Outotec® Thickening Technologies
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Outotec® Thickening technologies Leading edge technologies for thickening and clarifying Outotec is a global leader in the design, fabrication and supply of thickening and clarifying solutions for the minerals industry. The revolutionary Outotec® High Rate Thickener has pioneered and redefined thickening and clarifying methods around the world. 002 Outotec Outotec® Thickeners and Clarifiers Innovation is standard Outotec® Thickeners and Clarifiers operate in minerals processing, alumina, chemical, water Outotec product range: treatment, industrial and effluent applications • Outotec® High Rate Thickeners throughout the world. The first Outotec thickener • Outotec® High Compression Thickeners was installed in 1985. The many innovative features • Outotec® Paste Thickeners of these units, including an ongoing commitment to • Outotec® Conventional Thickeners testwork, R&D, and after sales service, have ensured • Outotec® Clarifiers their rapid acceptance in a wide range of industries. • Outotec® Solids Contact Clarifiers Outotec’s worldwide network manufactures • Outotec® Lime Saturators and supports Outotec thickeners, with design offices in Australia, China, Europe, North America, South America and South Africa. This means that no matter where you are, Outotec advanced technology is easily accessible. Outotec thickeners include a number of innovative features in their design. Special attention is given to the design of feedwells, rake profiles, drive systems and control strategies to meet the challenge of dewatering materials that are often problematic for normal thickeners. Our experience in testwork, design, operation, installation and service of thickeners and clarifiers is renowned throughout the world. Outotec 003 Benefits of Outotec® Thickening solutions Low capital cost n Optimized design n High rate units reduce area by up to 90% n Precise test work procedures allow accurate sizing Low operating cost n Patented ”Autodilution” systems Gold tailings, Australia. minimize flocculant consumption Coal paste thickener, Australia. n Outotec Vane Feedwell™ ensures efficient flocculation n Simple control system provides stable operation Guaranteed performance n Bench-scale and pilot tests provide data for direct scale- up and written guarantees Design flexibility n Free standing and on-ground Lime saturators, Australia. Copper tailings, Chile. tank options n Flanged and bolted design for rapid installation High reliability n Outotec ”low drag” rake design reduces torque loading on drive n Proven hydraulic drive and rake lift offers three levels of system protection n Robust control system Short delivery time Sludge clarifier, Australia. Paste plant, Sweden. n Full range of CAD designs are quickly tailored to customers' needs n Global sourcing network Global service n Laboratory and on-site testing n Design offices in North America, Australia, China, South America, Europe and South Africa n Ongoing process and technical support provided through local Mineral sands tailings, Australia. offices Copper tailings, Chile. 004 Outotec Complete service Testing The bench or pilot scale testing can be conducted either on site or in one of our laboratories around the world. Process guarantees are given based on test results. Selection Test results and our extensive experience are used to select the appropriate size and type Design of thickener or clarifier to satisfy the process Using FEA and CFD tools, requirements for each application. our in-house team ensures the mechanical and process design delivers a high performance, safe and cost- effective solution, specific to each customer. Importantly, Outotec’s thickener process expertise delivers an optimized feed system. Fabrication Outotec project engineers monitor fabrication to ensure that the equipment quality meets all aspects of ISO 9001 accreditation. Installation Supervision or complete installation supplied. Experienced crews will save time and money. Bolted tank designs, for example, dramatically reduce installation time. Commissioning Mechanical and process commissioning performed by Outotec trained engineers. Process and technical support Process advice, technical support and service are provided through the Outotec global network. Outotec 005 Bench-scale and pilot plant testing Testing is required for the selection of correct thickener or clarifier size and configuration for your application. Outotec is renowned for its professional testing service using cylinder settling tests, continuous dynamic bench-scale tests and pilot plant tests. The method used to accurately determine the size Pilot plant testing and expected performance of Outotec® High Rate Thickeners and clarifiers is dynamic bench or pilot We supply pilot scale