摘要:
An apparatus and method for collecting mineral particles in the tailings is disclosed. The apparatus may take the form of a filter, a conveyor belt, a collection plate or an impeller configured to contact with tailings of a flotation process, before and/or after the tailings are discharged into a pond. The filter, conveyor belt, collection plate or impeller has a collection area or surface made of, or coated with, a synthetic material having a functional group, e.g., having an ionizing bond to attract the mineral particles of interest. Alternatively, the synthetic material has hydrophobic molecules to render the collection area hydrophobic. When the mineral particles of interest in the tailings are combined with collector molecules, the mineral particles of interest may also become hydrophobic. The hydrophobic mineral particles of interest are attracted to the hydrophobic collection area or surface. The filter, conveyor belt, collection plate and impeller may have a plurality of passage ways or synthetic beads in order to increase the contacting surfaces.
摘要:
An apparatus is provided for performing an chemical, biochemical, or biological assay on a sample comprising: a microfluidic assay cartridge (1) that contains at least one sample inlet well (2) configured to receive a sample; and a microfluidic sub-unit (3) associated with the microfluidic assay cartridge (1) and comprising microfluidic channels (8), micro-valves (4, 4a, 9) and at least one separate and fluidicly-isolated isolation channel (5), and at least one hollow element (14); the at least one hollow element (14) being functionalized with a capture moiety or molecules (15) so as to form at least one reaction vessel (19); the microfluidic channels (8) and micro-valves (4, 4a, 9) configured to respond to signaling containing information about performing the assay and to controllably receive the sample and at least one reagent in the at least one reaction vessel (19), and to provide from the at least one reaction vessel (19) light containing information about the assay performed on the sample inside the at least one reaction vessel (19) as a result of said at least one reagent.
摘要:
Apparatus features an acoustic comb filter module configured to receive signaling containing information about different frequencies F1 and F2 to create a selected comb spacing D to capture certain particles having a selected size X in a flow stream in a flow pipe, and to provide an acoustic standing wave via ultrasonic excitation based at least partly on the two different frequencies F1 and F2 to create the selected comb spacing D to capture the certain particles having the selected size X in the flow stream in the flow pipe. The apparatus may also include a particle size or distribution determination module configured to receive the certain particles for off-stream analysis via a detection port that forms part of the flow pipe and determine the particle size or distribution of the certain particles in the flow stream in the flow pipe.
摘要:
A synthetic bead for use in mineral separation is described. The synthetic bead has a surface made of a synthetic material such as polymer and the synthetic material is functionalized with molecules having a functional group for attracting mineral particles to the surface in a separation process. The synthetic beads can be placed in flotation cell containing a mixture of water, valuable material and unwanted material or in a pipeline where the mixture is transported from one location to another. The enriched synthetic beads carrying the mineral particles are separated from the unwanted materials in the mixture. The mineral particles are then released from the synthetic beads by means of low pH treatment, ultrasonic agitation, thermal or electromagnetic treatment.
摘要:
The invention provides a signal processor that receives a signal containing information about an acoustic signal that is generated by at least one acoustic transmitter, that travels through an aerated fluid in a container, and that is received by at least one acoustic receiver arranged in relation to the container, including inside the container; and determines the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid based at least partly on the speed of sound measurement of the acoustic signal that travels through the aerated fluid in the container. The signal processor also sends an output signal containing information about the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid. The signal processor may be configured together with at least one acoustic transmitter, the at least one acoustic receiver, or both.
摘要:
A side-hole optical cane for measuring pressure and/or temperature is disclosed. The side-hole cane has a light guiding core containing a sensor and a cladding containing symmetrical side-holes extending substantially parallel to the core. The side-holes cause an asymmetric stress across the core of the sensor creating a birefringent sensor. The sensor, preferably a Bragg grating, reflects a first and second wavelength each associated with orthogonal polarization vectors, wherein the degree of separation between the two is proportional to the pressure exerted on the core. The side-hole cane structure self-compensates and is insensitive to temperature variations when used as a pressure sensor, because temperature induces an equal shift in both the first and second wavelengths. Furthermore, the magnitude of these shifts can be monitored to deduce temperature, hence providing the side-hole cane additional temperature sensing capability that is unaffected by pressure. Additionally, the side-hole cane can be used to measure a differential pressure between a first pressure ported to the side-holes and a second external pressure.
摘要:
An optical reader system including a source light assembly that has a code-reading beam and a fluorescence-excitation beam that are configured to illuminate encoded substrates. The substrates have optically readable codes that provide output signals when the code-reading beam is incident thereon. The output signals are indicative of the codes. The reader system also includes a fluorescence detector that is configured to detect fluorescent signals from the substrates and code pickup optics that are configured to project the output signals from the optically readable codes onto a Fourier plane. The reader system also includes a code detector that is positioned to detect the output signals in the Fourier plane.
摘要:
A large diameter optical waveguide, grating, and laser includes a waveguide having at least one core surrounded by a cladding, the core propagating light in substantially a few transverse spatial modes; and having an outer waveguide dimension of said waveguide being greater than about 0.3 mm. At least one Bragg grating may be impressed in the waveguide. The waveguide may be axially compressed which causes the length of the waveguide to decrease without buckling. The waveguide may be used for any application where a waveguide needs to be compression tuned. Also, the waveguide exhibits lower mode coupling from the core to the cladding and allows for higher optical power to be used when writing gratings without damaging the waveguide. The waveguide may resemble a short “block” or a longer “cane” type, depending on the application and dimensions used.
摘要:
An optical sensor formed from an optical waveguide having at least one core surrounded by a cladding and a large diameter generally D-shaped portion is disclosed. Axial or compressive strain across the D-shaped cross section may be determined by measuring the change in polarization or birefringence of the light output from the sensor. A layer responsive to a parameter may be disposed on a flat portion of the D-shaped portion of the sensor. The refractive index of the layer changes and/or the layer applies a strain on the sensor in response to the parameter. Changes in the refractive index of the layer alters the light output from the sensor, which is measured over time and correlated to the parameter.
摘要:
An optical reader system that includes a plurality of substrates. The substrates have an optically readable code disposed therein and a source light assembly that is configured to illuminate the substrates with a code-reading beam and another beam for detecting another optically readable property of the substrate. The code-reading beam and the other beam form beam spots on the substrates that have different shapes. The system also includes a reader that is configured to receive output signals from the code-reading beam and the other beam when the substrates are illuminated. The output signals from the code-reading beam are indicative of the code.