Air-sparged hydrocyclone separator

Abstract

An apparatus and method for separating hydrophilic particles from a fluid suspension containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles. A generally cylindrical separation vessel includes tangential inlet and outlet ports. The fluid suspension is introduced into the separation vessel through the inlet port to circulate around the inner surface of the separation vessel in a forced vortex swirl flow. Air sparged through a porous wall portion of the side walls of the separation vessel forms air bubbles to which attach hydrophobic particles in particle/bubble aggregates. These migrate as a froth towards the axial center of the separation vessel where they are discharged at the upper end thereof. A froth washing tube having an open end proximate to the upper end of the separation vessel discharges pressurized water thereinto. A deflector located opposite the open end of the froth washing tube causes the momentum of the pressurized water discharged to be directed radially outward from the open end of the froth washing tube in a spray that passes through the froth toward the side walls of the separation vessel, removing hydrophilic particles entrained in the froth. Optionally, the froth is discharged from the separation vessel through a vortex finder, and a froth pedestal is located within the lower end of the separation vessel.