Flotation process

When used to separate solid-solid mixtures, the material is ground to a particle size small enough to liberate particles of the chemical species to be recovered. The mixture of solid particles is then dispersed in the flotation medium, which is usually water. Gas bubbles become attached to the solid particles, thereby allowing them to float to the surface of the liquid. The solid partices are collected from the surface by an overflow weir or mechanical scraper. The separation of the solid particles depends on the different species having different surface properties such that one species is preferentially attached to the bubbles. A number of chemicals are added to the flotation medium to meet the various requirements of the flotation process ... 

The examples in the preceding section, of the flotation of lead and copper ores by xanthates, was one in which chemical forces predominated in the adsorption of the collector. Flotation processes have been applied to a number of other minerals that are either ionic in type, such as potassium chloride, or are insoluble oxides such as quartz and iron oxide, or ink pigments [needed to be removed in waste paper processing [92]]. In the case of quartz, surfactants such as alkyl amines are used, and the situation is complicated by micelle formation (see next section), which can also occur in the adsorbed layer [93, 94]. 

The flotation process is based on the exploitation of wettabiUty differences of particles to be separated. Differences of wettabiUty among soHd (mineral) particles can be natural, or can be induced by the use of chemical adsorbates. Because the largest segment of industrial appHcations is conducted in water, with air, the following discussion is confined mainly to these fluids. 

Flotation reagents are used in the froth flotation process to (/) enhance hydrophobicity, (2) control selectivity, (J) enhance recovery and grade, and (4) affect the velocity (kinetics) of the separation process. These chemicals are classified based on utili2ation collector, frother, auxiUary reagent, or based on reagent chemistry polar, nonpolar, and anionic, cationic, nonionic, and amphoteric. The active groups of the reagent molecules are typically carboxylates, xanthates, sulfates or sulfonates, and ammonium salts. 

Flotation process kinetics determine the residence time, the average time a given particle stays in the flotation pulp from the instant it enters the ceU until it exits. One way to study flotation kinetics is to record flotation recoveries as a function of time under a given set of conditions such as pulp pH, coUector concentration, particle size, etc. The data allow the derivation of an expression that describes the rate of the process. 

First-order kinetics (ie, n = 1) is frequently assumed and seems adequate to describe the kinetics of most flotation processes. However, highly hydrophobic particles float faster and very fine particles or coarse ones outside the optimal flotation size range (see Fig. 1) take longer to coUect in the froth layer. ExceUent reviews of the subject are available in the Hterature (27). 

Other Applications. There are a variety of flotation processes employing the principles described. 

Skin Flotation. Hydrophobic particles can be removed in the form of a thin, usually one particle thick layer on top of a trough, giving rise to the skin flotation process. 

Further upgrading of the potassium chloride content of the chloride salts recovered from the initial heavy-medium separation takes place in a second heavy-medium separation at a somewhat lower specific gravity than the first separation. Sodium chloride is discarded as a waste the enriched KCl fraction is sent to a flotation process where a final separation of KCl from NaCl is made. Mine-mn ore less than 1 mm that is not amenable to... 

Flotation. Flotation (qv) is used alone or in combination with washing and cleaning to deink office paper and mixtures of old newsprint and old magazines (26). An effective flotation process must fulfill four functions. (/) The process must efficiently entrain air. Air bubble diameter is about 1000 p.m. Typically air bubbles occupy 25—60% of the flotation cell volume. Increa sing the airRquid ratio in the flotation cell is said to improve ink removal efficiency (27). (2) Ink must attach to air bubbles. This is primarily a function of surfactant chemistry. Air bubbles must have sufficient residence time in the cell for ink attachment to occur. (3) There must be minimal trapping of cellulose fibers in the froth layer. This depends on both cell design and surfactant chemistry. (4) The froth layer must be separated from the pulp slurry before too many air bubbles coUapse and return ink particles to the pulp slurry. 

Xanthates are used in a froth flotation process of soils contaminated with mercury. The soil to be treated is mn through hydrocyclones, and the slurries are flocculated, dewatered, and removed to a secure landfill. The effluent water is recycled. The process is suitable for treating industrial land sites contaminated with mercury droplets (115). 

