Patent ID: 6799682
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: B03D

Abstract:
A process of separating hydrophobic and hydrophilic particles dispersed in an aqueous slurry, the process comprising:adding a hydrocarbon oil to increase the hydrophobicity of said hydrophobic particles; providing at least one hydrophobicity-enhancing reagent in the aqueous slurry to further increase the hydrophobicity of said hydrophobic particles, said at least one hydrophobicity-enhancing reagent not including a hydrocarbon oil and provided in an amount equal to or less than 0.6% of the weight hydrophobic particles in said slurry; agitating the aqueous slurry to aid said hydrophobicity-enhancing reagent in adsorbing on the surface of the hydrophobic particles, whereby the hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic particles is increased; providing air bubbles in the aqueous slurry, whereby the hydrophobic particles collect on the surface of the air bubbles, thereby forming bubble-particle aggregates; and allowing the bubble-particle aggregates to float to the surface of the aqueous slurry to be separated from the hydrophilic particles.