Dispersion characteristics of ionic microbubble suspension in continuous plant prototype developed for mineral beneficiation

• Plant prototype for mineral beneficiation by microbubble.
• Mixing characteristics of microbubble suspension.
• The influence of physiochemical properties on mixing time and dispersion behaviour.
• Development of model based on combined effect of dispersion and liquid circulation.

Microbubbles offer a larger gas–liquid interfacial area and high mass transfer coefficient compared to conventional bubbles. They are being proposed for process intensification in various unit operations. This study investigates the dispersion characteristic of ionic microbubble suspension in continuous plant prototype developed for mineral beneficiation. The effects of different operating variables and physiochemical properties of liquid on the dispersion of ionic microbubble suspension are examined. A phenomenological model with consideration of liquid circulation is developed to analyze the dispersion coefficient of the microbubble suspension due to circulation. Generalized correlations for dispersion coefficient and the time to reach uniform dispersion are also developed based on the physicochemical properties of microbubble suspension. The present work may be useful for further study of microbubble aided mineral separation for industrial applications.

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