Patent ID: 6164456
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: B03B,B03D

Abstract:
An elutriation apparatus for the separation and classification of a trace material in a volume of heterogeneous mixture of solids and having components with different specific gravities separable by means of a liquid and air classification comprising:(a) a tubular conduit having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and opposing upper and lower ends along the axis, wherein the lower end is closed;(b) a tubular transfer tube connected to and closing the upper end of the conduit and leading away from the axis of the conduit with an opening from the tube for removing a liquid flowing through the conduit and the tube;(c) air bubble generating means through the lower end of the conduit for providing a stream of air bubbles vertically through the tubular conduit and parallel to the axis and out an air vent hole;(d) nozzle means mounted on the conduit and directed inward at an angle for introducing at least one stream of the liquid inside the tubular conduit adjacent to the air bubble generating means such that the stream of liquid is directed inwardly around the axis of the tubular conduit;(e) classification means adjacent to the opening from the transfer tube for collecting some of the trace material separated from the heterogeneous mixture;(f) a feed column for introducing the heterogeneous mixture of solids into the tubular conduit connected to the tubular conduit intermediate the ends to feed the trace material with the heterogeneous mixture of solids into the streams from the air bubble generating means and the nozzle means at a rate so that the trace material is separated from the heterogeneous mixture of solids in the classification means, wherein in use after flushing the apparatus with water to remove any trace material in the feed column, a drain plug in the feed column is removed to reduce the water in the tubular conduit and then the tubular column is emptied of the solids.