Teetered bed separator
Preparation
A Case Study in the
Implementation Of
Novel Technology:
Teetered Bed Separators
What is a teetered bed separator?
Most people are familiar with elutriators, which permit the separation of particles on the basis of particle size. This is achieved simply by subjecting a slurry of a mixture of particles to an upward current of water in a vertical column.
Under these circumstances, particles whose settling velocity is greater than the upward current report to the underflow while those of lesser settling velocity report to the overflow. Particles in such devices are separated primarily on the basis of particle size and to a lesser extent on particle density.
If a constriction is introduced into such a column in a manner which
restricts the material exiting via the underflow, material will build up at the exit and a bed of slurry will be formed.
This bed of slurry now acts as a densemedium so that downward moving particles experience a density gradient different from that of the pure liquid. The consequence of this is that a density effect now dominates the separation process. In practice, the density of the slurry bed can be controlled by an upward water current introduced through a distributor plate. Reject material exits through the distributor plate via a spigot valve. This upward water current is referred to as the teeter water flow and the bed as the teetered bed. A further refinement is added in the teetered bed
Stuart Nicol
separator (TBS), which is that of a density sensor which - in combination with the actuator operated spigot valve permits the bed to be maintained at a controlled pre-set density. An overall schematic of a teetered bed separator is shown in Figure 1.
What's new?
Nothing! Separators operating on the above principle have been around for over 100 years. Taggart, in his early classic text on mineral processing, describes more than six such devices including the: s Richards-Janney
A Case Study in the
Implementation Of
Novel Technology:
Teetered Bed Separators
What is a teetered bed separator?
Most people are familiar with elutriators, which permit the separation of particles on the basis of particle size. This is achieved simply by subjecting a slurry of a mixture of particles to an upward current of water in a vertical column.
Under these circumstances, particles whose settling velocity is greater than the upward current report to the underflow while those of lesser settling velocity report to the overflow. Particles in such devices are separated primarily on the basis of particle size and to a lesser extent on particle density.
If a constriction is introduced into such a column in a manner which
restricts the material exiting via the underflow, material will build up at the exit and a bed of slurry will be formed.
This bed of slurry now acts as a densemedium so that downward moving particles experience a density gradient different from that of the pure liquid. The consequence of this is that a density effect now dominates the separation process. In practice, the density of the slurry bed can be controlled by an upward water current introduced through a distributor plate. Reject material exits through the distributor plate via a spigot valve. This upward water current is referred to as the teeter water flow and the bed as the teetered bed. A further refinement is added in the teetered bed
Stuart Nicol
separator (TBS), which is that of a density sensor which - in combination with the actuator operated spigot valve permits the bed to be maintained at a controlled pre-set density. An overall schematic of a teetered bed separator is shown in Figure 1.
What's new?
Nothing! Separators operating on the above principle have been around for over 100 years. Taggart, in his early classic text on mineral processing, describes more than six such devices including the: s Richards-Janney