Patent Application
20150224514
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1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to the mining arts, like the treatment of materials derived from a mining operation for the purpose of separating out the various components making up such material. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a metal separator and a method of using the same, for sorting metals, like gold and other like materials.
2. Description of Related Art
The disclosure is directed to a separator for separating metals, like gold in flake and small nugget form, from heavy sand and rock by fluidized bed techniques whereby the gold is gravitationally separated to the bottom of the column.
In the past, sand which carried metals therein, like gold, would be passed through a device for the separation of gold therefrom. These separators have usually been in the form of sluice boxes and the like which have separated from the lighter sand the larger gold nuggets. However, smaller bits of metal or gold, particularly flakes thereof, have not been separated and have been returned to the earth with the sand. As a result, stream beds and banks still can be mined for the smaller bits of metal or gold.
The current mining process may begin with the collection of heavy sand and rock materials. This heavy sand may contain gold flakes and other small gold particles so that another separation is necessary. Conventionally, the separation of the heavy sand away from the gold was by panning. In panning, extreme time, effort and concentration must be used if the majority of the gold is to be separated out and collected. Such careful panning is necessarily time consuming so that the final separation from the portion conserved by the separator is tedious. A reliable and quick method and apparatus for separating the heavy fraction provided is thus required.
As a result, gold mining of today may require a process of constant concentration levels. Taking each step in this process leaves unwanted impurities, or heavy materials, which further need to be removed. Many other steps must be taken to further concentrate the captured/retained heavy material. The ultimate goal is to continually concentrate the material until the desired metal, like gold, is in pure form. This separation to pure form is obviously desired to be done in as little steps and as quick as possible to reach the level of hyper-concentration, i.e. the level where gold, or the desired metal, is 95-99% free from other impurities. Currently there is no known device or separation process for hyper-concentration, which is controlled, quick and efficient.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a recognizable unmet need for a metal separator that is easy to produce, efficient and controlled to reach hyper-concentration levels of separation.
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present apparatus and method overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and meets the recognized need for such a device by providing a metal separator capable of hyper-concentration in a controlled, quick and efficient process.
The present apparatus and method includes a metal separator having a chamber with a top end and a bottom end. The chamber has a constant size throughout its length from the bottom end to the top end. The top end includes a material inlet in communication with the interior of the chamber, and an exit adapted for allowing fluid and material to exit the top end. The exit is positioned above the material inlet. The bottom end includes a fluid inlet in communication with at least one vortex port in the chamber. Each of the at least one vortex ports is an angled opening in the bottom of the chamber adapted for creating a uniform vortex of fluid flowing upward in the chamber. Whereby, when material is introduced into the material inlet thus creating a bed of material in the chamber, fluid can be pumped into the fluid inlet through the bottom of the chamber including each of the vortex ports for creating a uniform vortex of fluid flowing from the bottom end of the chamber up the interior of the chamber and out of the exit thereby fluidizing the bed. This uniform fluidized bed may move the materials with a higher specific gravity to the bottom of the chamber and materials with a lower specific gravity to the top of the chamber and out of the exit.
One feature of the instant disclosure may be the uniform flow of fluid through the metal separator device, i.e. the fluid flows at a constant speed through the chamber.
Another feature of the instant disclosure may be the uniform size of the chamber throughout its length.
Another feature of the instant disclosure may be the vortex ports which may be angled holes around the bottom of the chamber adapted for creating a uniform vortex of fluid flowing upward in the chamber.
Another feature may be the bottom cap that can be included in select embodiments for sealing the bottom end of the chamber. The bottom cap may house the inlet and provide a cavity between the inlet and the bottom of the chamber including the vortex ports.
Another feature may be the flow disturbance device or devices positioned on the interior of the chamber that can be included in select embodiments.
Another feature may be the ability for the material inlet to be selectively sized to allow material up to a selected inlet size into the interior of the chamber.
Another feature may be that the material inlet may introduce material directly into the vortex of fluid.
Another feature may be the ability for the exit to be selectively sized to allow material up to a selected size to exit the chamber.
