US2795331A - Apparatus for separating solid materials by suspension - Google Patents

Description

A. DOUY June 11, 1957 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS BY SUSPENSION Filed Jan. 5 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR flnmmflovy BY I 4 MA /9 M ATTORNEY/5' A. DOUY June 11, 1957 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS BY SUSPENSION Filed Jan. 6, 1956 3 She ets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 'June 11, 1957 DOUY v 2,795,331

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS BY SUSPENSION Filed Jam. 6, 1956 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mvENTbfi M17215 Z00 ATTORNEYS .r 2,795,331 lc Patented June 11, 1957 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS BY SUSPENSION Andr Douy, Gennevilliers, France, assignor to Societe Preparation Industrielle des Combustibles, Fontainebleau, France, a French company Application January 6, 1956, Serial No. 557,781

Claims. (Cl. 209-1725) This invention relates to apparatus for separating. solid materials and has more particular reference to apparatus for separating a raw heterogeneous product into three products of different specific gravities and classes by the heavy media process.

One object of the present invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus for separating a raw heterogeneous product into three products of different specific gravities and classes by the heavy media process, as for example in separating and classifying coal, ores and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus, as characterized above, which effects a two stage separation providing a light, a heavy and. an intermediary product and which includes two drums rotatable about a horizontal axis, each adapted to confine a body of heavy media forming a washing bed; means for feeding the raw product into the first of the two drums; separate means for each drum for overflow of float product therefrom; lifter means within each drum, operable by rotation of the drum to lift sink product therein; transfer means for transferring the lifted sink product from the first drum and feeding them into the second drum; means for removing the sink product from the second drum; and separate means associated with each drum for receiving the heavy media discharged therefrom and recycling it back into the washing bed therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus, as characterized above, wherein the means for feeding the products to be separated into the respective separating drums comprise conduits or chutes so arranged that their terminal end portions extend in a direction located on the same plane as the axis of rotation of the drums and with only their terminal ends entering the drum and at the end opposite the overflow of float products therefrom in position to discharge on the whole width of the upstream side of the washing bed therein, thereby facilitating access to and maintenance of the interior of the drums and permitting the length of the washing beds, i. e., the length of the drums to be determined solely by the characteristics of the products being separated therein. A

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus, as characterized above, which is economical from the standpoint of space utilization and plant investment and which is efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification when considered with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 but showing the stationary connecting unit in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3--3 of F ig, 2;

Fig. 4 is. a perspective view of the stationary connecting unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with parts omitted. and

parts in cross section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the chute for transferring sink products from the first separating unit to the second separating unit;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stationary connecting unit shown in Fig. 5 but viewed from the opposite side; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the screening device for receiving the float product and the sink product discharged from the second separating unit.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 and 2 one embodiment of apparatus, for the densimetric separation of raw heterogeneous product into three products of different specific gravities, by means of a heavy media of different specific gravities, constructed in accordance with the present invention. As there shown the apparatus comprises a pair of laterally spaced, rotatable separating units 10, 11 mounted for rotation about a common horizontal axis; a common driving unit indicated generally at 12 for simultaneously rotating the separating units; and a stationary connecting unit, indicated generally at 13 positioned between the adjacent ends of the two separating units and providing means for delivering the particular products to be separated along with recycled heavy media employed in the separation into the respective units.

The two separating units 19' and 11 are substantially identical in construction and as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 each comprises a hollow generally cylindrical outer drum 14, which is supported for rotation on suitable rollers 15' mounted on the foundation and riding on two axially spaced tires 16 fixed to the outside of the drum and with the ends of the drum partially closed by annular plates 17 and 18 with their circularv openings in the axis of the drum; an inner hollow drum like member 19, forming a washing chamber adapted to confine a body of heavy media, fixedly and concentrically mounted within the outer drum 14 and made up of a cylindrical body portion 20, an outer frusto-conicalend portion 21 having the circular opening in its outer end provided with an outwardly flaring flange 22 forming an overflow lip or weir, a frustoconical inner end portion 21' having the circular opening in its outer end partially closed by an annular end wall member 23 with its circular opening in the axis of the hollow drum like member 19 and being of less diameter than the circular opening in the outer end of the outer frusto-conical end portion 21 so that the overflow of liquid from the washing bed will take place over the overflow lip or Weir formed by the flange 22, and a plurality of sets of latticed scrapers, each made of spaced apart horizontal bars having their ends secured in the vertical side wall of the mid section 20, forming perforated lifters 24 for lifting the sink products from the bottom of the washing bed as the drum rotates, While permitting the heavy media to drain back into the washing bed.

