Copolymeric Dispersing Agent for Mineral Slurry Viscosity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of nickel minerals from serpentinite-containing ores is challenging due to high serpentine content, which forms a non-Newtonian viscous jelly that prevents air bubble dispersion and reduces flotation efficiency, leading to increased water consumption and nickel recovery losses.
Innovation Solution
Adding a low molecular weight copolymeric dispersing agent to the mineral slurry to disperse silicate minerals, thereby improving rheological properties and increasing solid content without sacrificing flotation performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the solid content in flotation is decreased to solve serpentinite viscosity problems, then air bubble dispersion is improved, but water consumption increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the rheological parameters of the slurry by adding a dispersing agent, which modifies the viscosity and flow characteristics. This allows the slurry to maintain lower viscosity for better air bubble dispersion while keeping higher solid content for productivity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispersing agent acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the serpentinite particles and the water. It reduces the harmful interaction between serpentinite particles that causes high viscosity, enabling better air bubble dispersion without requiring reduced solid content, thereby solving the contradiction.
2Productivity
If the solid content in flotation is increased to improve productivity, then throughput increases, but slurry viscosity increases and air bubble dispersion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dispersing agent to change the rheological parameters of the slurry, specifically reducing viscosity while maintaining high solid content. This parameter change enables both high productivity and good air bubble dispersion to coexist, resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispersing agent serves as a mediator that allows high solid content to be maintained without the negative effects of increased viscosity. It facilitates better air bubble dispersion even in high solid content slurries, thus enabling high productivity without sacrificing ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If water consumption is increased to decrease slurry viscosity, then air bubble dispersion is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispersing agent acts as an intermediary that reduces slurry viscosity without requiring additional water. It breaks the direct relationship between water content and viscosity, allowing low viscosity and high productivity to coexist by resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the rheological parameters through the addition of a dispersing agent, which reduces viscosity independently of water content. This parameter change enables improved air bubble dispersion without increasing water consumption, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and productivity.
4Ease of operation
If dispersing agents are added to decrease slurry viscosity, then air bubble dispersion is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispersing agent is a simple intermediary substance that can be added to the existing flotation process without requiring complex equipment or systems. It resolves the contradiction by improving air bubble dispersion through a straightforward chemical addition rather than complex process modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves improved air bubble dispersion by changing the chemical parameters of the slurry through dispersing agent addition. This parameter change approach is simple and direct, avoiding the need for complex process modifications, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach decreases slurry viscosity, enhancing flotation performance by increasing throughput and selectivity of valuable metals, and allowing higher solid content processing without increasing water consumption, thus improving nickel recovery and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
adding a copolymeric dispersing agent to the slurry to disperse silicate minerals
Implementation Method 2
by adding the low molecular weight dispersant to the mineral slurry, the viscosity of the slurry is decreased
Implementation Method 3
Collector chemicals bound the valuable metal concentrate to the surface of the foam bubbles
Data Source
AI summary
A method for improving the rheological properties of mineral slurry comprising adding a copolymeric dispersing agent to the slurry to disperse silicate minerals. Also disclosed is a method for flotating mineral slurry.