SEDIMENTATION AND CONSOLIDATION BEHAVIOUR OF KAOLIN SUSPENSIONS IN PRESENCE OF DISPERSANT

FILTECH 2009 International Conference Exhibition for Filtration and Separation Technology
October 13 - 15 Wiesbaden Germany

Characterization of sedimentation and consolidation behaviour of kaolin suspensions in presence of dispersant

T. Sobisch², C. Le Coeur¹, T. Detloff², A. Zierau², O. Larue¹ .D. Lerche², E. Vorobiev¹

¹ Université de Technologie Compiègne / Département Génie Chimique, Compiègne/France

² LUM / 12489 Berlin / Germany

During processing and application of kaolin usually dispersants are used. For optimization evaluation of the sedimentation behaviour of the suspensions can deliver important information. To this end a method for comprehensive characterization of this process is required.

Space and time resolved photometric methods using near infrared (NIR) light enable the measurement of the movement of the boundary towards the supernatant and to characterize clarification processes. X-rays on the other hand give information on concentration profiles in sediment and suspensions. These two methods complement each other to characterize sedimentation and consolidation behaviour.

In this paper the sedimentation and consolidation behaviour of kaolin suspensions was studied by multisample analytical centrifugation with photometric detection. Kaolin, dispersant concentration and centrifugal acceleration was varied. After dewatering of the sediments in the centrifugal field, the distribution of packing density was determined using X-ray measurements.