Thickener
Thickener and its Purpose
A Thickener is a sedimentation machine built in RCC or Steel tank which operates according to the principle of gravity settling. Thickener have following advantages:
- Simple design and economic operation
- Can handle large flow volumes with variations.
- Versatility, that Thickener can work as a concentrator or as a Clarifier.
Operation of Thickener is simple. A drive mechanism powers the rotating rake mechanism. Feed enters the Thickener through a feedwell designed to dissipate the velocity and stabilize the density currents of the incoming flow stream. The separation occurs when the heavy particles settle to the bottom of the tank. Some processes add flocculants to enhance the agglomeration of the solids and promote quick settling of solids. The clarified liquid overflows from the tank, underflow solids are raked to the center of the tank and are withdrawn from the central cone either by gravity or through pump.
Mech-Chem manufacturing range from 5.0 M Dia to 60.0 M Dia in differnt material of construction like Mild Steel, Mild Steel Rubber lined, Stainless Steel as desired by customer and process application.
Different types of Thickeners supplied by Mech-Chem:
Major Industries served by Mech-Chem Thickeners
| Industry | Application |
| Alumina | Red Mud & Hydrate |
| Iron Ore | Concentrate, Slimes and Tailings |
| Steel Plant | Gas Cleaning Plant, Mill waste & recycle, etc. |
| Lead, Zinc, Copper, Gold, Molyb, Cobalt beneficiation | Concentrate & Tailings |
| Pulp & Paper | Lime Mud, Re-causticization & Effluent |
| Potash | Tailings |
| Phosphates | Slimes, Phosphoric Acid Clarification |
| Coal | Wash water recovery |
| Uranium | Yellow U3O8 Cake |
| Sand & Aggregates | Slimes |
| Chemical & Fertilizers | Waste Treatment |
| Industrial Processing | Waste Treatment & recycle |
| Magnesia | Concentration |
| Rare Earth beneficiation | Concentration |
THICKENER SPECIFICATIONS
Sizing if the Thickener is quite complex process. Following is a checklist of the information you need to know to ascertain correct Thickener for the specific application.
Process Description:
- Chemical composition
- Ore description
- Size distribution of solids (% retained, cumulative)
- Special properties (particle shape, etc.)
- Special considerations
Process Stream Data:
- Maximum Flow rate
- Type of Solution
- Feed Temperature
- Solid loading (Tons/day)
- Feed Ph
- Solid % by weight
- Specific gravity
- size of solids
Design Operating Conditions (If Thickener is currently in use):
- Flocculant / Coagulants (Used or not used, type, dosage, etc)
- Magnetized (Yes or No)
- Unit Area (Sq.ft/T/D)
- O/F Rate (ft.min)
- O/F clarity (ppm)
- Detention time
- Solids storage depth
Along with all above data, it is advisable to collect sample of process stream for testing the same to determine Settling rate, hydraulic detention time required for clarification, the unit area and solid detention time required for thickening.