What is the role of the foaming agent in the flotation process?

In the flotation process, the size of the bubble should be appropriate, not too large or too small. When the float is larger, the density of the useful mineral is larger. The bubble should also increase the strength of the foam. It should not be too strong. Nor can it be too weak. Participation in the foaming agent can avoid the merger of bubbles, and can also prolong the existence of bubbles in the appearance of the slurry. So what is the role of the foaming agent in the flotation process?

(1) Foaming agent molecules avoid the merger of bubbles.

(2) The foaming agent reduces the speed at which the bubble rises. The experimental results show that the bubble rise rate slows down after the participation of the foaming agent, and the effect of the flotation agent on the rising speed of the bubble, such as 100% of the Ding xanthate, the relative percentage of the bubble rising speed of other foaming agents is: phenol 93.4, Cresol 90.8, pine oil 88.3, cyclohexanol 88.2, dimethyl phthalic acid 80.7, heptanol 76.8, octanol 75.8, ethanol 76.2, tetrapropylene glycol methyl ether 72.9, triethoxybutane 72.3.

The reason why the foaming agent slows down the bubble rising speed is that the foaming agent molecules form an "armor layer" on the outer surface of the bubble, and the layer has an absorption force on the water dipole, and the double is not as easy to deform with the resistance as the water film is found, so Block the ascending movement.

(3) The foaming agent affects the size and dispersion state of the bubbles. The size of the bubble particle size has a direct influence on the flotation index. The uniform diameter of the bubble generated by the ordinary mechanical agitation flotation machine in pure water is 4 to 5 mm. After the addition of the foaming agent, the uniform diameter is reduced to 0.8 to 1 mm. The smaller the bubble, the larger the flotation interface, which is beneficial to the adhesion of the ore. However, the bubbles must carry the ore particles up and have sufficient buoyancy and proper floating speed. Therefore, the smaller the bubbles, the better, but the appropriate size and granularity.

(4) The interaction between the foaming agent and the collector. In the flotation process, the interaction between the foaming agent and the collector is very important for flotation.

The structure of the foamer molecule, which has something in common with the collector, most of which are composed of polar and non-polar groups.

Sexual substance. Most of them can greatly reduce the tension of water surface, increase the dispersion of air in the slurry, change the size and movement state of the bubble in the slurry, reduce the power consumption of aeration and stirring into the slurry, and form a foam layer on the slurry surface. .