figural: Represents a sectional view of the accelerated settler.

[0046] Figure 2: Represents a view of a section of the interior of the moving part of the accelerated settler.

[0047] Figure 3: Represents a general view of a sector inside the moving part.

[0048] Figure 4: Diagram of the process using the accelerated settler.

[0049] Figure 5: Proposed general scheme of a working process of the accelerated sedimentation device with application in mining is not just a new piece of equipment, it is much more than that, it is a new way of working in mining without having to use tailings dams.

[0050] IDENTIFY THE PARTS OF THE ACCELERATED SEDIMENTER

[0051] Receiving tanks for water, tailings slurry and sand, mobile part, high-strength steel metal frame

[0052] Stator of the synchronous motor

[0053] Interconnected metal tanks or storage tanks

[0054] Open concentric ponds with bottom sweepers

[0055] Chute and hopper with solids feeder

[0056] Application of magnetic fields

[0057] Electro-hydraulic valves of the VC type

[0058] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0059] The Accelerated Settler is a device that conceptually works by varying the accelerations that are applied both in the direction of flow and against the flow of the tailings pulp to separate and rescue the elements of value from the solid part prior to dehydration, the water in the tailings pulp is the means of transport of the solid part, for this reason, the water is removed at the end of the process, the tailings pulp is distributed to ponds through steel pipes and because the tailings are very abrasive, all steel used (carbon and stainless) must be highly resistant to both stress and wear.

[0060] The tailings pulp as a whole has a pseudo-plastic fluid behavior of the non-Newtonian type and is governed by the power law, consequently, the total transport of the particles present in the non-Newtonian [solid-liquid] mixture must be ensured, where friction is present in the medium and the drag phenomenon that opposes the movement will exist, for this reason, impulse pumps are not used.

[0061] In this device and procedure, conceptually, there is a movement of the whole, not by the thrust of the fluid, as is the case with impulse pumps, which requires a critical speed of the medium to prevent the particles it carries from precipitating.

[0062] This innovation is a device consisting of two parts, a mobile part structured in high strength steel and the other fixed part supported in reinforced concrete. The mobile part has in its central part a vertical axis associated with three concentric ponds and with a maximum of 32 connecting rods connected to the axis, this articulated element transmits the movement between the two parts of the levitation mechanism, the central part rotates around its axis with angular velocity between [10 to 20] rad / sec, as the speed increases the connecting rods that initially rest on wheels on a concentric rail, rise and take off from their rolling avoiding friction, this phenomenon occurs because the vertical component of centrifugal acceleration exceeds the weight associated with the connecting rod, and the radial component of the centrifugal acceleration exerts the movement of the tailings pulp that circulates in succession of ponds associated with each connecting rod,To move the connecting rods in a circular motion, a linear synchronous motor is required, located in the central third of the connecting rod. The motor's magnetic fields are responsible for generating the movement and stabilizing the mobile structure in three directions. The moving part, which is associated with a succession of ponds with tailings slurry, in its different stages results in a variable center of mass. Over time, this phenomenon requires constant stabilization to maintain the mobile system in equilibrium. The sensors located on the rotor correct deviations and vibrations by modifying the current intensity of the coils to modify the levitating magnetic field.

[0063] The variable accelerations to which the tailings pulp may be subjected are in the range of [180 to 220] g, accompanied by high pressures inside the deposits in the range of [20 to 70] bar, average values ​​for its maximum working load in the range of [25,000 to 35,000] the mobile structure can reach a weight of the order of [200 to 270] ton,

[0064] The fixed part of reinforced concrete is circular and forms a succession of concentric tanks that receive the discharges of the different products released by the moving part, in these tanks are arranged the 4 BAI type sweepers of induction drag. The dry solids retained in the concentric tanks are mobilized with BAI type sweepers (H) that are designed in a metallic structure, with the objective of sweeping (dragging) the solid and letting them fall to the discharge chutes at the bottom of the accelerated settler, this system of bottom sweepers is designed for continuous work using the energy of the moving part (rotor) that by induction transfers the energy to the tractor-driven part of the sweepers that move at a speed of 0.1 m / sec, the 5 sweepers are also an innovative design, necessary and complementary to the accelerated settler.