The inner drum 19 is fixedly mounted within the outer drum 14 for rotation therewith as by means of a plurality of circurnferentially spaced connecting members or arms 25. The space between the walls of the inner and outer drum form a receptacle for the heavy media drained from the float products discharged from the inner drum in a manner hereinafter to be described.

A plurality of buckets 26 having closed bottom and side walls and open top are secured, in circumferential spaced relation, to the inner surface of the outer drum at the inner end thereof,in the space between the two drums, for lifting portions of the heavy media, collected in the bottom of the outer drum, as the drum rotates for discharge at the top part of the path of travel of the buckets into means for recycling the heavy media, hereinafter to be described.

A longitudinal plate 27 is fixedly vertically mounted within the inner drum on each side of the center longitu- 3 dinal axis to limit the width of the washing bed, the plates 27 may be mounted in any suitable manner, they are shown as being secured to the stationary connecting unit 13.

The separating unit in which the first separation takes place is shown as having a screening or spraying chute 28 extending through the opening in the outer end of the outer drum 14 with its inner end positioned to receive the float product and overflow of heavy media from the washing bed in the inner drum 19. The screening chute 28 may be of any suitable usual construction; it is shown as having a perforated bottom wall 29 forming a draining surface for the overflow heavy media and is provided with a drain pan 30, having an inwardly and downwardly sloping bottom extending below the inner end portion of the chute so that the heavy media draining through the chute will drain intothe pan and run down into the bottom of the outer drum 14.

The common drive unit 12 for simultaneously rotating the separating units 10 and 11 may be of any suitable type. It is shown as comprising a drive mechanism M for driving chains engaging sprockets 31 mounted on the inner ends of the outer drums 14 of the two separating units.

The stationary connecting unit 13 provides means for introducing the raw products into the first separating unit; means for introducing the sink products from the first separating unit into the second separating unit, as well as means forming parts of the paths for recycling the heavy media in each of the separating units.

The connecting unit may be of any suitable construction. It is shown as comprising a hollow generally cylindrical member 32 having a vertical flange 33 around each of its open ends; a stationary supporting frame, indicated generally at 34, for supporting the cylindrical member 32 in position between the two separating units with each of its flanged open ends projecting intothe axial opening in the inner end of the inner drum 19 of the adjacent separating unit so that the flange 33 forms an impervious baffle with the circular end wall 24 of the inner drum; a conduit indicated generally at 35 for feeding the raw product into the washing bed in the inner drum 10 of the first separating unit; a conduit, indicated generally at 36 for transferring the sink product from the first separating unit into the wash bed in the inner drum 10 of the second separating unit; and an open top trough-like member indicated generally at 37 and divided to form a spout 38 for receiving the heavy media discharged from the buckets 26 in the outer drum of the first separating unit and directing it into the conduit 35 for feeding the raw product into the first separating unit and a spout 39 for receiving the heavy media discharged from the buckets 26 in the outer drum of the second separating unit and directing it into the conduit 36 for transferring the sink product from the first separating unit into the second separating unit.

The conduit 35 for feeding the raw product into the first separating unit may be of any suitable construction, it is shown as formed in two parts, an outer part 40 and an inner part 41. The outer part 40 is secured to the cylindrical member 32 and extends outwardly through a transversely extending opening formed in the top and side walls of the cylindrical member in a plan perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member. The outer part is shown as having vertical side walls 42, 43; a downwardly inclined bottom wall 44, and an open top positioned below a suitable screen 45 for the raw products. The inner part 41 is shown as being formed by a downwardly inclined plate 46 of conical shape and plates 47, 48 connected to the vertical side wall 43and the plate 46.

