OBSERVATIONS ON INDUCED AERATION IN AGITATED SLURRIES

Despite its importance as a fundamental operation, research on induced aeration in slurries in agitated vessels has received little attentio n up to the present. In experiments conducted with a hollow pipe and s hrouded Rushton turbine impellers and slurries composed of ore as well as synthetic particulates, it is shown that the onset of gas inductio n is not affected by solids concentrations of less than approximately 15% by mass. Beyond this critical point induced aeration decreases wit h an increase in the solids concentration, particle size and particle density of the slurry. These effects can be interpreted in terms of th e effect of the solids on the apparent properties of the fluid, i.e. t he viscosity and density.