[0065] The concentric tanks have a chute and hopper with a high-frequency solids feeder (I) located at the bottom to empty each element onto independent CC cartridge type conveyor belts that carry the product from the bottom of the accelerated settler to the outside, where it is distributed via other sliding CD type conveyor belts to the different accumulation or dump points. The water that is also recovered in these concrete tanks is pumped to a clean water tank at the plant for reuse. APPLICATION WITH TRANSITION

[0066] In order to incorporate and connect this new tailings treatment system to the work system of any type of mining that has an active tailings dam, this new projected system connects directly to the matrix that transports the tailings to the dam, making a deviation for a gradual transition and not altering what is operating, with the concept of gradually removing tailings and processing them in increasing proportions up to the limit of processing 100% of the tailings, that is, this way of working with the device allows a transition without altering the way of working of the existing one, with the objective of finally leaving the tailings dam inactive, with the possibility of reprocessing the material deposited in the dam and recovering the valuable mineral elements.

[0067] AUTONOMOUS MAINTENANCE

[0068] Working continuously, remotely and automatically with a series of accelerated settlers means having a controlled maintenance work plan, it means having an autonomous system, for safety reasons avoiding the entry of maintenance personnel to the surface process area, it is only possible to access the lower part of the settlers while they are in operation, for this purpose a form of remote and autonomous replacement maintenance of the parts has been designed, using transport with remote controlled overhead cranes arranged with a trajectory above the accelerated settlers to carry out maintenance and replacement of: the moving part of the accelerated settler and the short conveyor belts, for this purpose CC cartridge type conveyor belts and CD type conveyor belts sliding on rails have been designed for a maintenance replacement in a minimum time and autonomous,which constitutes an important part of this innovation in the process that makes a continuous system possible.

[0069] POWER GENERATION

[0070] This innovative device, which operates continuously, allows for automatic transport of selected and waste materials via short and long conveyor belts.

[0071] In general, the location of the dry tailings deposit is located in places far from the high mountain range, filling geographical depressions of the mountain range or plains that are not part of the water basin, these deposits are located at a lower elevation than the mineral processing plant is usually located, for this reason there is available potential energy that can be used in transportation to low areas by placing electricity generators on the conveyor belt that convert the potential energy into electrical energy that is injected and contributed to the centralized electrical system, helping to reduce consumption in a circular economy. INNOVATION IN SEDIMENTATION

[0072] The device for tailings treatment is a design that integrates technologies acting together to separate solids from liquids, “Accelerated Settler” is an innovation in itself when settling occupying and integrating at the same time three existing technologies but never used together for a common purpose such as the forces coming from ultrasound, magnetic fields and centrifugal force but it is also necessary to integrate new technologies such as: “VC cylinder valves”, “FLA self-cleaning slat retaining filter”, “BAI sweepers that act by induction”, “CC cartridge type conveyor belts”, “CD sliding type conveyor belts”, “DS drying diffusers” that together make possible a continuous and autonomous work to settle, they are defined below:

[0073] I. Accelerated settler:

[0074] In the accelerated settler no drive pumps are used, only accelerations that are much greater than the acceleration of gravity are used, for this reason its name "Accelerated settler", to move the fluid and the solid part it is only necessary to apply variable acceleration fields and depending on its mass there will be its own force in the direction that is required, controlling the liquid part at a constant speed the solid part will have to move through it at higher or lower speeds (drag) depending on the relative speeds of the solid elements and the liquid part and the viscous transport medium, its speed depends on its size and specific weight among other factors, in this way elements of commercial and strategic value can be distinguished and rescued among sands, silts or muds.

[0075] The integration of sources that produce accelerations external to gravity and their controlled composition in the pulp, such as centrifugation, magnetic fields, electric fields, ultrasound, and high-frequency vibration, makes it possible to sort and separate the solid from the liquid at a much faster rate than traditional settlers that use only gravity and chemical agents.

[0076] The settler has a central computer powered by different pressure sensors that allow the management of low-power electro-valve actuators that direct a high-pressure hydraulic flow of water that mobilize actuators (plungers) capable of exerting great forces to move the VC cylinder valves, this hydraulic system guarantees the necessary pressure for all movements only with water recovered from the tailings that has the pressure due to centrifugal acceleration, that is, centrifugal acceleration is used for all automatic control of opening and closing of VC type cylinder valves, it is called VC type electro-hydraulic valves, the water is obtained from a TKRDAG dynamic water receiving tank located in sector A of the general diagram figure 1, which is recharged with the same water that is removed in the control system is recovered and integrated back into the system, in a continuous circular economy.

