Apparatus for increasing solid-liquid ratio of thickener underflow

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of a thickener underflow, comprising an outer cylinder, a centrifugal assembly, and a backflow assembly. The centrifugal assembly comprises an inner cylinder, a screen, and a driving member. The inner cylinder is disposed in the outer cylinder and is rotationally connected to the outer cylinder; the screen is arranged at an opening formed in the outer wall of the inner cylinder; a feed port connected to an upper-stage thickener underflow and a lower-stage thickener overflow is formed in the top of the inner cylinder, a discharge port is formed in the bottom of the inner cylinder, and the outer wall of the inner cylinder above the screen is provided with an overflow port; the driving member is mounted on the outer cylinder, an output end of the driving member is connected to the inner cylinder; and the backflow assembly is communicated with the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. Light and heavy ore particles can be separated so as to increase the solid content of ore pulp, thereby improving the washing efficiency of thickeners. The apparatus can decrease the number of stages of thickeners and reduce the water absorption ratio, thereby effectively saving costs.

Description

A device for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of thickener underflow Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of thickeners, and in particular to a device for improving the solid-liquid ratio of a thickener underflow. Background Art

[0002] As the currently exploitable nickel sulfide ore resources are becoming increasingly depleted, people have gradually shifted their attention to nickel oxide ore. The main mining methods for nickel oxide ore include reduction roasting-normal pressure ammonia leaching, sulfuric acid high-pressure leaching, etc. Among them, sulfuric acid high-pressure leaching has the advantages of high recovery rate, low energy consumption, and environmental friendliness, and has become the mainstream process for processing laterite nickel ore. The sulfuric acid high-pressure leaching process mainly includes: ore washing, pressure leaching, slurry neutralization, countercurrent washing, leachate impurity removal, and nickel-cobalt precipitation. Valuable metals are very easy to lose in the CCD countercurrent washing process, resulting in a decrease in the direct recovery rate of valuable metals. Therefore, improving the CCD countercurrent washing efficiency in the sulfuric acid high-pressure leaching process has become an important research topic.

[0003] To ensure the direct recovery of valuable metals, methods such as increasing the number of thickener stages, increasing the wash water ratio, and improving flocculants are commonly used. While these methods can improve countercurrent washing efficiency, each has its limitations. Specifically, increasing the number of thickener stages requires significant land and increases initial investment costs; increasing the wash water ratio reduces the metal content of the autoclave leachate, hindering downstream precipitation processes; and improving flocculants increases the cost of auxiliary materials.

[0004] Therefore, further research and development of efficient solid-liquid separation methods is needed to improve the sedimentation efficiency of the thickener, reduce production costs, simplify the operating steps, and improve the solid-liquid separation effect. This will have a significant impact on the efficiency of the back-end nickel and cobalt precipitation process, control auxiliary material costs, and improve product quality.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a device for improving the solid-liquid ratio of the thickener underflow, so as to solve the problem of how to increase the solid-liquid ratio of the thickener underflow.

[0007] The present invention provides an apparatus for improving the solid-liquid ratio of a thickener underflow, comprising an outer cylinder, a centrifugal assembly and a reflux assembly, the centrifugal assembly comprising an inner cylinder, a screen and a driving member, the inner cylinder being arranged in the outer cylinder and being rotatably connected to the outer cylinder, the screen being arranged at an opening formed on the outer wall of the inner cylinder, a feed port being formed at the top of the inner cylinder and being connected to the underflow of an upper-stage thickener and the overflow of a lower-stage thickener, a discharge port being formed at the bottom of the inner cylinder, and an overflow port being provided at the outer wall of the inner cylinder above the screen, the driving member being mounted on the outer cylinder, the output end of the driving member being connected to the inner cylinder for driving the inner cylinder to rotate, the reflux assembly being connected to the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder for sucking the fluid in the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder into the upper-stage thickener.

[0008] Furthermore, there are multiple openings on the side wall of the inner cylinder, and the multiple openings are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner cylinder. There are multiple screens, and the multiple screens are respectively arranged in the multiple openings of the inner cylinder.

