FLOTATION SEPARATION DEVICE AND METHOD

摘要

A flotation separation system for partitioning a slurry that includes a h ydrophobic species which can adhere to gas bubbles formed in the slurry. The flotation separation system comprises a flotation separation cell including a sparger unit and separation tank. The sparger unit has inlets for slurry and for a gas with at least enough pressure to allow bubbles to form in the slurry within the sparger unit. The sparger unit includes a sparging mechani sm constructed to disperse gas bubbles within the slurry. The sparging mecha nism sparges the gas bubbles to form a bubble dispersion to cause adhesion o f the hydrophobic species to the gas bubbles substantially within the sparge r unit while causing a pressure drop of about 10 psig or less across the spa rging mechanism. The sparger unit includes a slurr outlet to discharge the s lurry and the bubble dispersion into the separation tank.