Effect of bubble properties and dispersion characteristics in microbubble counter-current collision flotation column

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cationic collectors are widely used in the flotation of hematite, silicate, oxides, etc. GE-601, as a new type of cationic collector, which was used in various mineral flotation process, has achieved excellent selection indexes. In order to study foaming performance of GE-601, the bubble characteristics are studied in an experimental scale two-phase flotation column. A high-speed camera recorder is used to take bubbles’ images and the distribution of bubble diameter under different conditions is measured by image analysis. Moreover, the surface tension of bubbles under different reagent concentrations is measured by a surface tension meter. Studies show that as GE-601 concentration increases, d 32 gradually decreases and after exceeding CCC, Sauter mean diameter (d 32) stabilizes at 0.562 mm. When the bubble diameter decay degree is 99%, 90% and 50%, GE-601 concentration reaches 0.112 mol/m3, 0.0643 mol/m3, and 0.0295 mol/m3, respectively. The adsorption concentration of GE-601 is about 0.0254 μmol·m−2. GE-601 reduces pulsation on the surface of bubbles in flowing liquid. During the rise of bubbles, d 32 is approximately linearly related to measured height, but the concentration of d 32 and GE-601 decrease varies linearly.