thickening and clarifying scale testing, as static settling tests do not adequately equipment backed by trained, highly experienced simulate the high rate principle. personnel, to meet any process requirement. The size and configuration of equipment is based on material Bench-scale testing characteristics and performance goals. Outotec has a comprehensive range of pilot plant units for conventional Continuous bench-scale tests are performed in our settling, high rate thickening and/or clarifying, high 100 mm (4”) diameter dynamic thickener or clarifier compression and also paste thickening. A feed rate of at site or in our laboratories. A sample of slurry 1-8m3/h (4.4-35.2 US gpm) of pulp is required for the containing 10–25 kg (22–55 lb) of solids is all that is pilot plant thickener/clarifier. required for a series of tests to determine underflow density and overflow clarity for a range of feed rates and flocculant dosages. 006 Outotec Outotec® High Rate Thickeners and Outotec® High Compression Outotec® Paste Thickeners Clarifiers Thickeners n Outotec Vane Feedwell™ n Outotec Vane Feedwell™ n Outotec Vane Feedwell™ n Controlled solids inventory n Controlled solids inventory n Controlled solids inventory n High throughput per unit area n High throughput per unit area n High throughput per unit area n Free standing or on-ground tanks Free standing or on-ground n Free standing or on-ground n High rake torque capacity tanks tanks n Extended high compression zone n Short retention time n High rake torque capacity n Supapickets (static and rotating) n Optional underflow recycle n Extended high compression zone for improved water release n Clear overflow n Supapickets (static and n Maximum underflow density rotating) for improved water n Underflow slurry yield stress Outotec® High Rate Thickeners release >200Pa and Clarifiers suit all applications n Increased underflow density n Underflow shear thinning systems where flocculants can be used in the process. Also ideally suited Outotec® High Compression Outotec® Paste Thickeners are to clarifying, with overflow being Thickeners provide consistently designed to produce a consistent high filtered through a flocculated solids higher underflow density while yield stress underflow, with process bed. External underflow recycling maximizing solution recovery. control and mechanical reliability is sometimes used to improve floc They are used for increasing second to none. Primarily used formation and particle capture. tailings dam capacity, counter- for tailings disposal and pre-leach current decantation, increasing applications. Paste thickeners can filter capacity and improving be used for any application where recovery of process water or underflow yield stress in excess of chemicals. 200Pa is required. 74m tailings thickener, Australia 5 x 20 m paste thickeners shipped to New Caledonia Outotec 007 Outotec® Conventional Thickeners Outotec® Solids Contact and Outotec® Lime Saturators and Clarifiers Reactor Clarifiers n Saturated lime solutions n Conventional feedwell n Combines flash mixing, floccu- n Over 85% usage of available n Flocculants not essential lation, clarifying, sludge collection Ca(OH)2 n Intensive to short term process and thickening in one operation n Variable speed impeller and changes n Minimizes chemical requirements separate rake drive mechanism n Drive and rake torque to suit by using the solids contact or n Controlled sludge level application seeding principle n Outotec Vane Feedwell™ for n Variable speed impeller and improved solids dispersion Outotec® Conventional Thickeners separate rake drive mechanism n Internal or external recirculation and Clarifiers are available as n Deep clear water zone option ”traditional” conventional units or n Internal or external recirculation fitted with flocculating feedwell. option Outotec® Lime Saturators are Hybrid versions are also available, n Dual chemical dosing option used to make clarified saturated where various design features lime solution for drinking water of our high rate thickeners are A variable speed impeller can be used plants. Milk of lime solution is fed used for particular applications. to internally recirculate and mix continuously into the reaction zone, These modifications can result in flocculated underflow, raw feed and where it is mixed with recycled improved overflow clarity, lower chemicals to optimize flocculant sludge. The sludge is controlled at flocculant usage, higher feed rates usage and overflow clarity. Typically the required level by varying the and enhanced control. used for water or waste-water sludge withdrawal rate. applications, where chemicals are added to enhance flocculation and sedimentation. Copper tailings, Chile Lime saturator, Australia 008 Outotec Outotec® feed system Outotec Vane Feedwell™ Feedwells have