[0077] II. VC type electro-hydraulic valves:

[0078] For the accelerated sedimentation equipment to work, it requires a series of electro-hydraulic valves type VC, designed for high pressure (max 75 bar) and high flow rates of around 150 Its / sec, these are valves that work for a product such as tailings where it can operate for the three phases: the liquid phase, solid phase and the initial phase a mixture of both or pulp, these valves are operated with electric actuators that drive hydraulic pistons designed for high water pressure that operate a cylindrical valve with an unrestricted core, they are an innovation because they are valves that only work by the action of centrifugal acceleration with a central axis that allows relative displacement between the valve body and its moving core, this design allows working with abrasive elements in liquid, dry or pasty state, valves necessary to empty the tanks of the moving part and to interconnect the tanks with each other.

[0079] III. Self-cleaning FLA slat retainer filter:

[0080] This device has been designed to retain slat-type fines. It is also an innovative design within the system, because it is a filter designed for continuous operation that uses centrifugal acceleration, ultrasound, electro osmosis and, as a filter bed, the same sands recovered from the tailings and well graded according to the particle size of the fine to be retained, sands that are renewed autonomously in a circular economy.

[0081] In this section of the settler there are only waters and sludge subjected to high pressure in the range of [40 to 50] bar that pass through a well-graded sand filter to retain the fine (sludge) and then the water comes out at atmospheric pressure, controlled by a pressure valve that ensures a minimum internal pressure of 40 bar, due to the complexity of the sludge that behave like clays tend to clog the filter agglutinating and covering the gaps in the filter bed with fines and forming a sealing layer, this seal is broken and rechanneled by the arrangement of electrical charges between the solid and the liquid when an electric field is applied between the two conductive meshes (electro-osmotic drainage), however, this action helps transport water but is not enough for large flow rates and due to continuity in the filtering operation the sands in the filter bed must be renewed periodically automatically,this operation is done with the increase in the internal pressure of the filter when they are clogged with agglutinated slats, when applying ultrasound they are detached from the mesh and by the centrifugal acceleration field they are retained in a dynamic accumulator tank of TKADL slats located in sector G of the general scheme figure 1 and 2, once full the product is released to the static tank receiving slats TKREL located in sector H of the general scheme figure 1. The device has a concentric cage inside the tank that moves longitudinally by the action of hydraulic actuators allowing the sands to come out of the filter bed that are pushed by the new replacement sands that have been deposited in the dynamic tank receiving graded sands TKRDAG, located in sector A of the general scheme figure 1 and so on the sands are replaced without stopping the process in a continuous circular economy,the sands from the filter bed that are discarded are collected and advanced by the action of centrifugal acceleration to the dynamic sand accumulator tank TKADAR located in part G of the general diagram figure 2, the new replacement sands for the filter come from the TKRDAG tank that is located in part A of the accelerated settler and is fed pneumatically from the outside, this sand that is used for filtering is the same that is recycled and sieved to improve its graduation according to the fines to be retained, that is, the filter cleans itself each time and as the pressure increases due to clogging of the filter sands.,

[0082] In the slat filter, the Electro osmosis technique is applied to transport the water retained in the filter bed, which is a very fine-grained porous medium (clay), by applying a direct current electric field in a range of [24 to 80] volts between the two conductive grids inserted in the filter bed of the filter, increasing the passage of water.

[0083] The reason for retaining the Lamas, which are the smallest solid, is to clarify the return water and to obtain a concentrated paste of this element, which in most tailings in Chile has more than 100 ppm of Rare Earths (RREE). According to the literature (Chilean Copper Commission 2022), information is provided on the geochemical characterization, there is the presence of elemental rare earths depending on the tailings, meaning the recovery of high value and strategic elements.

[0084] IV. BAI induction-driven sweepers:

[0085] The dry or paste solids retained in the concentric tanks are mobilized with drag sweepers that act in the static stator tanks, sector H of the general scheme figure, designed in a metallic structure with a frame that rests with 4 metal wheels on two rails located in the upper third of each wall of the tank from which two connecting rods descend that rest on the bottom blade, sweeping element that acts by its own weight the drag, the upper rails are only rolling guides of the frame but on the side of both walls there is a rack for the traction of the sweeper, it is designed for continuous work using the energy of the moving part or rotor R, which by induction transfers the energy to the rotor of the tractor-driven part of the sweepers, which have a speed reduction box, they are designed for a speed of 0.1 m / sec„ Sweepers are a mechanical element that does not have a motor or use energy, it works by induction that is transferred to it by the moving part of the settler and in proportion to its speed the sweepers will move, each one independently. The design of the sweepers is also an innovative design, necessary and complementary for the accelerated settler. V. DS diffuser for expulsion and drying of the solid:.

