Froth Pump Radial Segmentation for Air Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pumps are inefficient in handling tenacious froths from mineral flotation processes due to high air content, leading to mechanical failures and low flow rates, as they struggle to separate air from the frothy fluid effectively, especially with small bubble sizes affecting net positive suction head characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A pump design featuring a pumping chamber with an impeller and collection chamber, where the impeller includes passageways and a flow inducer to separate frothy fluids into heavier and lighter fractions, with the flow inducer energizing gas and fluid to vent out air without external suction, facilitating efficient degassing and improved pumping efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pumps are used to handle tenacious froths, then the pump structure is simple, but the pump performance deteriorates due to high air content and small bubble sizes causing mechanical failures and low flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into distinct functional zones: an outer region for handling heavier froth fraction and an inner region for handling lighter froth fraction. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function, with the outer region providing structural support and the inner region facilitating air separation and venting, thereby improving overall pump reliability and flow rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a radial dimension to the pump design by creating concentric regions (inner and outer) around the rotation axis. This dimensional approach allows simultaneous handling of different froth densities at different radial positions, enabling effective air separation while maintaining high flow rates and reliability.
2Reliability
If pumps are oversized to handle tenacious froths, then the pump can accommodate high air content, but the pump operates inefficiently with low flow and high air entrainment
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the pump are given different properties: the outer region is designed to handle heavier froth fraction with higher liquid content, while the inner region is optimized for lighter froth fraction with higher air content. This local differentiation allows the pump to operate efficiently at its design point without being oversized, reducing energy consumption while maintaining high air tolerance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts air from the froth stream by providing a dedicated inner region with venting capability. This extracted air is separated from the heavier froth fraction in the outer region, allowing the pump to handle high air content efficiently without the energy penalties associated with oversized conventional pumps.
3Reliability
If vertical pumps are used to pump tenacious froths, then the pump can handle very tenacious froths, but the pump size becomes physically large requiring significant plant design space
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a vertical pump configuration to a horizontal configuration with radial flow paths. By utilizing the radial dimension around the rotation axis, the pump achieves effective froth handling in a more compact footprint, reducing the physical space required while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump design changes the flow direction parameter from vertical to horizontal, and introduces radial flow components. This parameter change allows the pump to handle tenacious froths effectively while adopting a compact horizontal configuration that reduces overall pump size and plant space requirements.
4Ease of operation
If horizontal pumps are used for froth pumping, then the pump installation is simpler, but the pump fails with tenacious froths due to insufficient air separation
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal pump is segmented into inner and outer regions with distinct functions. The outer region handles heavier froth fraction while the inner region handles lighter froth fraction with active air venting. This segmentation enables the simple horizontal installation to successfully handle tenacious froths by providing effective air separation that conventional horizontal pumps lack.
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 solution enables efficient separation of air from frothy fluids, enhancing pump performance by reducing air entrainment, increasing flow rates, and lowering power consumption, as demonstrated by experimental trials showing improved Froth Volume Factor handling and energy savings compared to conventional pumps.
Implementation Method 1
a flow inducer disposed within the collection chamber, the collection chamber including a venting outlet
Implementation Method 2
During the pumping operation, the heavier fraction of the fluid migrates to an outer region of the pump and a lighter fraction tends to migrate towards an inner region
Data Source
AI summary
A pump (10) comprising a pump casing (20) having front and rear sides (23, 24) with a pumping chamber (38), a chamber inlet (26) and a discharge outlet (27). An impeller (40) within the chamber rotates about an axis. The chamber includes an inner region at or near the axis and an outer region remote from the axis within which is the discharge outlet. The impeller includes a shroud (42) having front and rear faces (43, 44) with a plurality of pumping vanes (46). A collection chamber (60) is provided at the rear side of the pump casing in fluid communication with the pumping chamber. The impeller includes one or more passageways (52) through the shroud, one end opening into the collection chamber and the other opening into the pumping chamber through the impeller front face. A flow inducer (70, 72) is within the collection chamber, which includes a venting outlet (62) and a transfer outlet zone in fluid communication with the outer region of the pumping chamber.