DEVICE FOR SUCTION AND RECOVERY OF ANODIC SLUDGE

Abstract

Equipment for sucking and extracting anodic sludge from cells for electro-refining or electro-winning of metals that allows the continuous and selective extraction of anodic sludge without interrupting electro-refining or electro-winning, preventing the anodic sludge from causing contamination in the copper cathodes and in the time in later stages of metal recovery, where the equipment comprises: a vacuum tank (2) that receives the extracted anode sludge, comprising an outlet valve (21) located in its lower part; a filter (25) resistant to acid (25) inside the vacuum tank (2) for the separation of the anode sludge from the sucked electrolyte so that the anode sludge remains in the filter (25) by a decantation process while the electrolyte passes to the lower part of the tank body; a vacuum system (3), connected to the vacuum tank (2), which generates a vacuum inside the vacuum tank (2) to generate the suction or vacuum aspiration of the equipment; and an anode sludge collector (1) comprising a transparent tube (11) where a first end (12) has a suction nozzle (14) connected, through which the anode sludge enters, and a second end (13) is connected to the vacuum tank (2); a regulating valve (15) mounted at or near said outlet end (13) of the transparent tube (11), which is in communication with the interior of the transparent tube (11) at one of its ends and at atmospheric pressure at the another end, where said regulating valve (15) allows the regulation of the suction pressure inside the anode mud collector (1) and the extraction generated in the suction nozzle (14).

Claims

1. A device for sucking and extracting anodic mud from cells for electro-refining or electro-winning of metals that allows the continuous and selective extraction of anodic mud without interrupting electro-refining or electro-winning, preventing the anodic mud from causing contamination in the copper cathodes already the same time in subsequent stages of metal recovery, the device comprising: a vacuum tank (2) that receives the extracted anodic sludge, comprising an outlet valve (21) located in its lower part; a top cap with a first top connection (22) and a second top connection (23); a filter (25) resistant to acid (25) inside the vacuum tank (2) for the separation of the anode sludge from the sucked electrolyte so that the anode sludge remains in the filter (25) by a decantation process while the electrolyte passes to the lower part of the tank body, where said outlet valve (21) allows the evacuation of the filtered electrolyte; a vacuum system (3), connected to the vacuum tank (2), which generates a vacuum inside the vacuum tank (2) to generate the suction or vacuum aspiration of the equipment; and an anodic mud collector (1) comprising a transparent tube (11) with opposite ends, where a first inlet end (12) has a suction nozzle (14) connected, through which the anodic mud enters the anode mud recuperator (1), and a second outlet end (13) that is connected to the vacuum tank (2); a regulating valve (15) mounted on or near said outlet end (13) of the transparent tube (11), where the operator is located, which is in communication with the interior of the transparent tube (11) by one of its ends and at atmospheric pressure at the other end, where said regulating valve (15) allows, by means of its total or partial opening, the regulation of the vacuum inside the anodic mud recuperator (1) regulating the suction pressure inside the anodic mud collector (1) and the extraction generated in the suction nozzle (14).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent tube (11) is a rigid tube with a diameter between 6.35 mm (¼″) and 76.5 mm (3″).

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent tube (11), the suction nozzle (14), the regulating valve (15) and the vacuum connector (16) are made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro-refining or electro-winning processes.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent tube (11) is formed by a plurality of sections of tube (111) connected by hermetic screwed joints (112) that allow its length to be adjusted.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent tube (11) also comprises additional sections of tube (111) connected at some of its ends, by hermetic screwed joints (112) that allow an increase of its length.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a hose mounted on the outside of the transparent tube (11) and entering the tube (11) near the suction nozzle (14), said hose being connected to a compressor to inject pressurized air inside the transparent tube (11) to reduce the density of the suctioned mixture, generating turbulence that increases the suction speed.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the hose that injects pressurized air is made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro refining or electro obtaining processes.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the anodic mud collector (1) is connected to the first upper connection (22) of the vacuum tank (2) by a flexible hose (4).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the transparent tube (11) comprises a vacuum connector (16) at its second end (13) to connect the flexible hose (4).

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum system (3) is connected to the second upper connection (23) of the vacuum tank (2) by a flexible hose (5).

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the flexible hoses (4, 5) are made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro refining or electro obtaining processes.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein a pneumatic pump (6) is connected to the outlet valve (21) to evacuate the electrolyte from the vacuum tank (2).

