Autoclave with underflow dividers
First Claim
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1. A method for processing a feed stream, comprising:
- (a) introducing the feed stream into a stirred tank reactor, the feed stream being a slurry of solid metal-containing particles, the stirred tank reactor comprising a plurality of compartments, a plurality of agitators positioned in the plurality of compartments, and a plurality of dividers separating the plurality of compartments, each of the dividers including at least one underflow opening;
(b) introducing a molecular oxygen-containing gas into the stirred tank reactor; and
(c) passing at least most of the feed stream between sets of adjacent compartments through the at least one underflow opening in the respective divider separating the adjacent compartments, wherein a cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in each of the dividers is different from a cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in each of the other dividers to maintain a difference in liquid levels between sets of adjacent compartments in the range of from about 5 to about 150 mm.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a multi-compartment autoclave using inter-compartment dividers having one or more underflow openings for passing a feed stream between compartments.
249 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for processing a feed stream, comprising:
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(a) introducing the feed stream into a stirred tank reactor, the feed stream being a slurry of solid metal-containing particles, the stirred tank reactor comprising a plurality of compartments, a plurality of agitators positioned in the plurality of compartments, and a plurality of dividers separating the plurality of compartments, each of the dividers including at least one underflow opening; (b) introducing a molecular oxygen-containing gas into the stirred tank reactor; and (c) passing at least most of the feed stream between sets of adjacent compartments through the at least one underflow opening in the respective divider separating the adjacent compartments, wherein a cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in each of the dividers is different from a cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in each of the other dividers to maintain a difference in liquid levels between sets of adjacent compartments in the range of from about 5 to about 150 mm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for processing a metal sulfide-containing material, comprising:
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(a) introducing into a stirred tank reactor an input slurry comprising a comminuted metal sulfide-containing material, the stirred tank reactor comprising a plurality of compartments for receiving the input slurry, a plurality of agitators positioned in the plurality of compartments for mixing the input slurry, and a plurality of dividers separating the plurality of compartments, each of the dividers including at least one underflow opening for passing the input slurry from compartment to compartment; (b) introducing a molecular oxygen-containing gas into the stirred tank reactor; (c) oxidizing the metal sulfide-containing material in the input slurry to provide a product slurry comprising the oxidized metal-containing material, wherein the oxidizing step comprises the substep of passing at least most of the slurried material between sets of adjacent compartments through the at least one underflow opening in the divider separating the adjacent compartments; and (d) thereafter recovering the metal from the product slurry, wherein; the plurality of dividers includes first and second dividers; the plurality of compartments comprises first, second, and third compartments; the first divider separates the first and second compartments; the second divider separates the second and third compartments; the third compartment is nearer an output end of the stirred tank reactor than the first and second compartments; the second compartment is positioned between the first and third compartments; and a first cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in the first divider is less than a second cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in the second divider, whereby head drops between the first and second compartments and between the second and third compartments are maintained in a range from about 5 to about 50 mm. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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providing an autoclave comprising; (a) a plurality of compartments comprising adjacent at least first and second compartments; (b) a plurality of agitators for mixing a feed stream, the agitators being positioned in the plurality of compartments, the feed stream comprising a comminuted metal sulfide-containing material; and (c) a plurality of dividers separating the plurality of compartments, each of the dividers including at least one underflow opening for passing the feed stream from compartment to compartment; inputting the feed stream into the first compartment, the feed steam flowing sequentially from compartment to compartment; introducing a molecular oxygen-containing gas into the autoclave; oxidizing the metal sulfide-containing material in the feed stream to provide a product slurry comprising the oxidized metal-containing material, wherein the oxidizing step comprises the substep of passing at least most of the feed stream between sets of adjacent compartments through the at least one underflow opening in the divider separating the adjacent compartments; and thereafter recovering the metal from the product slurry, wherein; at least about 75% of the feed stream passes between adjacent pairs of the plurality of compartments by passing through the at least one underflow opening in a respective divider separating the adjacent pairs of compartments; a first divider separates the first and second compartments; a second divider separates the second compartment and a third compartment; the third compartment is nearer an output end of the autoclave than the first and second compartments; the second compartment is positioned between the first and third compartments; and a first cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in the first divider is less than a second cumulative cross-sectional area of the at least one underflow opening in the second divider, whereby a first liquid level in the first compartment is higher than a second liquid level in the second compartment and the second liquid level is higher than a third liquid level in the third compartment. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification