Mineralization kinetics of air bubbles allowing for the particle detachment and time of buoying of aggregates

Abstract

The joint consideration of subprocesses of particle capture and detachment, and buoying of aggregates in the periodic nonfrothing flotation conditions shows that the mineral load formed on a separate part for its buoying time (τ_m). This load is a part of the equilibrium mineral load, which can be attained under the infinite mineralization time. It is proposed to characterize the composition and attainment rate of the mineral load by two dimensionless parameters, which depend on intensities of subprocesses. The sort parameter of particles (B) has been uniquely determined by the ratio of the detachment intensity to the capture intensity, while the dimensionless time (D) is determined by the ratio of the particle capture and detachment rate to the buoying velocity of the air bubble. The mineralization kinetic equation by many bubbles is derived in the exponential form similarly to the first-order Beloglazov equation. Intensities of capture and detachment subprocesses in the mineralization rate constant (K_m) determine the magnitude of recovery by a separate bubble (ε_bm) for time τ_m, while the air consumption determines the summary recovery ε.