A froth flotation arrangement and method for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry includes a flotation cell for separating the slurry into an underflow and an overflow and a primary line including at least three flotation cells connected in series, wherein each subsequent flotation cell is arranged to receive the underflow from the previous flotation cell, the flotation cell includes a tank and an impeller within the tank, and the flotation cell includes a gas supply within the tank, the tank includes a volume of at least 200 m3, the flotation cell including a froth collection launder capable to receive the overflow the froth collection launder including a froth overflow lip, the flotation cell having an available froth surface area (A froth), the flotation cell having a pulp area (A pulp), where the pulp area (A pulp) is calculated as an average from the cross sectional areas of the tank at the height (h1) of the impeller. A ratio between a height (h) from a bottom of the tank to the froth overflow lip of the froth collection launder and the diameter (D) of the tank at the height (h1) of the impeller (h/D) is less than 1.5.

The invention relates to a submersible system (1) for measuring the density and/or concentration of solids in a dispersion, which can be in the form of a liquid, a mixture of multiple liquids, a suspension of solids in liquid, or a combination of these forms, inside of a reactor (11) into which gas in the form of bubbles is introduced, the system comprising: an open, pass-through gas exclusion device (4) having a tubular body (5) with a variable cross-section through which the dispersion without gas bubbles enters, the device coupling to an inlet tube (6); a scaled chamber (8) that has a means for measuring density, when the dispersion circulates between an inlet (14) of the sealed chamber (8) and an outlet (15) of the sealed chamber (8). The outlet (15) of the sealed chamber (8) is coupled to an outlet tube (7) through which the dispersion returns to the reactor (11) in which same is being processed. The system also comprises a transmitter (9) connected to a sensor, which generates an output signal proportional to the density of the dispersion without gas bubbles by means of the sensor located inside the sealed chamber (8); and a processing unit (10) that generates an output signal (16) proportional to the concentration of solids in the gasless dispersion, as well as the pulp density. The invention further comprises a method for obtaining the concentration and density of the pulp.

A granular litter cleaning apparatus comprises a separation system having a separation tank adapted to receive a mixture of granules and plastic litter, and water therein, the separation tank having a top opening, and a closeable bottom outlet, and at least one water inlet for feeding water to the separation tank. A collect subsystem is for conveying a mixture of granules and plastic litter to the separation tank. A pump system is in fluid communication with the water inlet. The pump system is operated to raise a level of water in the separation tank to skim water with plastic litter out through the top opening of the separation tank. The closeable bottom outlet is openable to empty the separation tank from granules decanted in a bottom of the separation tank. A process for separating plastic litter from granules is also provided.

A separation system is disclosed for separating selected particles from a mixture of particles in a fluid. The system includes a froth flotation vessel into which in use the mixture of particles and fluid are subjected to an upward flow of an introduced gas to form a froth layer which rises above an interface formed between the froth layer and the mixture of particles and fluid, such that a quantity of the selected particles is conveyed out of the vessel by the froth layer to become a first product of the system. The vessel also has a first outlet arranged in use for receiving a flow of some of the mixture of particles and fluid from the vessel, an entry to the first outlet being located in a region proximate to, but below, the interface. The vessel also has a second outlet arranged in use for receiving a flow of some of the mixture of particles and fluid from a region of the vessel which is located below the first outlet. In use the first outlet receives a quantity of the selected particles which were not conveyed out of the vessel by the froth layer, and the second outlet receives a quantity of the selected particles in a first by-product of the system. The first by-product comprises a relatively higher percentage of solids compared to the flow of particles and fluid in the first outlet. The flow of the mixture of particles and fluid from the vessel via the first outlet passes to a classification device, which separates the flow into two or more fractions on the basis of their size or density or a combination of the two.

An apparatus to determine the concentration of a target component in a mixture, the apparatus including at least one acoustic transducer located within the mixture, a controller generating a signal for the at least one acoustic transducer that's generating an acoustic signal in the mixture and transmitting same toward the target component within the mixture, wherein the acoustic signal is generated with a known power level, and a processor for measuring change in the power level of the at least one acoustic transducer as the acoustic signal is transmitted through the mixture, wherein the magnitude of the change in signal power determines the concentration of the target component in the mixture.

An intelligent magnetic microfluidic concentrator employs a technique of feeding ores circumferentially and allowing tailings to overflow centrally upward. The intelligent magnetic microfluidic concentrator comprises a sorting system consisting of an ore feeding chute, an overflow chute, an overflow tank, a sorting tank, and a magnetic system, the overflow tank is disposed at an upper portion of the sorting tank, the ore feeding chute is disposed at the top of the overflow tank, the ore feeding chute feeds an ore slurry to the upper portion of the sorting tank circumferentially along an inner wall of the sorting tank, and the tailings overflow out upward from the overflow tank disposed centrally and located at the upper half portion of the sorting tank. A magnetic microfluidic concentrator and a complete set of beneficiation equipment are also provided.

Techniques to facilitate adaptive optimization and control of flotation cell processing are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a computing system receives a plurality of flotation cell process variables associated with a flotation cell process. The flotation cell process variables are fed into a machine learning model associated with the flotation cell process to determine improved settings for the flotation cell process. The improved settings for the flotation cell process are provided to an industrial controller that controls at least one aspect of the flotation cell process to improve the flotation cell process.

A water treatment system includes an inlet line, a tank in fluid communication with the inlet line to receive therefrom a fluid flow comprising hydrocarbons and water. The tank includes components configured to separate the fluid flow into a hydrocarbon flow and a water flow, with the water flow including a residual amount of hydrocarbons. A first outlet line is in fluid communication with the tank to discharge therefrom the water flow. A second outlet line is in fluid communication with the tank to discharge therefrom the hydrocarbon flow. A sensor is associated with one of the inlet line, the first outlet line, and the second outlet line, and a valve is associated with the second outlet line. In addition, a controller is configured to determine a property of at least one of the fluid flow, the hydrocarbon flow, and the water flow using the sensor, and to control the valve based upon the property so as to reduce the residual amount of hydrocarbons in the water flow.

A flotation separation system for partitioning a slurry comprises a flotation separation cell that comprises a sparger unit and a separation tank. The sparger unit comprises a slurry inlet for receiving a slurry and a gas inlet for introducing a gas into the slurry. The sparging mechanism disperses the gas bubbles within the slurry. A high shear element comprising a rotating shaft and a rotating high shear element mounted to it located within the sparging mechanism shears the gas into a bubble dispersion within the slurry. A slurry outlet discharges the slurry containing the bubble dispersion into the separation tank. An adjustable distributor plate at the slurry outlet restricts the flow of slurry through the slurry outlet. The distributor plate is mounted to the rotating shaft and rotates with the high shear element.

A valve for use in controlling fluid flow in a flotation processing circuit is described, the valve including: a valve body; an inlet to the valve body; an outlet from the valve body; a member which is arranged in use to control fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet; and wherein the valve also comprises a bypass opening which facilitates fluid flow in one or both of two modes: in the first mode from the inlet to the bypass opening; and in the second mode from the bypass opening to the outlet.