The thickening process is a major concern in the industrial treatment of high solids mining slurries. Despite the longstanding multidisciplinary effort to understand the phenomena involved in the solid-liquid separation, the industrial operation is still largely based on empirical considerations. The main goal of this work is to follow up on a well-established mathematical model of suspensions, providing a new approach focused on industrial applications. To this end, we have developed a computational simulator that uses experimental data from the physical characterization of the pulp, in order to solve numerically the time-dependent behavior of the thickening process. The current implementation of the code is flexible, allowing for exploration on several aspects including the effect of vessel geometry and varying feed/discharge rates. Common features such as bed height, compression, clarification and concentration profiles can be observed in batch and continuous mode of operation. We have carried out extensive studies, showing in general good agreement of the model vs. experimental data obtained from semi-pilot testing. This analysis has been used to validate the predicting capabilities of the model in an experimental setup. Subsequently, in association with an industrial plant, we aim to gain on-site insight and validate the integrated model. The extension of this research will contribute to the analysis of different operational conditions and provide a better understanding on possible directions to improve water recovery, quality of disposals and general efficiency of the process.
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