Fatty Acid By-Product Collector for Mineral Flotation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional beneficiation processes are costly and environmentally unfriendly due to the use of expensive and toxic reagents like diesel fuel, which poses environmental and health hazards.

Innovation Solution

Utilization of fatty acid by-products from biodiesel manufacturing as hydrophobicity-enhancing reagents in flotation processes, offering a cost-effective and environmentally benign alternative that can supplement or replace conventional collectors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional reagents like diesel fuel are used in flotation processes, then hydrophobicity enhancement and separation efficiency are achieved, but environmental harm and health hazards increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation efficiencyVSAvoidenvironmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive and hazardous conventional collectors with inexpensive fatty acid by-products from biodiesel manufacturing. These by-products achieve effective hydrophobicity enhancement without the environmental persistence and toxicity problems of traditional reagents like diesel fuel, aligning with the principle of using cheap, short-lived alternatives that reduce harmful impacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts waste fatty acid by-products from biodiesel manufacturing into valuable flotation reagents. What was previously considered waste or harmful material is now utilized as an effective collector that enhances hydrophobicity while being environmentally benign, transforming a potential harm into a beneficial application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If conventional collectors are used in flotation processes, then separation performance is maintained, but operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation performanceVSAvoidoperational cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes expensive conventional collectors with inexpensive fatty acid by-products derived from biodiesel waste streams. This replacement maintains effective separation performance while dramatically reducing reagent costs, as the by-products are obtained as waste materials from an existing industrial process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes by-products that are already generated in the biodiesel manufacturing process, effectively making the system self-sufficient. These waste materials would otherwise require disposal costs, but are instead repurposed as valuable reagents, eliminating the need to purchase external collectors and reducing overall operational expenses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If toxic reagents are used to enhance hydrophobicity, then flotation efficiency improves, but safety hazards increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflotation efficiencyVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms toxic conventional reagents into safe alternatives by using fatty acid by-products from biodiesel. These by-products provide the necessary hydrophobicity enhancement for efficient flotation while being non-toxic and environmentally safe, converting a harmful substance into a beneficial and safe reagent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces persistent toxic reagents with inexpensive, biodegradable fatty acid by-products. These short-lived organic materials break down naturally and do not accumulate in the environment, maintaining flotation efficiency while eliminating long-term safety and environmental hazards associated with conventional collectors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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

The fatty acid by-products effectively enhance hydrophobicity, reducing the need for hazardous materials and providing cost savings while ensuring environmental and health safety by using non-combustible, renewable resources.

Implementation Method 1

The fatty acid by-products effectively enhance hydrophobicity, reducing the need for hazardous materials

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobicity enhancement: Hydrophobe

Data Source

PatentEP1996334B1Collector with fatty acid by-products and flotation process

Publication Date: 2016.04.20 NALCO CO

AI summary

Methods and compositions for separating materials are provided. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of separating a first material from a second material. For example, the method can comprise mixing the first material and the second material in a slurry with a beneficiation composition. The beneficiation composition can comprise one or more fatty acid by-products derived from a biodiesel manufacturing process. Air bubbles can be provided in the slurry to form bubble-particle aggregates with the first material and the bubble-particle aggregates can be allowed to be separated from the second material.