Importance

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Abstract

This invention relates to a tubular cyclonic separation device the style of which was presented in PCT/ZA2003/000160 and which enables all of the inlet and outlet connections to be completely contained within a tubular profile, the diameter of which is that of the body of the cyclonic section. This disclosure adds further novel and inventive developments to the cyclonic device which enable it to be used as a separating device for systems involving all three phases (gas, liquid and solid) and where two, three or more different product streams may be separated, all within the same cylindrical profile. These further inventive developments also relate to the use of externally supplied gas and/or additional liquid phases which are injected through the walls of the cyclonic body using specifically located slots and/or holes in combination with specifically located stepped edges. These further novel and inventive developments enable the concepts of froth floatation (FF) and Dispersed Air Floatation (DAF) to be exploited within an enhanced gravitational field together with the options for washing the separated froth and/or the separated heavier fractions, all within the same cyclonic unit. As part of the novel and inventive introduction of the stepped edges, means are provided whereby gas bubbles smaller than 30 microns can be created on a large scale and with a reduced energy input relative to typical conventional equipment. Also, the size of the gas bubbles may be controlled together with the intensity of any particle on particle interactions that may be created. This latter has many potential applications within FF and/or DAF processes, including applications within oil and tar separation from solid surfaces and within many ore preparation and ore leaching processes. The tubular profile enables processing and separation to be achieved “within the pipe line” or for very closely packed arrangements to be assembled within carrier vessels.

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First Claim