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Double-sensor conductivity probe applied in a flotation system |
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| Authors: | Pedro Silva Aires Artin Afacan Qi Liu Vinay Prasad |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Contribution: Conceptualization, ?Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Writing - original draft;2. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Contribution: Conceptualization, ?Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing - review & editing;3. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Contribution: Conceptualization, Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing - review & editing;4. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Abstract: | This study proposed a new approach for measuring bubble size distribution, bubble mean diameter, Sauter mean bubble diameter, and gas holdup using a double-sensor conductivity probe in an air/water two-phase system bubble column. The results for the two-phase system were compared and calibrated using analyses from bubble images taken by a digital camera from the side of the column wall. Good agreement was observed between the two techniques. The same double-sensor conductivity was used in an air/water/solids three-phase system. The conductivity probe captured the change in bubble dynamic behaviour inside the pulp phase; however, the presence of the solids made it more challenging to measure. As a result, the VisioFroth commercial package, using images taken from the top of the froth layer, could be used in conjunction with the double-sensor conductivity probe to show the dynamic evolution of mineralized bubbles from the pulp zone to the froth zone in a flotation process. |
| Keywords: | bubble column conductivity probe froth flotation gas holdup |