What is a thickener?
Thickener (also known as settling thickener) is a device used for
solid-liquid separation, mainly used in mineral processing, chemical industry,
sewage treatment and other fields. Its main function is to separate solid
particles suspended in a liquid through gravity settling, thereby achieving the
effect of concentration or clear liquid. Thickener is often used in slurry
concentration, wastewater treatment, sludge dewatering and other occasions to
help increase the concentration of solid substances, reduce the volume of
liquids, and provide convenience for subsequent treatment or disposal.
1、 Working principle
The working principle of the thickener is based on the principle of gravity
settling. The liquid and solid mixture inside the equipment (such as slurry,
sewage, etc.) enters the settling tank of the thickener through the feed pipe.
In the thickener, due to the rising force of the liquid and the settling force
of the solid particles, the solid particles will settle at the bottom of the
pool, while the clear liquid will float above.
The specific process is as follows:
Feed: Slurry, sewage or other liquids containing solid particles flow into
the thickener through the feed pipe, and the liquid and solid substances begin
to separate.
Sedimentation process: Due to the high density of particles, solid particles
will settle at the bottom of the dense pool, and the solids in the liquid will
gradually be separated.
Concentration: After settling, solid particles form a thick layer of mud or
sediment at the bottom of the thickening tank.
Clear liquid outflow: After settling, the clear liquid will flow out from the
top of the pool, and after settling, impurities have been greatly removed.
Mud layer discharge: The accumulated mud layer at the bottom of the pool is
regularly discharged through a scraping device to ensure the normal operation of
the equipment and high settling efficiency.
Discharge concentration: The sediment (concentrated sludge) at the bottom of
the tank is discharged continuously or intermittently. Usually, this sludge
layer enters the dehydration process to further remove the water content.
2、 Main types
Thickener can be classified into different types based on its working
principle, application field, and equipment design form, mainly including:
Circular Thickener:
The common type is a circular pool bottom with high settling efficiency.
Suitable for multiple fields such as mining, chemical industry, and
environmental protection.
Rectangular Thickener:
It has a rectangular settling tank, suitable for separation occasions with
different ratios of liquid and solid, and has a large processing capacity.
Efficient Thickener:
Adopting advanced design can improve concentration efficiency, reduce
equipment volume, and is suitable for large-scale production lines.
Equipped with scraper thickener:
Equipped with a mud scraping device, it is used to automatically scrape off
the mud deposited at the bottom of the pool, reducing manual intervention and
improving cleaning efficiency.
Flotation thickener:
Mainly used in the mining industry, especially in conjunction with flotation
equipment, to help concentrate useful minerals in mineral slurries.
3、 Main features
Efficient settlement:
Thickener can achieve high solid-liquid separation efficiency in a short
period of time, quickly removing most of the solid impurities in the liquid.
Energy saving:
Due to the natural process of gravity settling, the thickener does not
require a large amount of external energy during operation and belongs to
low-energy consumption equipment.
High degree of automation:
Modern thickeners are typically equipped with automatic control systems that
can monitor processes such as feeding, sludge discharge, and liquid discharge in
real-time, reducing manual intervention.
Strong adaptability:
Thickener can process various liquid and solid mixtures with different
characteristics, such as slurry, wastewater, sludge, etc.
Small footprint:
Despite its large processing capacity, the thickener has a compact design and
relatively small footprint, making it suitable for production environments of
various scales.
Easy to operate:
The operation and maintenance are relatively simple, and common centralized
control systems can reduce the complexity of manual operations.
4、 Application Fields
Thickener is widely used in multiple industries, including:
Mining industry:
In the processes of slurry concentration, beneficiation, and smelting,
thickeners are used to increase slurry concentration, separate solid minerals
and liquids, help save water resources, and improve production efficiency.
Wastewater treatment:
In the wastewater treatment process, the thickener is used to remove
suspended solids and mud from the water, helping to reduce the volume of sludge
and providing convenience for subsequent dehydration, disposal, and other
treatments.
Chemical industry:
In the chemical production process, a thickener can be used to separate solid
impurities after the reaction and improve product purity.
Environmental Protection Industry:
Especially in the treatment of industrial wastewater and urban sewage,
thickeners are used to remove solid particles from water and reduce water
pollution.
Food and pharmaceutical industry:
In some food and pharmaceutical production processes, thickeners can be used
for liquid cleaning and concentration to ensure product quality and
stability.
Pulp and paper industry:
In the pulp production process, the thickener is used to concentrate the
pulp, separate impurities, and ensure the quality of the pulp.
5、 Maintenance and upkeep of thickener
In order to ensure the long-term efficient operation of the thickener,
regular maintenance and upkeep are crucial, mainly including:
Check the mud scraping device:
Regularly check whether the mud scraping device is operating normally to
ensure smooth mud discharge.
Cleaning the sedimentation tank:
Regularly clean the sediment at the bottom of the settling tank to prevent it
from affecting the settling effect.
Check the feeding and discharging pipelines:
Ensure that the feed pipeline is unobstructed and the discharge pipeline does
not leak, ensuring smooth flow.
Regularly inspect mechanical components:
Inspect the transmission and mixing devices of the thickener to ensure their
normal operation.
Cleaning control system:
Check and clean the sensors, valves, etc. in the automatic control system to
ensure accurate operation of the equipment.
6、 Summary
Thickener is a device that uses the principle of gravity for solid-liquid
separation, and has a wide range of applications in mining, chemical,
environmental protection, food and other fields. It can increase the
concentration of solid substances and reduce the volume of liquids, playing a
crucial role in the treatment of slurry, sewage, wastewater, and other aspects.
Through appropriate design and maintenance, the thickener can operate
efficiently and energy-saving, providing reliable support for production and
environmental protection in related industries.