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Title:
SEPARATION SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2013/160864
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
This invention relates to a separation system (10) for separating first solid particulate components from second solid particulate components having particle sizes which are smaller than that of the first solid components, wherein the first and second solid components are suspended in a liquid to form a mixture (12). The system (10) includes an endless screening belt/cloth (14) which is displaceable along a predetermined path and defines a separating region (18). The screening belt/cloth (14) defines a plurality of apertures (16) which apertures (16) are of a suitable size to permit the second solid components to pass therethrough and to impede the passage therethrough of the first solid components. The system (10) also includes a load management arrangement (67) which is configured to sense a change in load on the screening belt/cloth (14) and adjust at least one operating parameter of the system (10) in response to a change in load being sensed.

Inventors:
MINSON DAVID NEIL (CA)
MCELVENNY RHETT CHARLES (AU)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2013/053275
Publication Date:
January 23, 2014
Filing Date:
April 25, 2013
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
DELKOR TECHNIK B V (NL)
KOTZE GAVIN SALOMON (ZA)
International Classes:
B07B1/42; B07B1/10
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
MACKENZIE, Colin et al. (PO Box 1014, 0001 Pretoria, ZA)
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Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 23 October 2013 (23.10.2013).

1. A separation system (10) for separating first solid particulate components from second solid particulate components having particle sizes which are smaller than that of the first solid components, wherein the first and second solid components are suspended in a liquid to form a mixture or slurry (12), the system including:

an endless screening belt/cloth (14) which is displaceable along a predetermined path and defining a separating region (18), the screening belt/cloth (14) defining a plurality of apertures (16) which apertures (16) are of a suitable size to permit the second solid components to pass therethrough and to impede the passage therethrough of the first solid components;

a drive unit (77.5) which is configured to drive the screening belt/cloth along its predetermined path;

a feed arrangement for feeding mixture onto the screening belt/cloth in the separating region (18); and

a load management arrangement (67) which is configured to sense a change in load on the screening belt/cloth (14) and adjust at least one operating parameter of the system in response to a change in load being sensed, characterised in that the load management arrangement (67) includes:

a tension indicator (58), at least part of which is configured to be displaceable in a first direction in response to an increase in load on the screening belt/cloth (14);

a load sensing arrangement (31 ) which is configured to sense a change in load on the screening belt/cloth (14), the load sensing arrangement (31) including a level or distance sensor (35) which is configured to sense displacement of the at least part of the tension indicator (58); and

a controller (81) which is in communication with the load sensing arrangement (31 ), the controller (81) being in communication with the drive unit (77.5) and being configured to adjust the speed by which the drive unit (77.5) drives the screening belt/cloth (14), in response to a change in load being sensed, the travel speed of the screening belt/cloth (14) therefore being the operating parameter of the system which is adjusted by the controller (81)

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller (81) is configured to adjust the speed of the screening belt/cloth (14) when the load sensed by the load sensing arrangement (31) reaches or exceeds a predetermined level.

3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the controller (81) is configured to increase the speed by which the drive unit (77.5) drives the screening belt/cloth (1 ), in response to the load sensed on the screening belt/cloth (14) by the load sensing arrangement (31 ) reaching or exceeding a predetermined level.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller (81 ) is also configured to decrease the speed by which the drive unit (77.5) drives the screening belt/cloth (14), in response to the load sensed on the screening belt/cloth (14) by the load sensing arrangement (31) dropping below a predetermined level.

5. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the load management arrangement (67) is configured to adjust the speed by which the drive unit (77.5) drives the screening belt/cloth (1 ) continuously as the load sensed on the screening belt/cloth (14) by the load sensing arrangement (31) changes, by increasing the speed when the load increases above a reference load and decreasing the speed when the load decreases below a reference load.

6. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tension indicator (58) includes a target member (32) and the level or distance sensor (35) is oriented towards the target member (32) in order to sense displacement of the target member (32), which would be indicative of a change in load on the screening belt/cloth (14).

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the at least part of the tension indicator (58) includes the target member (32) and is configured to move operatively upwardly in response to an increase in load on the screening belt/cloth (14), and wherein the level or distance sensor (35) is positioned directly above the target member (32) in order to sense the level of the target member (32).

8. The system of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the target member (32) defines a target surface (33) onto which the level or distance sensor (35) is directed.

9. The system of any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the tension indicator (58) includes a tensioner (57), wherein the screening belt/cloth (14) extends around at least a portion of the tensioner (57), and wherein at least part of the tensioner (57) is configured to be displaceable in the first direction in response to an increase in load on the screening belt/cloth (14).

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the target member (32) is connected to the at least part of the tensioner (57).

11. The system of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the tensioner (57) includes a roller (77.3) around which the screening beit/cloth (14) extends.

12. The system of claim 1 1 , wherein the level or distance sensor (35) is configured to sense displacement of the roller (77.3) of the tensioner (57).

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the target member (32) is connected to the roller (77.3) of the tensioner (57).

14. A method of separating first solid particulate components from second solid particulate components having particle sizes which are smaller than that of the first solid components, wherein the first and second solid components are suspended in a liquid to form a mixture or slurry (12), the method including feeding the mixture onto an endless screening belt/cloth (14) which is displaceable along a predetermined path, the screening belt/cloth (14) defining a plurality of apertures (16) which apertures are of a suitable size to permit the second solid components to pass therethrough and to impede the passage therethrough of the first solid components, the mixture being fed onto the screening belt/cloth (14) in a separating region,

the method being characterised in that it includes sensing a change in load on the screening belt/cloth (14) by means of a tension indicator (58) which is displaceable in response to a change in load; comparing the load sensed to a reference load; and adjusting the speed at which the belt/cloth (14) is displaced if the load deviates by more than a predetermined amount from the reference load.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference load refers to a specific load on the screening belt/cloth (14) above which overloading will occur.

16. The method of claim 14 or claim 15, which includes increasing the speed by which the screening belt/cloth (14) travels when the load sensed is greater than the reference load.