Other

University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Hassan El-Sayed El-Shall

Spyros A Svoronos

James Julian Hazen

John Raymond Schmedeman

Kevin William Powers

Dongchul Lee

Gary Wayne Scheiffele

Rachel Anna Worthen

Steve Robin Wright

H Steven Crouch

A process and associated system for the improved reclamation of disturbed lands (e.g., mined lands) is disclosed. In particular, the system including a dewatering cyclone, a screw classifier, and a dewatering apparatus (e.g. a dewatering belt) arranged in series to enable rapid and cost effective dewatering of slurries containing dilute clay and sand tailings to create an improved engineered reclamation material (ERM). The ERM formed by the controlled combining of dewatered sand tailings with dilute clay slurry and with a flocculant and overburden. The ratio of clay:sand:overburden of the ERM may be achieved by balancing the solid content (Cw) and water content (1&#x2212;Cw) materials of the clay slurry, sand tailings and overburden. In some embodiments, the system may include at least one additional component, such as, for example, static screen(s), centrifuge(s), vibrating screens, drum screens, belt screens, belt filters, and/or other liquid-solid separation devices.

Process and system for improved reclamation of mined lands

A classifier includes a central particle inlet, an inclined feed surface, and a classification surface. A plurality of particle feeding vanes are positioned above the feed surface, and the plurality of particle feeding vanes rotate above the feed surface. A plurality of classification vanes are positioned above the classification surface, and the plurality of classification vanes rotate above the classification surface. Particles enter the classifier through the inlet near an axis of rotation and flow radially outward on the feed surface to the classification surface.

Rotating cone classifier

An apparatus for classifying a mixture of fine and coarse particles in a fluid stream by size or density comprises a housing, a boundary layer momentum transfer device, and an inlet flow control mechanism. The housing comprises an inlet, an interior chamber, and a fine particle outlet. The boundary layer momentum transfer device comprises a plurality of disks stacked in spaced, parallel relation in the interior chamber. The disks are rotatable about a disk axis. The disks have respective central openings cooperatively defining a plenum having a closed axial end and an opposing open axial end. The plenum communicates with spaces defined between each adjacent disk to cooperatively define a fine particle flow path from the interior chamber, through the spaces, through the plenum and the open axial end thereof, and to the fine particle outlet. The inlet flow control mechanism communicates with the interior chamber and provides an adjustable inlet flow path into the interior chamber. The housing can include a cylindrical, conical, and/or scroll-shaped profile.

Apparatus and methods for separating particles

Growing community of inventors

Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Hassan El-Sayed El-Shall