[0086] Two types of diffusers are designed to regulate the outflow of water and solids in a saturated and paste state.

[0087] In this process of expulsion of the elements of the settler are faced with an air stream at a speed in the range of [70 to 100] m / sec, air that is generally drier than the expelled elements and for this reason there is heat transfer and drying, the diffusers are designed so that the solid part loses humidity in this process of spraying water on the surface of the solid and make them change direction losing speed towards the floor. Metallic diffusers are designed with high wear resistance steel shells at the point of contact with the solid, it is designed with an area greater than the area where the discharge is located to increase the speed and decrease the pressure, after the discharge area the air intake area is increased again to further increase the speed, managing to decrease pressure and increase the drying air flow.

[0088] In the case of water it is the opposite, to avoid heat transfer and evaporation, it is necessary to direct the fluid that comes out and presents high speed, dissipating the kinetic energy when penetrating the existing fluid of the TKAEAG static water accumulator tank located in sector H of the general diagram in figure 1.

[0089] VI. Cartridge type CC and sliding CD type conveyor belts:

[0090] The CC type conveyor belts are short and cartridge type and correspond to the 5 conveyor belts that take the product from the bottom and base of the accelerated settler to deposit it on the sliding conveyor belts.

[0091] The 5 short belts transport the retained product such as: slats, elements with a higher density than quartz, magnetic elements, diamagnetic elements and sterile sands.

[0092] The CC type belts have been designed so that the 5 belts act as a single unit, allowing them to be mounted on an independent chassis with solenoid-type electromechanical fixing to the floor, with the possibility of easy lifting and removal using the crane portals. Both the floor fixing system and the connection to the power and signal points are removable.

[0093] CD-type conveyor belts are long belts installed longitudinally along the sedimentation plant to collect the product from several settlers and transport it to the collection and diversion point.

[0094] There are also 5 belts, which unlike the previous ones, these are independent and supported on independent rails, they are designed to be arranged in pairs with an estimated length of 60 meters each and separated by a free frame, this arrangement allows the complete train of the two belts to be moved with an electric hoist located at one end, in order to carry out maintenance outside the operating radius with the settlers (60 meters) and allow continuous work without stopping. The concentric tanks of each settler are designed to accumulate product without stopping the settler and allow a stoppage time that lasts for the replacement of any of the conveyor belts.

[0095] ACCELERATED SEDIMENTER WORKING PROCESS

[0096] The tailings pulp enters directly above the central concentric metal pond that remains in rotary motion, Part A of Figure 1, then the pulp is passed through a succession of 7 stages separated by VEH type valves and interconnected metal ponds until reaching Part G of Figure 1, at each stage of the process they are subjected to different acceleration fields depending on the work procedures, the fluid will pass through them and will have centrifugal acceleration vectors and magnetic field acceleration vectors Part K, the composition of both vectors and depending on the intensity and direction of the force vector and the acceleration applied to the solid particles that have an associated and different mass between them will be diverted to terminal ponds, they are receiving ponds located to one side and parallel to the flow,according to the force that is incorporated into them by the effect of the acceleration and magnetic fields.

[0097] The fluid or pulp in motion is passed through a succession of stages through pipes that have diffusers inside to minimize the effect on the fluid caused by the Coriolis acceleration. A different treatment is applied at each stage:

[0098] STAGE 1:

[0099] Grinding, at this stage the device applies a wet grinding to the suspended solids with the application of EUS ultrasound, a series of sonic transducers arranged in series already against frequency flow in a range of 35KHz, and amplitude range 25 microns and a minimum power in a range of 16KW, generate local cavitation to burst the solids and divide the particles where it facilitates the extraction of the trapped or embedded mineral.

[0100] STAGE 2:

[0101] Magnetization, at this stage the device applies a total electromagnetic field to the flow to activate the particles that experience magnetization, such as paramagnetic and ferromagnetic elements, the current to activate the electromagnetic field is obtained by induction of coils arranged in the moving part with 4 permanent magnets of 1 Tesla in the fixed part.

