A study of the operating variables of the Jameson cell

Summers, Allen James; Summers, Allen James

Thesis

A study of the operating variables of the Jameson cell

Public Deposited

Analytics

Download PDF

Creator

Summers, Allen James

Contributors

Finch, J. A. (advisor)

Abstract

English

The Jameson cell is a relatively new flotation device that has been successfully used in several applications, ranging from mineral recovery to de-oiling dairy effluents. The cell comprises a plunging jet bubble column (downcomer) which discharges in a separation tank. The effect of operating variables on Jameson cell performance, e.g., gas holdup in the downcomer and interaction between the downcomer and separation tank, was investigated in this thesis. Gas holdup in the downcomer of the Jameson cell was determined using conductivity measurements with ring-shaped electrodes installed in the interior wall of the downcomer. The Maxwell model was used to calculate the gas holdup from the conductivity measurements. In both two-phase and three-phase tests, the conductivity signal was also shown to be able to detect process disturbances (e.g., changes in flow regime). Interaction between the downcomer and the separation tank was studied by altering the level in the separation tank. When gas flowrate was not controlled, the level affected the gas flowrate, pressure, pool level/free jet length, mixing zone length, and gas holdup in the downcomer. A pressure technique was used to determine the mixing zone length. The effect of the superficial gas velocity on the froth/pulp interface position in the separation tank was also studied. Although no relationship could be drawn between gas flowrate and separation tank level, froth flooding or loss of froth interface was observed at a superficial gas rate (with respect to the separation tank) $ ge$1.2 cm/s.

Last modified