Solvent extraction settler arrangement

Abstract

A solvent extraction settler arrangement comprising a mixing unit for preparing a dispersion from mutually immiscible solutions and a settler having a feed end and a discharge end. The settler is arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion fed from the feed end while the dispersion flows towards the discharge end. The arrangement further comprises a feeding device located at the feed end for feeding the dispersion prepared by the mixing unit to the settler. The feeding device comprises an elongated feed launder having a first end for receiving the dispersion from the mixing unit, and a second end. The feed launder extends alongside the feed end of the settler. The feed launder has a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging towards the second end and an inclined bottom ascending towards the second end. A plurality of feed pipes are arranged along the length of the feed launder at a distance from each other, each feed pipe having a third end opening to the inner space of the feed launder at the bottom to receive the dispersion from the feed launder and a fourth end opening to the settler to conduct the dispersion to the settler.

Claims

1. A solvent extraction settler arrangement adapted for hydrometallurgical liquid-liquid extraction processes, the settler arrangement comprising a mixing unit for preparing a dispersion from mutually immiscible solutions, a settler having a feed end and a discharge end, said settler being arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion fed from the feed end while the dispersion flows towards the discharge end, a feeding device located at the feed end for feeding the dispersion prepared by the mixing unit to the settler, characterized in that the feeding device comprises an elongated feed launder having a first end for receiving the dispersion from the mixing unit, and a second end, said feed launder extending alongside the feed end of the settler, the feed launder having a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging towards the second end and an inclined bottom ascending towards the second end, and a plurality of feed pipes arranged along the length of the feed launder at a distance from each other, each feed pipe having a third end that opens to the inner space of the feed launder at the bottom to receive the dispersion from the feed launder and a fourth end that opens to the settler to conduct the dispersion to the settler.

2. The settler arrangement according to claim 1, where the feed launder is a hollow body made of a fibre-reinforced plastic composite and is manufactured by filament winding technology.

3. The settler arrangement according to claim 1, where the feed launder is a hollow body made of steel.

4. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 where the arrangement comprises a level control valve connected to the third end of each feed pipe inside the feed launder.

5. The settler arrangement according to claim 4, where the level control valve comprises an extendable and collapsible tube member, such as a bellows tube, having a lower end connected to the third end of the feed pipe, and an upper end, an overflow lip attached at the upper end of the tube member, and an actuator connected to the overflow lip for vertical adjustment of the height position of the overflow lip.

6. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 where the settler consists of one tank having a single uniform flow space; and that all the feed pipes open to said single flow space.

7. The settler arrangement according to claim 1 where the settler consists of a plurality of mutually separated elongated parallel settler sections each extending from the feed end to the discharge end and forming a plurality of parallel flow spaces; and that at least one feed pipe is connected to each settler section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a settler arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a section II-II from FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a settler arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a section IV-IV from FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail A from FIG. 2,

(7) FIGS. 6 and 7 show a level control valve in two positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIGS. 1 and 3 show solvent extraction settler arrangements which are adapted for hydrometallurgical liquid-liquid extraction processes.

(9) The settler arrangement comprises a mixing unit 1 for preparing a dispersion from mutually immiscible solutions. The mixing unit 1 includes, in this case, a pumping unit 19 and two mixers 20. A settler 2 is arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion which is fed from the feed end 3 while the dispersion flows towards the discharge end 4. A feeding device 5 is arranged at the feed end 3 for feeding the dispersion prepared by the mixing unit 1 to the settler 2. Discharge launders 21 and 22 are arranged at the discharge end 4 to receive and discharge the separated solutions.

(10) The feeding device 5 comprises an elongated feed launder 6. From the mixing unit 1 the dispersion is conducted to a first end 7 of the feed launder 6. The feed launder 6 extends alongside the feed end 3 of the settler 2. The feed launder 5 has a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging towards the second end 8 of the feed launder 6. The feed launder 6 has a form of a conical tube which has substantially a form of a square pyramid with cambered edges. The feed launder 6 may be made of steel or fibre-reinforced plastic composite. Preferably the feed launder 6 is a hollow body made of a fibre-reinforced plastic composite and manufactured by filament winding technology. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the cross-section of the feed launder is substantially rectangular with cambered corners. Such a form allows it to be easily detached from the mandrel on which it is wound. Further, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the feed launder also has an inclined bottom 9 which linearly ascends from the first end 7 to the second end 8 of the feed launder 6.

(11) A plurality of feed pipes 10 are arranged along the length of the feed launder 6 at a distance from each other. Each feed pipe 10 has a third end 11 which opens to the inner space of the feed launder 6 at the bottom 9 to receive the dispersion from the feed launder 6. Each feed pipe 10 has a fourth end 12 which opens to the settler 2 to conduct the dispersion to the settler 2.

(12) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the settler 2 consists of one large tank which has a single uniform flow space which extends widthwise to the whole area of the tank and lengthwise from the feed end 3 to the discharge end 4. In this case, all the feed pipes 10 open to said single uniform flow space.

(13) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the settler 2 consists of a plurality of widthwise mutually separated elongated parallel settler sections 2 each extending from the feed end 3 to the discharge end 4 and forming a plurality of parallel flow spaces. At least one feed pipe 10 is arranged between the feed launder 6 and each settler section 2 to feed dispersion from the feed launder 6 to said settler section.

(14) As can be seen in FIGS. 5 to 7, a level control valve 13 is connected to the third end 11 of each feed pipe 10 inside the feed launder 6. The level control valve 13 comprises an extendable and collapsible tube member 14, such as a bellows tube. The tube member 14 has its lower end 15 connected to the third end 11 of the feed pipe 10. An overflow lip 17 is attached at the upper end of the tube member 14. An actuator 18 is connected to the overflow lip 17 for vertical adjustment of the height position of the overflow lip.

(15) FIG. 6 shows the level control valve 13 in a position in which the overflow lip 17 is at a level below the surface level of the dispersion in the feed launder 6 whereby the dispersion is allowed to flow to the feed pipe 10.

(16) FIG. 7 shows that the level control valve 13 is lifted to a position in which the overflow lip 17 is above the surface level of the dispersion in the feed launder 6 whereby the flow of the dispersion from the feed launder 6 to the feed pipe 10 is interrupted and no dispersion flows to the settler 2 or settler section 2. Safety can be ensured by attaching also a shut-off cap 23 tightly to the fourth end 12 of the feed pipe 10 to prevent any leakage of dispersion from the feed pipe 10.

(17) It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead, they may vary within the scope of the claims.