[0102] STAGE 3:

[0103] Capture by attraction, at this stage the device applies a signal of alternating and sequential electromagnetic pulses that attract the particles (ferromagnetic and paramagnetic) by magnetization, separating them from the fluid and depositing them in a dynamic accumulator tank TKADF located in zone G of the general scheme figure 1, to compact them with EUS ultrasound equipment and VI immersion vibration with high frequency probes, moving the fluid to the final tanks, once the tanks are filled with the captured solids, the product is released through the DS diffusers to the static accumulator tanks TKAEF located in zone H of figure 1. The currents to activate the electromagnetic fields are obtained by induction of coils arranged in the moving part that allow to form an alternating sequence with the 4 permanent magnets of 1 Tesla in the fixed part.

[0104] STAGE 4:

[0105] Capture by repulsion, at this stage the device applies a series of magnetic pulses of permanent magnets of a range [1 to 2] Tesla that rotate at high frequency between [3,000 to 4,000] rev / min generating magnetic pulses and induction of eddy currents from the center to the outside of the fluid activating and repelling the diamagnetic non-ferrous elements separating them from the fluid and depositing them in a dynamic accumulator tank of diamagnetic elements TKADD to compact them with EUS ultrasound and high frequency VI immersion vibration displacing the fluid in the tanks by density, once the TKADD tanks are full with the captured solids, the product is released through the DS diffusers to the TKAED static accumulator tanks located in zone H of figure 1. .

[0106] STAGE 5:

[0107] Capture by high specific weight, at this stage the device applies immersion vibration with high frequency probes of the order of [12,000] rev / sec allows the solid part to suffer fluidification phenomenon in a field of high accelerations [180 to 220] g the particles of greater specific weight displace those of lower weight, a relative movement between particles and a natural selection between them is achieved, rescuing the heaviest ones that separate from the flow and depositing them in a dynamic accumulator tank of high specific weight elements TKADAP to compact them with EUS ultrasound and VI vibration with high frequency probes displacing the fluid in the terminus tanks by density, once full, the product is released by the DS diffusers to the static accumulator tanks TKAEAP located in zone H of figure 1.

[0108] STAGE 6:

[0109] Separator, at this stage the device collects sand and silt in two dynamic accumulator ponds TKADAR that work alternately and are subjected to high pressures and accelerations, EUS ultrasound and VI vibration are applied with high frequency probes to compact to its maximum saturated degree, the solid part is separated from the liquid, displacing the blades by density, they separate and continue in the fluid, the TKADAR ponds once full the product is released to the outside through the DS diffusers to the static accumulator ponds TKAEAR located in zone H of figure 1. Alternately, each TKEAR is handled by VEH type VC electro-hydraulic valves that control the flow rate and drag speed of the coarsest solids, depending on the granulometry of the tailings it is regulated between [0.3 and 1] m / sec with low speeds the silts and sands decant but not the blades that continue to the next filtering station. STAGE 7:

[0110] Filtering, at this stage the device has in its flow only a percentage of slats and water in the mixture, at this stage the FLA filter self-cleaning slat retainer located in sector G of figure 1 acts, this fine retaining element is also an innovative design within the system. This section of the accelerated settler does not work by particle acceleration, due to the complexity of the slats that behave like clays, for this reason they must be retained with a well-graded sand filter in relation to the fines, however, due to continuity in the filtering operation, the filter sands when they are clogged with slats are replaced without stopping the process, sending them to the sand tank for a circular economy and the concentration of agglutinated silts with greater mass are mobilized by the acceleration applied with ultrasound and high frequency vibration to a TKADL term tank that once full,the product is released through the DS diffusers into the TKAEL static slat accumulator tank, the new replacement sands for the filter come from a TKRDAG dynamic graded sand receiving tank located in sector A of the general diagram of the accelerated settler figure 1 and is pneumatically fed from the outside, this sand used for filtering is the same that is recycled and sieved to improve its grading according to the fines to be retained, that is, the filter cleans itself each time as the pressure increases due to clogging of the filter sands.

[0111] In the FLA slat filter, the Electro osmosis technique is applied to transport the water retained in the very fine grain porous medium (clays), applying and under the influence of a direct current electric field in a range of [24 to 80] volt between the two conductive steel grids, it is possible to permeate the water through the filter bed more easily.