In use, a method of separating metals may be conducted utilizing various embodiments of the metal separator device shown and described herein. The method of separating metals may include the steps of: providing the metal separator device; inserting material into the material inlet thereby creating a bed of material in the interior of the chamber; pumping a fluid into the fluid inlet through each of the vortex ports into the inside of the chamber creating a uniform vortex of fluid flowing from the inlet up through the chamber and out of the exit thereby fluidizing the bed of material and moving the materials with a higher specific gravity to the bottom of the chamber and materials with a lower specific gravity to the top of the chamber and out of the exit.
Another feature may be the ability of the metal separator device to be linked together with one or more subsequent metal separator devices to create a system for metal separation.
The system for metal separation may include a plurality of metal separator devices, as shown and described in various embodiments herein, linked to one another where the first metal separator device separates a first sized material and each subsequent metal separator device separates smaller sized material.
One feature of the system may be that each of the metal separator devices may be in fluid communication with the material inlet of a subsequent metal separator device via a connector conduit. In select embodiments, each of the connector conduits may include a selectively sized grate for allowing material up to a certain size to move into the material inlet of a subsequent metal separator device. In other select embodiments, a withdrawal tube may be included for moving material too large to pass through the selectively sized grate out of the system. The withdrawal tubes may be linked together to subsequent withdrawal tubes.
In use, the system for metal separation may provide a method of separating metals, including the steps of: providing at least one subsequent metal separator device; connecting the exit of the metal separator device with the material inlet of the subsequent metal separator device via a connector conduit; providing a selectively sized grate in the connector conduit between the exit and the material inlet; moving material smaller than the selectively sized grate into the chamber of the subsequent metal separator device; and removing material larger than the selectively sized grate via a withdrawal tube.
Another feature of the metal separator may be its ease of use and thus ability to be used by different people with various metal separation experience.
Yet another feature of the metal separator device may be its ability to function for extended periods of time.
Yet another feature of the metal separator device may be its ability to be easy to manufacture.
These and other features of the metal separator and its method of use thereof will become more apparent to one skilled in the art from the prior Summary, and following Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, and Claims when read in light of the accompanying Detailed Drawings.
The present metal separator device will be better understood by reading the Detailed Description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which like reference numerals denote similar structure and refer to like elements throughout, and in which:
It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the disclosure to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed invention.
In describing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in
Referring now to
One feature of the instant disclosure may be the uniform flow of fluid 26 created through chamber 12 of metal separator device 10 from its bottom end 16 to its top end 14. A uniform flow of fluid, as used and described herein, may refer to a constant speed or flow of fluid throughout the device. This uniform flow of fluid 26 may be created by chamber 12 having a constant size from its bottom end 16 to its top end 14. Although chamber 12 may ideally have a cylindrical shape or a round cross-section with a constant diameter, as shown in the Figures, the invention is not so limited. Chamber 12 may have any various other desired cross-sections with a constant size or diameter from its bottom end 16 to its top end 14, including, but not limited to, an oval cross-section, a square cross-section, a hexagon cross-section, an octagon cross-section, or any other desired cross-section.
Vortex ports 24 may be cut into the bottom of chamber 12. Vortex ports 24 may be for creating uniform vortex flow of fluid 30 inside chamber 12 from its bottom end 16 to its top end 14. Fluid 26 may enter the chamber through multiple ports located at the lowest point possible. This may be critical to create uniform rotation of vortex of fluid 30 within chamber 12. The rotation created by vortex ports 24 may ensure a uniform speed of raising fluid. This raising column may be what separates the densities of material 28.
Fluid 26 used in the process of metal separator device 10 may be any desired fluid, including, but not limited to, water or other desired liquids, or air or other desired gases. In select embodiments, like for gold and gold flake separation, fluid 26 may be water. A pump or other similar device or water supplies may be used to move fluid 26 into metal separator device 10 at various desired speeds to create the desired uniform flow of fluid 26 within chamber 12.
