MULTI-STAGE FLUIDIZED-BED FLOTATION SEPARATOR Russian patent published in 2019 - IPC B03D1/24 

FIELD: flotation.

SUBSTANCE: disclosed group of inventions relates to a system and method for concentrating mixtures of particles of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials in a fluid medium. System for concentrating mixtures of particles of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials in fluid medium comprises a separation chamber comprising two or more in-series connected treatment compartments, each of which contains distribution pipeline for input of upward flow of water; suspended solid particles forming a fluidised bed formed by upward movement of said upward stream of water through said suspended solid particles, a drain chute located above said separation chamber; and a water removal unit located under said separation chamber. Each processing compartment is capable of operating independently. With the help of the above system, a method of concentrating mixtures of hydrophobic and hydrophilic particles in a fluid medium is carried out. Method comprises feeding particles and fluid into separation system comprising two or more treatment compartments, in each of which there are suspended solid particles forming a fluidised bed formed by upward movement of ascending water stream through said suspended solid particles; subjecting the particles to the target separation conditions by adjusting suspension conditions in each treatment compartment; allowing particles to interact with the fluidised bed and air in the ascending water stream so that the hydrophobic particles are connected to the air bubbles and enter the upper part of the separation system above the fluidised bed, and the hydrophilic particles pass through the fluidised bed and enter the lower part of the separation system; providing increased time of particles stay in separation system, allowing particles to move both horizontally and vertically in each compartment of separation system treatment; hydrophobic particles are removed from the upper part of the separation system and hydrophilic particles are removed from the lower part of the separation system.

EFFECT: technical result is higher efficiency of separation of particles in multistep process.

16 cl, 11 dwg