The conduit36 for transferring the sink products from the first separating unit into the second separating unit may be of any suitable construction. It is shown as formed in two parts, an outer part 49, and an inner part 50. The outer part 49 extends outwardly and upwardly i from the end of the cylindrical member 32 opening into the inner drum of the first separating unit, with its upper receiving end positioned to receive the sink products lifted from the bottom of the washing bed in the drum by the lifters 24 as the drum rotates. The outer part 49 is shown as a trough-like member having an upper vertical end 51 and vertical side walls 52, 53 and a fiat bottom wall 54 with the side walls and the bottom wall converging into a semi-cylindrical shape at their lower end portions. The inner part is shown as a generally semi-cylindrical member 55 connected to and extending longitudinally through the cylindrical member 32 above the plate 46 and between the side wall of the, cylindrical member and the plate 47 with its inner end connected to the outer part 49 and its outer end portion flared out into a conical shape as indicated at 56 in order to deliver the sink products onto the whole width of the wash bed in the inner drum of the second separating unit.

The divided open top trough-like member 37, which forms the two spouts 38, 39, may be of any suitable construction, it is shown as formed by a vertical triangular shaped end wall 57 having its base extending across and secured to the tops of the vertical side walls 42 and 43 of the outer part 40 of the conduit 35, a vertical plate 58 secured to the cylindrical member 32 and closing the end of the transversely extending opening therein opposite the outer part of the chute 35 and carrying a triangular extension 59 forming the other end wall of the trough; a bottom wall formed by a pair of flat rectangular plates 60, 61, inclined downwardly with their inner ends secured together and their outer ends secured to the base of the triangular plates forming the end walls; side walls formed by curved plates 62, 63 having their bottom edge secured to the cylindrical member 32 and one of their end edges joined to the vertical side walls of the outer portions of the conduit 35; and a vertical partition plate 64 extending between the two side walls with its bottom edge secured to the bottom wall dividing the trough-like member into the two spouts 38, 39. An opening 65 is formed in the bottom wall of the spout 38 and positioned to discharge into the conduit 35 and an opening 66 is formed in the bottom wall of the spout 39 and positioned to discharge into the conduit 36.

In order to insure all of the heavy media discharge by the buckets in the two separating units flows into the respective spouts, a pair of inclined conduits or troughs 67, 68 may be provided, the trough 67 having its lower end connected to the spout 38 to discharge thereinto and its upper receiving end positioned below the buckets 26 in the first separating unit. The trough 68 having its lower discharge end secured to the spout 39 and its upper receiving end positioned below the buckets 26 in the second separating unit. The conduits 67 and 68 may be open top channel shaped having a vertical upper end wall and vertical side walls as shown.

The separating unit 11 in which the second separation takes place is shown as having a downwardly and outwardly inclined chute 69 having its upper receiving end ositioned to receive the heavy or sink product lifted from the bottom of the inner drum 10 by the lifters 24 as the drum rotates and with its lower end extending through the outer axial opening in the drum in position to discharge the sink products onto a screening and spraying chute indicated generally at 70 which receives both the sink product and float product from the separating unit.

The screening chute 70 may be of any suitable construction. It is shown as extending through the opening in the outer end of the outer drum 14 of the separating unit 11 with its inner end positioned to receive the float product and overflow of dense liquid from the wash bed in the inner drum 19. The chute is shown as having vertical side walls and a perforated bottom wall 71 forming a draining surface for the overflow heavy media and is provided with a drain pan 72 having vertical side walls,

