Flotation cell line

The present invention relates to a line formed by cells used in the treatment of flotatable materials, in which line the cells are installed with respect to each other, so that at least one cell can be withdrawn from the process without essentially deteriorating the operation of the flotation cell line.

In a flotation cell, there are treated slurry-like materials in order to remove from the rest of the material the desired ingredients that can be utilized. The main task of the flotation cell is to keep the flotatable material in suspension, to feed air into the suspension and to disperse the suspension into small air bubbles, as well as to conduct the utilizable ingredients, i.e. the concentrate, and the rest of the material, to separate locations. However, with respect to the recovered concentrate, the efficiency of the flotation cell is essentially low. Consequently, in order to achieve the desired degree of concentration for the utilizable ingredient, the flotation cells are usually coupled in series, so that the waste from the preceding flotation cell serves as the feed for the successive flotation cell. The concentrates obtained from the cells of the accordingly created flotation cell line are then combined and conducted to further treatment.

In a conventional flotation cell line, the cells are coupled in series with respect to each other, so that the whole flotation cell line must be stopped and production interrupted even in a case where only one cell in the flotation cell line needs repairs or maintenance. Because the capacity of the flotation cells as such has increased, and because respectively the number of parallel flotation cell lines has decreased, the relative capacity share of each flotation cell line becomes large. When this type of a flotation cell line must be stopped, for instance in order to maintain or repair one cell in the line, the procedure remarkably cuts the degree of utilization of the flotation process, and thus causes high extra expenses for the process.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate some of the drawbacks of the prior art and to achieve an improved flotation cell line, where the withdrawal of one flotation cell from the line does not cause any essential changes in the operation of the flotation cell line, and whereby it is possible to reduce the space needed for the flotation cell line. The essential novel features of the invention are apparent from the appended claims.

According to the invention, the flotation cell line is formed of flotation cells, which are provided with inlet and outlet apertures for the flotatable material, so that the flotatable material can be conducted from a flotation cell to at least two flotation cells that are located in succession to said flotation cell, when seen in the flowing direction of the flotatable material. Thus the flotatable material can be conducted alternatively either to the cell in the flotation cell line that is located next in the flowing direction of the flotatable material, or past the cell located next in the flowing direction, to at least one cell following in succession in the flowing direction of the flotatable material. In case the cell in question is the cell that is located last but one in the flowing direction of the flotatable material, the flotatable material can only be conducted to the last cell or to further treatment after the flotation cell line. Moreover, when feeding the flotatable material to the flotation cell line, the material can be fed either to the cell located first in the flowing direction of the flotatable material, or past the first cell to the cell located second in the flowing direction of the flotatable material.

When the flotatable material, according to the invention, is conducted past that cell in the flotation cell line that is located next in the flowing direction of the flotatable material, the flotatable material can in the flotation cell line be further conducted, irrespective of the flotation cell that is withdrawn from usage, so that the flotation cell line still can be used in the treatment of the flotatable material. Moreover, in a flotation cell line according to the invention, the flotation cells are installed at least partly in parallel, so that space can advantageously be saved in the flowing direction of the flotation cell line, and simultaneously the interval between two flotation cells is reduced, when the flotatable material is conducted past the cell that needs repairs or maintenance.

In the flotation cell line according to the invention, the cells are interconnected by means of conduits, so that in the outlet aperture of the cell, or in between the cells, there is installed a flow control member, which guides the flotatable material to the feed inlet of the cell that is located next in the flowing direction of the flotation cell line, or alternatively to the feed inlet of the cell that is located nearest to the next cell. Advantageously the number of inlet and outlet apertures of the cells provided in the flotation cell line is one or two. However, a larger number can also be applied, when desired. In the flotation cell line according to the invention, the number of the inlet and outlet apertures of individual flotation cells can alter, in which case different types of flotation cells can be combined in a flotation cell line.

According to the invention, when using both two inlet and two outlet apertures in the cells of the flotation cell line, the passage of the flotatable material either to the next cell or to the conduit passing the next cell is controlled already in the flotation cell itself, by keeping one outlet aperture and the inlet aperture provided in the receiving flotation cell open by means of the flow control members, so that the flotatable material flows from one cell to another.

The passage of the flotatable material from one flotation cell to the cell located next in the flotation cell line, or past the next cell, can also be arranged so that the flotatable material is discharged through the same outlet irrespective of the fact whether the flotatable material passes to the next flotation cell or to the conduit passing the next cell. Now the flow control member of the flotatable material is installed outside the flotation cell, in the conduit connecting the cells. When using only one outlet in the flotation cell, it is possible in the next receiving flotation cell to use either one or two inlets, because the flotatable material conduit meant for the passing of one flotation cell can be connected either to that conduit piece which provides for the flotatable material a direct contact between two successive flotation cells, or the conduit can be connected directly to the flotation cell as a separate inlet aperture.