Both sodium sulfide and the bisulfide are used in the flotation process for copper minerals and as a depilatory for animal liides (see Copper Copper ALLOYS Leather). Also, sodium polysulfide can be produced from Na2S, and elemental sulfur can be produced if H2S is generated as an intemiediate. 

Sylvinite is removed from the ponds with scraper-loaders and hauled to a central pit. The salts are then transported to the refinery in a slurry line. KCl is separated from the NaCl by flotation. The flotation process is standard throughout the industry and is the same process used to separate KCl from impurities in a camaUite decomposition process explained later. An amine collector is used as one of the reagents. 

Biological processes are also being studied to investigate abiHty to remove sulfur species in order to remove potential contributors to acid rain (see Air pollution). These species include benzothiophene-type materials, which are the most difficult to remove chemically, as weU as pyritic material. The pyrite may be treated to enhance the abiHty of flotation processes to separate the mineral from the combustible parts of the coal. Genetic engineering (qv) techniques are being appHed to develop more effective species. 

Flotation. The appfication of flotation (qv) to coal cleaning is a relatively new development iu the United States. In 1960, only 0.6% of the clean coal produced came from flotation. However, by 1983 flotation accounted for about 5% of the clean coal production (Table 2). Utilization of the flotation process is expected to grow rapidly because more fine size coal is produced as a result of beneficiation schemes that require significant size reduction of the taw coal prior to cleaning to enhance the fiberation of pyrite and ash minerals. 

The flotation process usually iuvolves three steps (/) the conditioning of the coal surface iu a slurry with reagents, (2) adhesion of hydrophobic coal particles to gas bubbles, and (J) the separation of the coal-laden bubbles from the slurry. In the conventional flotation process, when the coal particles become attached to air bubbles, the particles ate allowed to rise to the top of the flotation cell and form a stable froth layer (9). A mechanical scraper is used to remove the froth layer and separate the clean coal product from the refuse-laden slurry. 

The KEN-FLOTE column (11) is one of several column flotation processes based on a countercurrent principle. The feed slurry containing reagents is iatroduced iato the column just below the froth zone. Air is iujected at the bottom of the column via an air sparger. Wash water is sprayed within the froth zone to reject the entrained impurities from the froth. Test results on this column iadicate that a 6% ash product coal having a combustible-recovery of 75—80% can be obtained. A 70—80% pyrite reduction is also claimed. Figure 2 shows the operation of such a column. 

The pH of the pulp to the flotation cells is carefliUy controlled by the addition of lime, which optimizes the action of all reagents and is used to depress pyrite. A frother, such as pine oil or a long-chain alcohol, is added to produce the froth, an important part of the flotation process. The ore minerals, coated with an oily collected layer, are hydrophobic and collect on the air bubbles the desired minerals float while the gangue sinks. Typical collectors are xanthates, dithiophosphates, or xanthate derivatives, whereas typical depressants are calcium or sodium cyanide [143-33-9] NaCN, andlime. 

Mixed liberated particles can be separated from each other by flotation if there are sufficient differences in their wettability. The flotation process operates by preparing a water suspension of a mixture of relatively fine-sized particles (smaller than 150 micrometers) and by contacting the suspension with a swarm of air bubbles of air in a suitably designed process vessel. Particles that are readily wetted by water (hydrcmhiric) tend to remain in suspension, and those particles not wetted by water (hydrophobic) tend to be attached to air bubbles, levitate (float) to the top of the process vessel, and collect in a froth layer. Thus, differences in the surface chemical properties of the solids are the basis for separation by flotation. 

Mineral Applications. The flotation process is most widely used in the mineral process industry to concentrate mineral values in the ores. 

Flotation Reagents. Three types of chemical reagents are used during the froth flotation process collectors, frothers, and modifiers. 

The dissolved-air flotation process is most commonly used for sewage and potable water treatment. It is also gaining popularity for the treatment of slaughterhouse, poultry processing, seafood processing, soap, and food processing wastes (Zoubulis et. al., 1991). 

The flotation process was developed in the mining and coal processing industries as a way of separating suspended solids from a medium such as water. As noted above, the flotation process has found uses in other fields, such as wastewater treatment. The process introduces fine air bubbles into the mixture, so that the air bubbles attach to the particles, and lift them to the surface. 

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