an inwardly and downwardly sloping bottom wall extending under its inner end portion so that the heavy media drained through the perforated bottom will drain into the pan 72 and run down into the bottom of the outer drum 14 of the second separating unit. A downwardly and outwardly inclined screening member 73 in the form of a perforated plate is mounted adjacent the inner end of the chute 70 in position to receive the sink products discharged through chute 69 with its sides secured to the vertical side walls of the chute 70 and its lower outer edge positioned above the bottom wall 71 of the chute. A .solid vertical partitioning wall 74 extends longitudinally of the chute 70 dividing the outer end portion thereof int otwo separate screens, one for the sink products and one for the float products. An upper obliquevertical wall member 75 extends along the upper surface of the screen member 73, with its inner end secured to one of the side walls of the chute 70 and its outer end joining the upper portion of the inner end of the partitioning member 74, for directing the flow of the sink products onto the left hand side of the partition portion of the chute 70 looking towards its outer end. A lower oblique vertical wall member 76 extends along the upper surface of the bottom wall 71 of the chute 70 below the screening member 73 with its inner end secured to the other side wall of the chute 70 and its outer end joining the lower portion of the inner end of the partition wall member 74 for directing the flow of float products onto the right hand side of the partitioned portion of the chute 70.

From the foregoing the operation of the apparatus is believed apparent.

The raw products are fed into the upstream end of the washing bed in the inner drum 19 of the first separating unit. The float products pass over the screening chute 28 with the dense media draining into the pan 30 and flowing into the bottom of the outer drum 14 of the unit where it is lifted by the buckets 26 and discharged into the chute 67 and flows therethrough into the spout 38 and then into the chute 35 feeding the raw products into the first separating unit.

The sink products in the inner drum 19 of the first separating unit are lifted by the lifters 24 therein and deposited in the chute 36 and flow therethrough and are discharged into the upstream end of the washing bed in the inner drum 19 of the second separating unit.

The float product from the second separating unit discharges onto the screening chute 70 and passes onto the right hand side of its outer divided end portion, with the dense media draining into the receptacle 72 and flowing into the bottom of the outer drum 14 of the unit where it is lifted by the buckets 26 and discharged into the chute 68 and flows therethrough into the spout 39 and then into the chute 36 transferring the sink product from the first separating unit into the second separating unit.

The sink products in the second separating unit are lifted by the lifters 24 therein and deposited in the chute 69 and flow therethrough and are discharged onto the screen member 73 of the screening chute 70 and pass onto the left hand side of the outer divided end portion of the chute with any dense media carried by the sink products draining into the receptacle 72.

From the foregoing it readily will be seen that there has been provided novel and improved apparatus for separating raw heterogeneous products into three products of different specific gravities by the heavy media process; apparatus which employs two separation chambers, each adapted to contain heavy media of the required specific gravity; which provides means for recycling the heavy media discharged from each washing bed hack into the bed; and in which the conduits for feeding the products to be separated in each bed are so arranged as to permit the beds to be of any desired length and allows easy access thereto and which is economical from the standpoint of space utilization and operation.

While the screening and spraying chutes 28 and 70 6 for receiving the overflow float products from the two separating units may be of any suitable usual type, preferably they are vibrating screens, driven by any suitable usual means not shown.