[0009] Furthermore, it includes an annular slider, the bottom of which is fixedly connected to the inner cylinder, the top of which extends to the outside of the outer cylinder and is connected to the output end of the driving member, and the annular slider is rotatably and sealedly connected to the outer cylinder.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a feed pipe and a discharge pipe, one end of the feed pipe is connected to the upper thickener bottom flow and the lower thickener overflow, the other end of the feed pipe is connected to the feed port of the inner cylinder, and a valve is installed on the discharge pipe.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes an upper underflow pipe and a lower overflow pipe, the top end of the feed pipe is closed, the bottom end of the feed pipe is connected to the feed port of the inner cylinder, one side of the feed pipe is connected to the upper thickener underflow via the upper underflow pipe, and the other side of the feed pipe is connected to the lower thickener overflow via the lower overflow pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, the driving member includes a motor, a rotating shaft, a gear and an annular rack. The motor is installed on the top of the outer cylinder, the output end of the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, the rack is provided on the rotating shaft, the annular rack is fixedly connected to the inner cylinder, and the gear is meshed with the annular rack.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a partition, which is built into the inner tube and located between the screen and the overflow port. The feed pipe extends into the inner tube, and the partition is fixedly connected to the feed pipe. An overflow gap is formed between the partition and the inner wall of the inner tube.

[0014] Furthermore, a plurality of through holes are provided on the partition.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes multiple layered plates, which are arranged at a position facing the screen and arranged in sequence on the feed pipe along the extension direction of the feed pipe. A guide gap is formed between the multiple layered plates and the screen. A plurality of inclined hole groups facing the multiple layered plates are opened on the side wall of the feed pipe. The multiple inclined hole groups correspond one-to-one to the multiple layered plates. The inclined hole group is located above the layered plate. The inclined hole group includes multiple inclined holes that are evenly arranged along the circumference of the feed pipe and inclined downward to the corresponding layered plates.

[0016] Furthermore, the reflux assembly includes a reflux pipe and a reflux pump, one end of the reflux pipe is connected to the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, and the other end of the reflux pipe is connected to the upper thickener via the reflux pump.

[0017] Compared with the existing technology, by introducing the bottom flow of the upper thickener and the overflow of the lower thickener from the feed port into the inner cylinder, rotating the inner cylinder, under the action of centrifugal force, a part of the light mineral particles pass through the screen to the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, and the other part of the light mineral particles flow upward from the overflow port to the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. The light mineral particles are returned to the upper thickener by the reflux component, while the heavy mineral particles are intercepted by the screen and finally discharged from the discharge port to the lower thickener. The separation of light and heavy mineral particles can be achieved and the solid content of the slurry can be increased, thereby improving the washing efficiency of the thickener. The equipment can reduce the number of thickener stages and reduce the water absorption ratio, effectively saving costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus for improving the solid-liquid ratio of a thickener underflow according to an embodiment of the present invention installed on upper and lower thickeners;

[0019] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an apparatus for improving the solid-liquid ratio of the thickener underflow provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the accompanying drawings constitute a part of this application and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1-2, the present invention provides an apparatus for improving the solid-liquid ratio of the thickener underflow, comprising an outer cylinder 100, a centrifugal assembly 200, and a reflux assembly 300. The centrifugal assembly 200 comprises an inner cylinder 210, a screen 220, and a driving member 230. The inner cylinder 210 is disposed in the outer cylinder 100 and is rotatably connected to the outer cylinder 100. The screen 220 is arranged at an opening formed on the outer wall of the inner cylinder 210. The top of the inner cylinder 210 is formed with a reflux filter connected to the upper thickener underflow and the lower thickener overflow. The feed port and the bottom of the inner cylinder 210 that are connected in flow direction form a discharge port, and an overflow port 213 is provided on the outer wall of the inner cylinder 210 above the screen 220. The driving member 230 is installed on the outer cylinder 100, and the output end of the driving member 230 is connected to the inner cylinder 210 to drive the inner cylinder 210 to rotate. The reflux assembly 300 is connected to the gap between the outer cylinder 100 and the inner cylinder 210 to draw the fluid in the gap between the outer cylinder 100 and the inner cylinder 210 into the upper thickener.

[0022] During implementation, the bottom flow of the upper thickener and the overflow of the lower thickener are introduced into the inner drum 210 from the feed port, and the inner drum 210 is rotated. Under the action of centrifugal force, a part of the light mineral particles pass through the screen 220 to the gap between the outer drum 100 and the inner drum 210, and the other part of the light mineral particles flow upward from the overflow port 213 to the gap between the outer drum 100 and the inner drum 210. The light mineral particles are returned to the upper thickener by the reflux component 300, while the heavy mineral particles are intercepted by the screen 220 and finally discharged from the discharge port to the lower thickener. The separation of light and heavy mineral particles can be achieved and the solid content of the slurry can be increased, thereby improving the washing efficiency of the thickener. The equipment can reduce the number of thickener stages and reduce the water absorption ratio, effectively saving costs.

