US 12,240,001 B2
Froth flotation unit
Jere Tuominen, Espoo (FI); Rodrigo Grau, Pori (FI); Tatu Miettinen, Helsinki (FI); and Zakaria Mönkäre, Helsinki (FI)
Assigned to OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY, Espoo (FI)
Appl. No. 16/628,392
Filed by OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY, Espoo (FI)
PCT Filed Jul. 4, 2017, PCT No. PCT/FI2017/050505
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 3, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/008217, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0215551 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. B03D 1/14 (2006.01); B03D 1/02 (2006.01); B03D 1/20 (2006.01)
CPC B03D 1/1406 (2013.01) [B03D 1/02 (2013.01); B03D 1/1462 (2013.01); B03D 1/20 (2013.01)] 40 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A froth flotation unit for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry and for separating the slurry into an underflow and an overflow, the froth flotation unit comprising:
a tank with a center and a perimeter,
a gas supply for introducing flotation gas into the slurry to form froth, and
a first froth collection launder comprising a first froth overflow lip of the first froth collection launder facing towards the center of the tank, wherein the froth flotation unit has a pulp area of at least 15 m2, measured at a mixing area, wherein the froth flotation unit further comprises:
a second froth collection launder arranged inside the first froth collection launder, the second froth collection launder comprising a first froth overflow lip of the second froth collection launder facing the perimeter of the tank, and
a froth blocker arranged between the first froth overflow lip of the first froth collection launder and the first froth overflow lip of the second froth collection launder, a cross-section of the froth blocker defining a scalene triangle, and
wherein an open froth surface of the tank is divided into two open froth subsurfaces by the froth blocker, the two open froth subsurfaces being partially separated by the froth blocker and having a fluid connection,
wherein the area of the open froth surface is arranged to be varied in response to vertical movement of the froth blocker so that the relationship between the two open froth subsurfaces separated by the froth blocker is changed.