Obviously the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for separating a raw heterogeneous product into three products of different specific gravities by the heavy media process comprising a pair of drums rotatable about a horizontal axis and forming a first and a second separation chamber each adapted to confine a body of heavy media; separate means for each chamber for overflow of float material therefrom; with each means including a discharge chute having a draining surface for the heavy media; lifting means within each chamber operably by rotation of the chamber to lift sink material therein; transfer means for transferring lifted sinkmaterial from said first chamber to said second chamber; means including a conduit for removing lifted sink material from said second chamber; separate means for each chamber for recycling the overflow heavy media discharged therefrom with the float material back into the chamber including a receptacle in the form of a drum-like enclosure surrounding the chamber and rotatable therewith for receiving the heavy media drained from the float products, bucket means within said drum-like enclosure operable by rotation of the enclosure to lift the heavy media therein and a recycling conduit positioned to receive the lifted heavy media discharged by the bucket means and discharge it by gravity flow back into the washing bed in the chamber enclosed within said drum-like enclosure.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a discharge screen for receiving the sink product discharged from said second chamber, said screen being positioned above the inner end of the draining surface of the chute for receiving the float products from said second chamber so that any heavy media carried by the sink product can drain back into the drum-like enclosure surrounding said second chamber.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the conduit for feeding the raw products into said first chamber has a downwardly sloping portion extending in a direction substantially aligned with the axis of rotation of the chamber and enters the chamber through the opening therein opposite the opening through which the floats are discharged with its discharge end positioned to discharge the raw product on the whole width of the washing bed on the upstream side thereof and wherein the conduit for transferring the sinks from said first chamber to said second chamber has a downwardly sloping portion extending in a direction substantially aligned with the axis of rotation of said second chamber and enters the chamber through the opening therein opposite the opening through which the floats are discharged with its discharge end positioned to discharge the sinks on the whole width of the washing bed therein.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said pair of drums with their surrounding drum-like enclosures are mounted in spaced apart longitudinal alignment for rotation about a common horizontal axis and wherein a stationary hollow open ended generally cylindrical member is mounted between the drum-like enclosures surrounding said drums with its longitudinal axis in alignment with the axis of rotation of said drums and with its open ends extending respectively into the open end of the adjacent drum, and wherein said inclined portions of the conduit for feeding raw product into said first chamber and said inclined portion of the conduit for transferring sink product from said first to said second chamber are mounted within and extend generally longitudinally of said generally cylindrical member and cross each other at substantially the median transverse axis thereof, with the portions receding one from the other and 7 enlarging towards theinterminal end to distribute the products flowingtherethrough on the entrance side of each respective chamber on the whole width of the sepa ration bath therein.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said conduit for feeding raw products into said first chamber includes a portion connected to the upper end of the inclined portion thereof and extending laterally through the side wall of said cylindrical member between said drum-like enclosures with its outer receiving end positioned to receive the raw product asit is discharged from a screening device positioned thereabove.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said generally cylindrical member has a pair of spouts formed in the central portion of its top wall, one of said spouts communicating with the raw product feeding conduit within the generally cylindrical member and forming part of the recycling conduit for recycling the heavy media into the first chamber, the other of said spouts communicating with the sink product feeding conduit within the generally cylindrical member and forming part of the recycling conduit for recycling the heavy media into the second chamber.

7. Apparatus for separating a raw heterogeneous product into three products of different specific gravities by the heavy media process comprising a pair of rotatable separating units mounted for rotation about horizontal axes, each of said units including concentric inner and outer drums connected for rotation about a common axis and having spaced apart side and end walls with their end walls having aligned circular openings formed therein, the inner drums of said units forming first and second separation chambers, respectively, each adapted to confine a body of heavy media, the outer drums of said units forming separate receptacles each adapted to receive the heavy media drained from the float products dischargedfrom the separation chamber enclosed therein; a feed conduit for delivering the raw products into said first separation chamber; a. chute for receiving float product from said first separation chamber and having a perforated bottom permitting the overflow heavy media to drain into the receptacle enclosing the chamber; bucket means within each outer drum operable by rotation of the drum to lift heavy media therein to an elevated position for gravity flow back into the separation chamber enclosed therein; lifter means within each separation chamber operable by rotation of the chamber to lift sink products therein; a transfer conduit for transferring lifted sink products from the first separation chamber to the second separation chamber;'a discharge conduit for removing lifted sink products from the second separation chamber; and a chute for receiving float products from said second separation chamber and having a perforated bottom permitting the overflow of heavy media to drain into the receptacle enclosing the chamber.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said conduit for feeding the raw product into said first separation chamber enters the chamber through the opening therein opposite the opening through which the floats are discharged, to discharge the raw products at the upstream end of the washing bed.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the chutes for removing the float products from the separation chambers are in the forms of vibrating screens and wherein animpervious chute having an inwardly sloping bottom is positioned below the inner end part of each of said screens to receive the heavy media drained therethrough and discharge it into the receptacle enclosing the respective separation chambers.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the chute for receiving float products from said second separation chamber carries a vertical longitudinally extending partition mounted on the outer end portion of its screening surface dividing the surface into two parts, one part for receiving the float products, the other part for receiving the sink products and wherein an upper screening deck is mounted on the inner end of said chute for receiving the sink products and wherein means are provided for directing the float products and sink products onto the respective portions of the outer end portion of the chute for receiving such products.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,700,466 Logue et a1. Jan. 25, 1955

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