Working Principle of Thickener Tank

Thickener is a equipment used to increase the concentration of ore pulp. It is widely used in various ore dressing plants. It mainly uses the principle of gravity sedimentation to concentrate the ore pulp. The following is a description of the working principle of the thickener:

1. Slurry feeding: The working principle of the thickener begins with the feeding of slurry, which usually contains solid particles and liquid.

2. Gravity sedimentation: The slurry is subjected to gravity inside the thickener, and the heavier solid particles begin to settle downward.

3. Structural design: The special structural design inside the thickener, such as the conical bottom or inclined plate, helps to improve the sedimentation efficiency and accelerate the separation of solid particles.

4. Rake or agitator function: To prevent solid particles from settling and forming lumps, thickeners are usually equipped with rakes or agitators, which can continuously stir the settled solids to maintain their fluidity.

5. Solid particle concentration: As the sedimentation process proceeds, the concentration of solid particles at the bottom gradually increases, forming a high-concentration underflow.

6. Liquid separation: The lighter liquid portion rises to the top of the thickener, and the liquid becomes clearer due to the reduction of solid particles.

7. Overflow discharge: The clear liquid is discharged from the top of the thickener as overflow and can be used for further treatment or discharge.

8. Underflow collection: High-concentration solid particles are collected from the bottom of the thickener as underflow and can be used for subsequent drying, filtration or other treatment processes.

Modern thickeners may be equipped with automated control systems that can automatically adjust operating parameters based on real-time monitoring data to optimize sedimentation and improve processing efficiency. Thickener maintenance and operation are essential to maintaining high efficiency, and regular inspection and cleaning can ensure long-term stable operation of the equipment.