In one embodiment, vortex ports 24 may be angled holes around the bottom of chamber 12 adapted for creating uniform vortex of fluid 30 flowing upward in chamber 12. Any number of vortex ports 24 may be included in the bottom of chamber 12 and may be oriented in various positioning and spacing to create the desired vortex of fluid 30. In select embodiments, vortex ports 24 may be equally spaced around the bottom of chamber 12. In one embodiment, as shown in
Referring again to
Screen 36 or plurality of screens 36 may be included on or inside chamber 12 for covering vortex ports 24. Screen 36 or plurality of screens 36 may be adapted to prevent any material from exiting vortex ports 24, while still allowing fluid to flow through vortex ports 24. In one embodiment, as shown in
Bottom cap 38 may be included in select embodiments for sealing bottom end 16 of chamber 12. Bottom cap 38 may house fluid inlet 22 and provide cavity 25 between fluid inlet 22 and the openings in the bottom of chamber 12 including vortex ports 24. Cavity 25 may be included to provide a uniform flow of fluid 26 into the bottom of chamber 12. In select embodiments, bottom cap 38 may include top section 39 and bottom section 40. The top section 39 of bottom cap 38 may be sealed to chamber 12 above vortex ports 24, and bottom section 340 may include an inlet port 42 for introducing fluid and may be sealed to top section 39 thereby creating cavity 25 between top section 39 and bottom section 40.
Flow disturbance device 44 or a plurality of flow disturbance devices 44 may be included in select embodiments of metal separator device 10. Flow disturbance devices 44 may be provided in vortex of fluid 30 to ensure all material is exposed to the rotating column of water by separating the material and providing paths for higher specific gravity material to move down and for lower specific gravity material to move up. Flow disturbance devices 44 may be positioned on the interior of chamber 12, and can be various shapes, including, but not limited to, a cylindrical shape (as shown), a knob shape, a mound shape, a pyramidal shape, a triangular shape, a square shape, a hexagon shape, an octagon shape, the like, and/or combinations thereof. In select embodiments, each of flow disturbance devices 44 may be made from rubber and can be secured to the inside of chamber 12 by a securement means, like a screw. Flow disturbance devices 44 may be positioned anywhere on the interior of chamber 12. In select embodiments, flow disturbance devices 44 may be positioned in a linear row along the length of chamber 12 from its bottom end 16 to its top end 14. Flow disturbance devices 44 may be equally spaced along such linear row. In one embodiment, as shown in
As best shown in
Referring again to
Sleeve 58 may be included in select embodiments on top end 14 of chamber 12, as best shown in
Referring to
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As shown in
With the various embodiments of metal separator device 10, system of metal separation 100 and method of metal separation 200, alone or in combination, gold and other metals may be separated in a process of constant concentration levels. Taking each step in this process leaves unwanted impurities, heavy materials, which further need to be removed. Each of the separation steps in metal separator device 10 and subsequent metal separator devices may be taken to further concentrate the captured/retained heavy material. The ultimate goal may be to continually concentrate the material until the desired metal is in pure form. Metal separator device 10, system of metal separation 100 and method of metal separation 200, alone or in combination, may greatly reduce the number of steps needed, and time, to reach the level of hyper-concentration
In general, the various embodiments of metal separator device 10, system of metal separation 100 and method of metal separation 200, alone or in combination, can reduce raw material to the desired material with no moving parts and only using water or other desired fluids. Due to the simple design shown and described herein it may be very inexpensive relative to common mineral mining/refining equipment. In addition, the various embodiments of metal separator device 10, system of metal separation 100 and method of metal separation 200, alone or in combination can be easily scaled.
The various embodiments of metal separator device 10, system of metal separation 100 and method of metal separation 200, alone or in combination, as shown herein are directed toward metal separation, and more particularly to the separation of gold and gold flakes. However, the invention is not so limited and may be used for the separation of any material that needs to be separated into densities by a fluidized bed of material. This may include any other area other than separating metals and gems from other materials where the instant disclosure's method and construction can replace all fluidbed mixing and separating devices. As merely examples, and clearly not limited thereto, metal separator device 10, system of metal separation 100 and method of metal separation 200, alone or in combination, could be used in other industries that can benefit from a fluidized bed device, including: agriculture, like separating foreign objects from seeds, corn, and grains to ensure only desired particles; lumber, like removing metal objects from saw dust and other lumber products; powder bulk, like removing unwanted dense particles from bulk powder/granular products like flour or sugar; recycling, like separating metal shavings of different metals without the melting process; the food industry, like pop-corn kernels that need to be cleaned and sorted by density (the instant disclosure could be tuned to separate kernels faster and cheaper with less moving parts then possibly any other product on the market); coffee, like density separating of coffee beans; and any other industry requiring separation of materials or particles by density.
The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments. Having thus described exemplary embodiments, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present disclosure. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein, but is limited only by the following claims.