[0023] The centrifugal assembly 200 in this embodiment is used to separate light mineral particles from heavy mineral particles. The outer cylinder 100 is provided to receive the separated light mineral particles and introduce them into the upper thickener through the reflux assembly 300. At the same time, the discharge port provided at the bottom of the inner cylinder 210 can introduce the separated heavy mineral particles into the lower thickener to increase the solid content of the slurry in the lower thickener.

[0024] It should be noted that, in the sulfuric acid high-pressure leaching process, multiple thickeners are provided. This device is installed between two adjacent thickeners, and along the slurry flow direction, they are the upper thickener, this device and the lower thickener.

[0025] In one embodiment, there are multiple openings on the side wall of the inner cylinder 210 , and the multiple openings are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner cylinder 210 . There are multiple screens 220 , and the multiple screens 220 are respectively arranged in the multiple openings of the inner cylinder 210 .

[0026] In one embodiment, an annular slider is further included. The bottom of the annular slider is fixedly connected to the inner cylinder 210, and the top of the annular slider extends to the outside of the outer cylinder 100 and is connected to the output end of the driving member 230. The annular slider is rotatably and sealedly connected to the outer cylinder 100.

[0027] In one embodiment, the feed pipe 211 and the discharge pipe 212 are further included. One end of the feed pipe 211 is connected to the upper thickener underflow and the lower thickener overflow, and the other end of the feed pipe 211 is connected to the feed port of the inner drum 210. A valve is installed on the discharge pipe 212. Furthermore, an upper underflow pipe 214 and a lower overflow pipe 215 are included. The top end of the feed pipe 211 is closed, and the bottom end of the feed pipe 211 is connected to the feed port of the inner drum 210. One side of the feed pipe 211 is connected to the upper thickener underflow via the upper underflow pipe 214, and the other side of the feed pipe 211 is connected to the lower thickener overflow via the lower overflow pipe 215.

[0028] In one embodiment, the driving member 230 includes a motor, a rotating shaft, a gear and an annular rack. The motor is installed on the top of the outer cylinder 100, the output end of the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, the rack is provided on the rotating shaft, the annular rack is fixedly connected to the inner cylinder 210, and the gear is meshed with the annular rack.

[0029] To prevent the solution introduced into the inner cylinder 210 via the feed pipe 211 from surging upward and causing some of the solution to be directly discharged from the overflow port 213 without undergoing centrifugal treatment, this embodiment further includes a partition 240. The partition 240 is built into the inner cylinder 210 and located between the screen 220 and the overflow port 213. The feed pipe 211 extends into the inner cylinder 210. The partition 240 is fixedly connected to the feed pipe 211, forming an overflow gap between the partition 240 and the inner wall of the inner cylinder 210. A plurality of through holes 241 are formed on the partition 240.

[0030] In order to improve the separation effect, this embodiment also includes a plurality of layered plates 250, which are arranged at a position opposite to the screen 220 and are arranged in sequence on the feed pipe 211 along the extension direction of the feed pipe 211. A guide gap is formed between the plurality of layered plates 250 and the screen 220. A plurality of inclined hole groups facing the plurality of layered plates 250 are opened on the side wall of the feed pipe 211. The plurality of inclined hole groups correspond one-to-one to the plurality of layered plates 250. The inclined hole groups are located above the layered plates 250. The inclined hole groups include a plurality of inclined holes that are evenly arranged circumferentially along the feed pipe 211 and obliquely point downward to the corresponding layered plates 250.

[0031] If the above-mentioned stratification plate 250 is not set, most of the heavy mineral particles will accumulate below the screen 220, so that the heavy mineral particles will block the holes of the screen 220, and some light mineral particles will not be able to pass through the screen 220. Therefore, the slurry is introduced into multiple stratification plates 250 through multiple inclined hole groups of the feed pipe 211, which can prevent the accumulation of heavy mineral particles from affecting the separation function of the screen 220.

[0032] The reflux assembly 300 in this embodiment includes a reflux pipe 310 and a reflux pump 320 . One end of the reflux pipe 310 is connected to the gap between the outer cylinder 100 and the inner cylinder 210 , and the other end of the reflux pipe 310 is connected to the upper thickener via the reflux pump 320 .

