ACHIEVING WATER RELEASE ZONE FOR DEWATERING THICK FINE TAILINGS BASED ON SHEARING PARAMETER SUCH AS CAMP NUMBER

摘要

Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering. The design, construction and/or operation of a flocculation pipeline assembly can be facilitated.

主权项

1. A method of treating thick fine tailings, comprising:
flocculating the thick fine tailings comprising the following flocculation stages:
a dispersion stage comprising dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculation tailings material;a floc build-up stage comprising shearing the flocculation tailings material and increasing the yield stress of the flocculation tailings material; anda floc breakdown stage comprising shearing the flocculation tailings material under a laminar flow regime and decreasing the yield stress of the flocculation tailings material decreases, wherein the floc breakdown stage comprises: imparting a pre-determined amount of shear conditioning to the flocculation tailings material in accordance with a Camp Number sufficient that the flocculation tailings material attains a water release zone wherein release water separates from the flocculation tailings material; and depositing the flocculation tailings material that is within the water release zone onto a sub-aerial deposition area.