Claims

MODIFIED CLAIMS received by the International Office on 01 April 2024 (01.04.2024)

1. An accelerated settling process is one that allows processing the tailings pulp in the same sequence, in a continuous and accelerated manner, without requiring operating personnel, grinding, dispersing and separating the solid from the liquid, recovering valuable elements from the solid part, classifiable by common characteristics, with high performance work [25,000 - 30,000] ton / day / equipment that, unlike the current state of the art, is CHARACTERIZED because it is totally continuous and accelerated, accelerating only the solid particles and slowing down the fluid, with independence of movement between both.The process comprises a circuit with the following stages: Stage 1, wet milling; Stage 2, pulp magnetization; Stage 3, capture of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic elements by magnetic attraction; Stage 4, capture of diamagnetic elements by repulsion; Stage 5, capture of high specific weight elements greater than quartz; Stage 6, sand and silt separator from water and slime; Stage 7, slime separator by filtration, separately recovering water and slime. All valuable elements exit at the end of the circuit stages, relatively dry, by spraying.

2. The accelerated sedimentation process, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the concept and principle of operation is to integrate three types of accelerations in the solid particles, without using hydraulic pumps to generate fluid movement, the application of magnetic fields, ultrasound and centrifugal acceleration fields. This design generates high accelerations, of different intensity and direction, which translate into forces of different magnitude and direction associated with the mass of the particles.

3. The accelerated sedimentation procedure according to claim 2 CHARACTERIZED in that the work procedure is continuous (does not stop) with an operation that is fully automatic and remotely controlled, maximizing safety for operators.

4. The accelerated sedimentation process according to claim 2 CHARACTERIZED in that its operational design incorporates, to control high vibrations, levitating the moving part (rotor) of the equipment with powerful magnetic fields. MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

5. The accelerated sedimentation process according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED in that for its operation it operationally integrates the wet grinding technique in the solid, with an arrangement of counter-flow and series equipment for the application of ultrasound.

6. The accelerated settling process according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED because its operational design applies vibrations of different frequencies to create fluidization in the tailings pulp, integrating high frequency immersion vibrators together with ultrasound devices.

7. An accelerated settling device is one that allows to separate the liquid part from the solid part of a mixture, recovering valuable and strategic elements from the solid part with continuous high-performance work [25,000 - 30,000] ton / day / equipment. CHARACTERIZED because it is formed by a mobile part that we call "dynamic" and another fixed part that we call "static", integrating the following components that form a closed circuit of several circulation tracks of the tailings pulp, which can be between 4 to 32 tracks depending on the desired performance: 1.1) the dynamic tailings receiving pond TKRDR, 1.2) the dynamic receiving pond for graded sands TKRDARG and 1.3) the dynamic water receiving pond TKRDAG, 2) comprises a dynamic water accumulator pond TKADAG, 3) comprises a dynamic slat accumulator pond TKADL, 4) comprises a dynamic accumulator pond for high specific weight elements TKADAP,5) comprises a dynamic sand accumulator tank TKADAR; 6) comprises a dynamic accumulator tank of ferromagnetic elements TKADF, 7) comprises a dynamic accumulator tank of diamagnetic elements TKADD, 8) comprises a rotor R containing tanks 1) to 7) on steel connecting rods (moving part); 9) comprises a stator E with elastic rotor support and six concentric tanks in reinforced concrete; 10) comprises a linear synchronous motor MSL applied to the rotor; 11) comprises Ultrasound components EUS located in the rotor tanks; 12) comprises Permanent Magnet batteries I and Electro-magnets El located in the rotor and stator; 13) comprises Steel Grids G with Potential Difference (electric field) located in the tank TKRDL; 14) comprises High frequency Immersion Vibrating equipment VI located in the tank, MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) TKADL and TKADAP; 15) comprises VEH Electro Hydraulic Valves of the VC type located in all tanks from 1) to 7) and derivations; 16) comprises FLA type Filters located in the TKADL tank; 17) comprises DS type diffusers located in the rotor tanks from 1) to 7); 18) Comprises BAI type Sweeper equipment located in the concentric tanks of the stator E; 19) comprises Conveyor Belt equipment of two designs: inclined CC cartridge type located in the stator and flat sliding CD type located outside.

8. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates three cylindrical tanks for receiving the inputs, made of steel and arranged in the center of the rotor in a concentric manner, open to the atmosphere at the top with no connection between them and in double height those containing water (TKRDAG) and graded sand (TKRDARG), the largest one in the center to contain tailings (TKRDR) inside, provided with electro-hydraulic valves of the VC type.

9. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates six independent cylindrical accumulator tanks for each product recovered from the tailings, water tank TKADAG, sand tank TKADAR, high specific weight element tank TKADAP, Sludge tank TKADL, ferromagnetic element tank TKADF and diamagnetic element tank TKADD, all made of high-strength steel and arranged concentrically on the rotor connecting rods, equipped with VEH electro-hydraulic valves with pressure sensors, with DS type diffusers and all have an EUS ultrasound component incorporated.

10. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates a levitating rotor R that rotates at high revolutions driven by the linear synchronous motor, The rotor has metallic supports for each of the accumulation tanks, the rotor has a central steel axis mounted on elastic and electromagnetic bearings, to the central axis it has a series of primary steel connecting rods with vertical relative movement interconnected with each other with other secondary connecting rods with relative movement between them plus two stabilization tensioners per connecting rod, the entire connecting rod system levitates with the rotation and associated with powerful magnets and MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) Electromagnets arranged on the rotor and stator, respectively, synchronized with stabilizing sensors. The levitating rotor can slow down and brake using eddy current induction.

11. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises a stator E made of reinforced concrete where the central axis of the rotor R is supported and fixed with an elastic joint and in a concentric manner it has 6 concentric static receiving tanks of the recovered product that is expelled by the rotor, such as the static container tank of ferromagnetic elements TKCEF; static container tank of diamagnetic elements TKCED; static container tank of high specific weight elements TKCEAP; static container tank of sand TKCEAR; static container tank of slats TKCEL, each solids container tank has a BAI type sweeper incorporated, plus a static water container tank TKCEAG.

12. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates a commercial type MSL linear synchronous motor and a general stabilizer and current intensity controller of the electromagnetic fields is incorporated in the connecting rods of the rotor (R), to achieve 5 objectives: (1) rotate with uniform speed; (2) avoid the mass of 200 tons of the rotor to avoid friction; (3) control the vibrations of the moving part (rotor) and by not locating the motor on the central axis of the moving part, (4) a high torque is achieved and without a reduction gearbox; (5) where the magnetic fields of the stator and the rotor are also used, acting on the pulp.

13. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates an arrangement of EUS Ultrasound components, whose commercial type sonic transducers are arranged in series of 1 to 3 units, acting against the flow of the tailings together with centrifugal acceleration and where the components are located in each and different rotor tanks (R), to carry out different functions in the different stages of the procedure, such as, initially, applying "cavitation" to the pulp with ultrasound, which is equivalent to a wet milling for the rescue of trapped minerals. Subsequently, ultrasound is applied in the tanks, as an element that accelerates the compaction of the MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) solid part.

14. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates an arrangement of permanent magnet batteries, rotating in a stainless steel cylinder within the tailings flow, with the objective of generating and inducing eddy currents in the tailings pulp; and electro-magnets that are located in both the rotor and stator. In this way, these magnets, in the rotor, are arranged in a series of at least 5 alternating units and directly in the tailings flow. On the other hand, in the stator, these magnets are located in alternating pairs.

15. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates within a steel cylinder the Electro osmosis technique in the dynamic slat retaining ponds TKADL, located in the rotor, and which contains a series of concentric cylinders in which 5mm stainless steel grids are arranged separated by slats and very fine sands from the tailings, where the grids remain with a difference in Potential, applying an external electric field to the slats, with the objective of producing a rearrangement of the electric charges between the slats and the liquid, achieving a rechanneling to make the clogged fluid pass, with the final objective of reducing the clogging of the sand filter by the agglutination of the clays, accelerating the flow in the filter.

16. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates for sedimentation, within the steel tanks, high specific weight dynamic accumulators, TKADAP, commercial type High Frequency Immersion Electro Vibrating Equipment, applying exciters with different frequencies induced directly in the sands and silts of the pulp, with the objective of producing the liquefaction phenomenon, and changing its state from a solid state to a viscous liquid behavior, where the heaviest solid displaces the lightest one and in this way rescue the elements of greater specific weight, which act potentiated and simultaneously with the acceleration induced to the solid by the action of the centrifugal force present, plus the action of the ultrasound transducers, where the ordering by weight is accelerated.

17. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates within all the ponds of MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) steel from 1) to 7) and their derivations, VC Electro Hydraulic Valves VEH type, which are composed of two eccentric cylindrical bodies made of high wear-resistant steel, which rotate relative to each other, maintaining their open or closed position by the water pressure exerted by centrifugal force on a steel hydraulic piston, with electric actuator, connected by a connecting rod to the axis of the smaller diameter cylinder. These are quick-opening valves for high flow rates and pressures, adapted to different concentrations of fluids with aggregates, even to the handling of the solid part in a dry-saturated state.

18. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7 CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates FLA type filters. These are filters where the filter bed formed with the same sands as the tailings is automatically renewed every time the bed becomes saturated. These filters are located in the TKRDL pond, which are composed of three concentric cylinders made of high wear resistance steel, where the one with the smallest diameter is perforated and with relative axial movement in relation to the other cylinders, maintaining its open or closed position by the water pressure exerted by the centrifugal force on a steel hydraulic piston, with electric actuator, connected to the cylinder axis, where EUS Ultrasound components are integrated whose sonic transducers are connected to the upper cover of the smaller diameter cylinder, and where the smaller and intermediate diameter cylinder is perforated with a smaller diameter than the graded sands.The latter consists of sieved and reused sand from the tailings, arranged to control only the recovered slimes. When the reused sand clogs up in the FLA filter, an accelerated turnover occurs automatically from the central dynamic accumulation pond, where the sand movement is due to centrifugal acceleration, creating a continuous, circular economy.

19. The accelerated settling device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates DS type diffusers of design for spray drying of solids which are located in all the rotor tanks from 1) to 7) with an outlet to the outside, aerodynamically designed and formed by three bodies: a mouth larger than the central body, an intermediate body and a tail. The larger mouth is formed by an air compressor cone; the in- MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) The intermediate zone is the area connected to the VEH electro-hydraulic valves, which is a rectangular piece of steel plus high-impact armor, which are removable plates of high-wear resistance steel and where the solid impacts; and finally, the tail, shaped like the central zone, but unlike the latter, it has a 90-degree downward curve to divert the solid towards the static tanks, and where the DS for the solids incorporates a second metallic compressor cone in the tail that accelerates the drying of the solid by spraying when receiving an air jet with speeds greater than 200 km / h.

20. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that it incorporates and integrates BAI type sweeper equipment that adjusts to the width and depth of each static stator pond, which is formed by a curved steel blade with rubber for replacement on its three edges exposed to friction, where the blade is the width of the associated concrete pond, with two wheels that slide along the bottom and which is pulled by two connecting rods at a 45 degree angle, where the steel connecting rods are connected to the tractor-drive part, formed by a steel frame in a horizontal position, supported on 4 wheels that rest on fixed rails with a rack to the walls of the curved pond, where two of the wheels have a gear that slides in the rack.In turn, the drive part does not use a conventional motor for movement, it uses only a secondary rotor activated by the induced magnetic field of the main rotor, where the individual rotor uses permanent magnets attached to a speed reduction box connected to the racks and frame.

21. The accelerated sedimentation device, according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED because it incorporates and integrates conventional commercial equipment such as conveyor belts, which are modified in two designs to act with the replacement of these, maintenance equipment automatically, without operators and in a minimum time to guarantee continuity in the operation: The CC cartridge type, which modifies its support base to mount it on a steel frame that keeps the belt inclined from its base, mobile part with a balanced central lifting socket, which moves with the bridge crane, where a second base of similar proportions to the mobile base is incorporated, which we call a chassis, which goes MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) fixed inside the accelerated settler stator. Then, the assembly and fastening of the moving part to the chassis consists of four steel pins actuated by solenoids. The sliding CD type, which moves on metal rails, are commercial belts that work horizontally and are located outside between settling tanks. Their base is modified with a lattice-like steel support structure to incorporate grooved steel wheels every 5 meters, which slide on two rails fixed to the floor. The drive system consists of a steel cable driven by an electric hoist located and fixed at one end of the rail. At the other end, there is a pulley for the end and return of the steel cable, and metal idlers are incorporated along its extension between the rail sleepers. MODIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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