[0033] Compared with the prior art: by introducing the underflow of the upper thickener and the overflow of the lower thickener from the feed port into the inner drum 210, rotating the inner drum 210, under the action of centrifugal force, a part of the light mineral particles pass through the screen 220 to the gap between the outer drum 100 and the inner drum 210, and the other part of the light mineral particles flow upward from the overflow port 213 to the gap between the outer drum 100 and the inner drum 210, the light mineral particles are returned to the upper thickener by the reflux component 300, and the heavy mineral particles are intercepted by the screen 220 and finally discharged from the discharge port to the lower thickener, which can achieve the separation of light and heavy mineral particles and increase the solid content of the slurry, thereby improving the washing efficiency of the thickener. The equipment can reduce the number of thickener stages and reduce the water absorption ratio, effectively saving costs.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by any technician familiar with this technical field within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener, characterized in that, it includes an outer cylinder, a centrifugal component and a reflux component; The centrifugal component includes an inner cylinder, a screen and a driving member. The inner cylinder is arranged in the outer cylinder and is rotatably connected to the outer cylinder. The screen is arranged at an opening formed on the outer wall of the inner cylinder. An inlet is formed at the top of the inner cylinder and is communicated with the underflow of the upper thickener and the overflow of the lower thickener. An outlet is formed at the bottom of the inner cylinder. An overflow port is arranged at the outer wall of the inner cylinder above the screen. The driving member is installed on the outer cylinder, and the output end of the driving member is connected to the inner cylinder to drive the inner cylinder to rotate; The reflux component is communicated with the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder to suck the fluid in the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder into the upper thickener.

2. The apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, the number of openings at the side wall of the inner cylinder is multiple, and the multiple openings are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the inner cylinder. The number of the screens is multiple, and the multiple screens are respectively arranged in the multiple openings of the inner cylinder.

3. The apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, it further includes an annular slider. The bottom of the annular slider is fixedly connected to the inner cylinder. The top of the annular slider extends to the outside of the outer cylinder and is connected to the output end of the driving member. The annular slider is rotatably and sealingly connected to the outer cylinder.

4. The apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, it further includes a feed pipe and a discharge pipe. One end of the feed pipe is communicated with the underflow of the upper thickener and the overflow of the lower thickener, and the other end of the feed pipe is communicated with the inlet of the inner cylinder. A valve is installed on the discharge pipe.

5. The apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, it further includes an upper underflow pipe and a lower overflow pipe. The top end of the feed pipe is closed, and the bottom end of the feed pipe is communicated with the inlet of the inner cylinder. One side of the feed pipe is communicated with the underflow of the upper thickener via the upper underflow pipe, and the other side of the feed pipe is communicated with the overflow of the lower thickener via the lower overflow pipe.

6. The apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, the driving member includes a motor, a rotating shaft, a gear and an annular rack. The motor is installed on the top of the outer cylinder, the output end of the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, the rack is arranged on the rotating shaft, the annular rack is fixedly connected to the inner cylinder, and the gear is meshed with the annular rack.

7. The apparatus for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of a thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, it further includes a partition plate. The partition plate is placed inside the inner cylinder and is located at a position between the screen and the overflow port. The feed pipe extends into the inner cylinder. The partition plate is fixedly connected to the feed pipe, and an overflow gap is formed between the partition plate and the inner wall of the inner cylinder.

8. The device for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of the thickener according to claim 7, characterized in that, a plurality of through holes are formed in the partition plate.

9. The device for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of the thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, it further comprises a plurality of layered plates, which are arranged at a position facing the screen and are sequentially arranged on the feed pipe along the extending direction of the feed pipe. A diversion gap is formed between the plurality of layered plates and the screen. A plurality of inclined hole groups facing the plurality of layered plates are formed in the side wall of the feed pipe. The plurality of inclined hole groups correspond to the plurality of layered plates one by one. The inclined hole group is located above the layered plate. The inclined hole group comprises a plurality of inclined holes which are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the feed pipe and are inclined downward to point to the corresponding layered plate.

10. The device for increasing the solid-liquid ratio of the underflow of the thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, the reflux assembly comprises a reflux pipe and a reflux pump. One end of the reflux pipe is communicated with the gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, and the other end of the reflux pipe is communicated with the upper-level thickener via the reflux pump.

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