In the flotation cell line according to the invention, the cells that are located successively in the flowing direction of the flotatable material are installed at least partly in parallel with respect to each other. Thus the distance of the first and last cell in the flotation cell line, when seen in the flowing direction of the flotatable material, is reduced, and the flotation cell line as such takes up less space than a conventional flotation cell line. Now also the distance between a cell and the cell located next in succession, when seen in the flowing direction of the flotatable material, is essentially reduced. Likewise, the conduit arranged between a cell and the cell located next in succession, when seen in the flowing direction, also is essentially short and easily installed in place. The distance proceeded by the flotatable material in the flotation cell line remains essentially the same as in a conventional flotation cell line, in case the flotatable material passes via all cells in the flotation cell line, but said distance is essentially shortened, in case the flotatable material is conducted past one or several flotation cells.

The invention is explained in more detail with respect to the appended drawings, where

FIG. 1

is a schematical top-view illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2

is a schematical top-view illustration of another preferred embodiment of the invention.

According to

FIG. 1

, the cells

1

,

2

,

3

,

4

and

5

of the flotation cell line that are located in succession in the flowing direction

22

of the flotatable material, are installed partly in parallel with respect to each other, so that between the flotation cells

1

and

3

, there is installed anduit

6

, wherethrough the flotatable material can, when necessary, be conducted past the flotation cell

2

. Respectively, a conduit

7

is installed in between the flotation cells

2

and

4

in order to conduct the flotatable material, when necessary, past the flotation cell

3

. Moreover, there is illustrated a conduit

8

which is installed in between the flotation cells

3

and

5

in order to conduct the flotatable material past the flotation cell

4

.

In the flotation cell line according to

FIG. 1

, the flotatable material is fed by means of a feeding device

9

. The feeding device

9

is connected both to cell

1

and

2

by means of the conduits

10

and

11

. In case the cell

1

is withdrawn from use, the flotatable material is fed directly to the cell

2

via the conduit

11

. Normally the flotatable material fed into the flotation cell I is conducted in the flotation cell line via an outlet

12

to the flotation cell

2

. In case the flotation cell

2

should be passed by, the flotatable material is conducted, via an outlet

13

, to the conduit

6

and further to the flotation cell

3

. In addition, the flotation cell

2

is provided with outlets

14

and

15

in order to conduct the flotatable material to the flotation cell

3

, or past the flotation cell

3

via the conduit

7

to the flotation cell

4

. Respectively, the flotation cell

3

is provided with outlets

16

and

17

in order to conduct the flotatable material either to the flotation cell

4

or via the conduit

8

directly to the flotation cell

5

. The outlets

18

and

19

of the flotation cell

4

guide the flotatable material either to the flotation cell

5

or via the conduit

20

directly out of the flotation cell line and to further treatment. On the other hand, the flotation cell

5

includes only one outlet

21

in order to conduct the material, fed into the cell

5

and flotated therein, to the same material flow with the material that is possibly obtained from the conduit

20

.

In the embodiment according to

FIG. 2

, the cells

31

,

32

,

33

,

34

and

35

of the flotation cell line that are located in succession in the flowing direction

52

of the flotatable material are partly installed in parallel with respect to each other, so that the flotation cell

31

is connected to the next flotat ion cell

32

and to the flotation cell

33

successive to cell

32

by means of a conduit piece

37

connected to the outlet

36

. The conduit piece

37

comprises a flow control member

38

for controlling the flotatable material flow, which guides the flow alternatively either to the flotation cell

32

or, when desired, to the flotation cell

33

. Respectively, in the outlet

39

of the flotation cell

32

, there is connected a conduit piece

40

provided with a flotatable material flow control member

41

for guiding the flow either to the flotation cell

33

or, when desired, to the flotation cell

34

. Moreover, the conduit piece

43

connected to the outlet

42

of the flotation cell

33

is provided with a flotatable material flow control member

44

for guiding the flow either to the flotation cell

34

or, when desired, to the flotation cell

35

. On the other hand, the flotatable material flow control member

47

provided in the conduit piece

46

connected to the outlet

45

of the flotation cell

34

guides the flow either to the flotation cell

35

or via the conduit

48

out of the flotation cell line. From the flotation cell

35

, the material flotated in the flotation cell line is conducted, via the conduit

49

, to one and the same material flow with the material possibly obtained from the conduit

48

.

According to

FIG. 2

, the feeding of the flotatable material to the flotation cell line is carried out so that the material supplied from the feeding device

50

is conducted to the flotation cell

31

, or the material can also be fed directly to the flotation cell

32

via the conduit

51

.