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the pneumatic pump (6) is connected to the outlet valve (21) by a flexible hose (7).

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the flexible hose (7) is made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro refining or electro obtaining processes.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the output of the pneumatic pump (6) has a flexible hose connected to discharge the filtered electrolyte.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum system (3) is made up of a cubicle in which there are turbines or vacuum pumps and air filters.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the acid-resistant filter (25) comprises a conical geometry with perforations, being covered with a filter material (27) and a gate with a hinge mechanism and a mechanism closure for the discharge of the anodic mud stored in the filter (25).

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the filter material (27) is a stainless steel mesh.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the filter (25) includes ears or slings in its upper part for its hooking and lifting for its extraction from inside the vacuum tank (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a general view of the equipment to suck up and recover anodic mud.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the anodic mud collector.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows the use of extensions to increase the operating length of the anodic mud collector.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a front inside view of the elements inside the vacuum tank of the equipment.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows an internal side view of the elements inside the vacuum tank of the equipment.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows the vacuum tank acid resistant filter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The present invention refers to an equipment for sucking and extracting anodic sludge from cells for electro-refining or electro-winning of metals, comprising, as shown in FIG. 1, an anodic sludge recuperator (1); a vacuum tank (2); a vacuum system (3); and flexible hoses (4, 5).

[0028] The anodic mud collector (1), as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a transparent tube (11) with opposite ends, where a first inlet end (12) has a suction nozzle (14) connected through it. which enters the anodic mud in the anodic mud collector (1), and a second outlet end (13) that is connected to the vacuum tank (2); a regulating valve (15) mounted on or near said outlet end (13) of the transparent tube (11), where the operator is located, which is in communication with the interior of the transparent tube (11) by one of its ends and at atmospheric pressure at the other end, where said regulating valve (15) allows, by means of its total or partial opening, the regulation of the vacuum inside the anodic mud recuperator (1) and, consequently, regulates the pressure of suction inside the anodic mud collector (1) and the extraction generated in the suction nozzle (14) to selectively suck the anodic mud. The transparent tube (11) further comprises a vacuum connector (16) at its second end (13) for connection to the vacuum tank (2).

[0029] The transparent tube (11) of the anodic sludge collector (1) is a transparent rigid tube that allows the equipment operator to verify, when the equipment is in operation, the content of the suctioned flow and to identify that the anodic sludge is adequately extracted from a cell. The transparent tube (11) has a diameter between 6.35 mm. (¼″) and 76.5 mm. (3″) preferably being 50.8 mm. (two″). The transparent tube (11), the suction nozzle (14), the regulating valve (15) and the vacuum connector (16) are made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro-refining or electro-winning processes.

[0030] The transparent tube (11) can be formed by a single tube or, optionally, as shown in FIG. 3, it can be formed by a plurality of sections of tube (111) connected by means of hermetic screwed joints (112) that allow adjust the length of the transparent tube (11) to the dimensions of the cell from which the anodic mud is extracted. The tube sections (111) can be of different lengths, so that new tube sections (111) of different lengths can be inserted and/or added to regulate the operating length of the transparent tube (11). Alternatively, when the transparent tube (11) is made up of a single tube, additional sections of tube (111) can be added to one of its ends (12, 13), connecting them by hermetic screwed joints (112), to increase its length.

[0031] Optionally, the anodic mud collector (1) further comprises a hose mounted outside the transparent tube (11), where the outlet end of said hose enters the tube (11) through a hole near the first end (12) said outlet end remaining inside the transparent tube (11). The hose is connected to a compressor to inject pressurized air inside the transparent tube (11), near the suction nozzle (14), to reduce the density of the suctioned mixture, generating turbulence that favors the extraction of anodic mud. by increasing the suction speed. The hole in the transparent tube (11) has a diameter equal to or similar to that of the hose that allows for proper adjustment of the latter, where a sealant is also included between the hose and the hole to prevent the penetration of air from the outside into the inside the transparent tube (11).

[0032] Said hose is made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro refining or electro obtaining processes. Alternatively, the hose for injection of pressurized air is mounted inside the transparent tube (11).

