Patent ID: 6110255
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: C22B,Y02P

Abstract:
An ore slurry flash tank apparatus for receiving and holding pressure oxidized ore slurry for reducing the pressure of ore slurry, the apparatus comprising: a vessel having a bottom, a top, and side walls;a wear-resistant flash tank pressure let down nozzle mounted on said vessel for use in passing ore slurry into said vessel to release steam from the slurry and reduce the pressure of the slurry, the nozzle comprising an inlet end, a discharge end, a tubular passageway extending therebetween for passage of the slurry from a location outside the flash tank in fluid flow communication with said inlet end, the slurry passageway comprising a choke comprising a zone of the passageway in which its cross-sectional area is smallest, the passageway flaring with respect to the axis thereof toward said discharge end to define an expansion cone; andthe cross-sectional area of the choke and the exit diameter of the expansion cone being selected to establish a relationship between pressure upstream of the nozzle and pressure in the flash tank so that shock waves inside the flash tank are weaker than shock waves inside a reference flash tank having identical dimensions and configuration and operating under identical conditions except having a reference pressure let down nozzle consisting of a straight choke.