Zhou Shaoqi, Tong Zheng, Dong Lisha, Bu Xiangning, Ni Chao, Xie Guangyuan, Alheshibri Muidh
Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China.
Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Kalgoorlie, WA 6430, Australia.
Ultrason Sonochem. 2023 Oct;99:106551. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106551. Epub 2023 Aug 7.
Ultrasound has emerged as a promising technique for improving the mineral flotation performance. However, limited research exists regarding the influence of different ultrasound types on the flotation process. Specifically, the impact of combined ultrasound and the comparison of horn- and bath-type ultrasounds on flotation have not been fully investigated. To address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive study to explore the effects of different ultrasonic pretreatments on the flotation of flake graphite was conducted. A Box-Behnken design is employed to analyze the effects of combined ultrasound on graphite flotation. By characterizing the properties of graphite samples before and after the ultrasonic treatment, the aim is to elucidate the mechanism underlying the impact of ultrasound on graphite flotation. The experimental results indicated that the ultrasonic cavitation intensity exerted a significant influence on the graphite flotation recovery. Both horn- and bath- type ultrasounds contributed to flotation, but horn-type ultrasound demonstrated a more pronounced effect, leading to a 7% increase in flotation recovery, whereas bath-type ultrasound resulted in only a 2% increase. Furthermore, the cavitation intensity of combined ultrasound was found to be higher than that of single-frequency ultrasound in the same duration. However, the performance of graphite flotation was better with short duration combined ultrasound pretreatment, while the opposite trend was observed for a long duration ultrasound pretreatment. These findings may inform the development of more efficient and effective ultrasonic pretreatments for flotation separation processes.
超声已成为一种改善矿物浮选性能的有前景的技术。然而，关于不同类型超声对浮选过程的影响的研究有限。具体而言，组合超声的影响以及喇叭型和槽型超声对浮选的比较尚未得到充分研究。为了填补这一知识空白，开展了一项全面研究，以探索不同超声预处理对片状石墨浮选的影响。采用Box-Behnken设计来分析组合超声对石墨浮选的影响。通过表征超声处理前后石墨样品的性质，旨在阐明超声对石墨浮选影响的潜在机制。实验结果表明，超声空化强度对石墨浮选回收率有显著影响。喇叭型和槽型超声均有助于浮选，但喇叭型超声的效果更明显，使浮选回收率提高了7%，而槽型超声仅使回收率提高了2%。此外，发现在相同持续时间内，组合超声的空化强度高于单频超声。然而，短时间组合超声预处理时石墨浮选性能较好，而长时间超声预处理则观察到相反的趋势。这些发现可能为浮选分离过程中更高效的超声预处理的开发提供参考。