[0033] The vacuum tank (2) receives the anodic mud from the anodic mud collector (1), which sucks the anodic mud from the cells, comprising said vacuum tank (2), as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an outlet valve (21) located in its lower part; a top cap with a first top connection (22) and a second top connection (23); and a pond body. The top cover and the tank body are hermetically joined. The first upper connection (22) is connected by a flexible hose (4) to the anode mud collector (1), where said flexible hose (4) is connected to the vacuum connector (16) at the second end (13) of the tube transparent (11). The second upper connection (23) is connected by means of a flexible hose (5) to the vacuum system (3), where said system (3) generates the vacuum inside the vacuum tank (2) to generate suction or aspiration by means of vacuum in the anodic mud collector (1) through the flexible hose (4). For their part, the flexible hoses (4, 5) are made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro-refining or electro-obtaining processes. The vacuum tank (2) can include wheels (24) at its base to allow it to be moved during operation.

[0034] Inside the tank body there is an acid-resistant filter (25) that allows the filtration of the extracted solids, separating the anodic mud from the sucked electrolyte so that the anodic mud remains in the filter (25) through a decanting process while that the electrolyte passes to the lower part of the tank body. Preferably, the filter 25 includes a conical geometry with perforations. The acid-resistant filter (25), as shown in FIG. 6, is mounted on an acid-resistant lectern (26) resting on the bottom of the pond body, where the filter (25) is covered with a filter material (27), preferably a stainless steel mesh, which allows the filtering of solids, retaining the anodic mud and allowing the passage of liquids to the lower part of the tank body. In addition, the acid-resistant filter (25) includes ears or slings (not shown) in its upper part for its hooking and lifting, for its extraction from inside the vacuum tank (2) and transporting the anodic mud inside the tank. filter (25) to a storage area. The acid-resistant filter (25) includes a gate in its lower part that has a hinge mechanism and a closing mechanism inside, so that the anode sludge is discharged into a container for storage and subsequent processing, at open said gate at the bottom of the filter (25) by means of the hinge mechanisms by releasing the gate lock.

[0035] The outlet valve (21) is connected to the vacuum tank (2) by means of an acid resistant pipe that comes out from the lower part of the body of the vacuum tank (2), where said outlet valve (21) allows the evacuation of the filtered electrolyte. The evacuation of said electrolyte can be carried out by gravity or optionally with a pneumatic pump (6) connected to the outlet valve (21) by means of a flexible hose (7). Optionally, the acid resistant tubing includes a strainer (28) for filtering the electrolyte during pump or gravity evacuation. The flexible hose (7) is made of a material resistant to acid and electrolyte from electro-refining or electro-winning processes.

[0036] The vacuum system (3) is made up of a cubicle in which there are turbines or vacuum pumps inside that generate the appropriate vacuum levels for the operation of the system (3). Additionally, the vacuum system (3) includes a filter that prevents the passage of anode mud and electrolyte sucked into it, preventing possible damage. The vacuum system (3) can include wheels that allow it to be moved to the places of operation. The vacuum system (3) is of such power that it allows the suction of the anodic mud at a great distance from the cell, since it is possible to counteract the pressure losses that can be generated inside the flexible hose (4) that connects the anodic mud collector (1) and the vacuum tank (2) due to its length.

[0037] The equipment to suck and extract anodic mud from electro refining or electro obtaining cells operates by connecting the vacuum system (3) to the vacuum tank (2) through the flexible hose (5) in the second upper connection (23) of the cover upper part of the vacuum tank (2), in such a way as to achieve a suitable vacuum pressure to allow the suction of the anodic sludge through the anodic sludge collector (1).

[0038] For anodic sludge suction, the operator must partially introduce the anodic sludge collector (1) inside the cell, where the vacuum generated in the vacuum tank (2) produces suction in the anodic sludge collector (1).). The operator must place the suction nozzle (14) at the bottom of the cell to extract the anodic mud, verifying its correct extraction by observing the content that passes through the transparent tube (11). During the operation of the equipment, the operator regulates the suction pressure of the anodic sludge collector (1) by opening or closing the regulating valve (15) until it is verified that mainly, selectively, anodic sludge is extracted from the cell, reducing thus the amount of electrolyte that is sucked with the equipment.

[0039] The electrolyte that is sucked together with the anode sludge is filtered in the vacuum tank (2) and can be stored in containers by being discharged by means of a flexible hose connected to the outlet of the pneumatic pump (6) or to be returned to the electro-refining or electro-winning process, transported to a later stage of decantation of solids or returned to the electrolyte tanks and/or recirculation of the processes.