variable speed pump for eg. hydrocyclone

Pumping?

My guess is

• centrifugal pump (would tolerate the fines)
• 3-phase motor, controlling speed with a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) [as already used on the rod-mill] to give target pressure into the hydrocylone

What would you really do?

Rich Smith

--------------------------

What -I- would really do is use the 120V 1 phase variable speed motor I bought yesterday on half price closeout, and machine a shaft adapter to the used filter pump from a neighbor's old pool.

Lacking those parts, perhaps a water bed fill/drain pump on a variable speed drill with a latching trigger would do?

I bought the motor to slow down my carbide grinder by driving the green SiC wheel side shaft so I can grind steel lathe bits accurately at low speed on the diamond plate wheel.

This is a variant that separates the warmer and cooler molecules of air:

How do you weigh it?

I ask because accurate weighing is among the more involved and error-prone operations in chemistry.

You are right - "version a half" for a short recon. of the matter needs to be something very simple using something existing. Yes and can vary trigger pressure on the drill to change the speed and therefore pressure - qualitatively see whatever...

Thanks

Kitchen scale from a "box store" - GBPounds6 - so about US$7or8.

I am currently test-grinding granite chippings, of no value & builder's merchant cost. Finding out what happens. It's a "broadly" exercise. Most mass-fractions are in the hundreds and into 4-figures of grams, so for now that's good enough. So I am pleased with the results so far. I got two large plastic kitchen bowls at the "box store", and quite a number of stainless steels bowls of various sizes from a shop in an ethnic area my friend passed through in London. I am "just" pleased I have anything at the moment.

One result so far

Another nearly done having updated mill.

Will look to improve weighing equipment if have jobs which matter. Suggestion is resolve to 0.1g

Regards,

Kitchen scale from a "box store" - GBPounds6 - so about US$7or8.

I am currently test-grinding granite chippings, of no value & builder's merchant cost. Finding out what happens. It's a "broadly" exercise. Most mass-fractions are in the hundreds and into 4-figures of grams, so for now that's good enough. So I am pleased with the results so far. I got two large plastic kitchen bowls at the "box store", and quite a number of stainless steels bowls of various sizes from a shop in an ethnic area my friend passed through in London. I am "just" pleased I have anything at the moment.

One result so far

Another nearly done having updated mill.

Will look to improve weighing equipment if have jobs which matter. Suggestion is resolve to 0.1g

Regards,

----------------------------------- A good way to quickly judge accuracy is in parts per thousand, per ten thousand, etc, which immediately gives you the percentage of uncertainty. The overall accuracy is no better than the least accurate measurement. Your scale resolves (not the same as accurate to) 1 part in 6,000. If your samples are in kilograms it's a good match. A scale should accept the typical weight of your sample plus its container, ideally at half or more of full capacity for best resolution.

Ideally the company or government (Air Force) agreed to pay for the instruments I needed/wanted. These days I pay myself and make do with what I find, which usually means commercially obsolete and out of calibration, or Asian import. I bought a mechanical scale that reads to 0.01g from a gold etc dealer who had switched to digital. It reads 310g to within 0.01g, 1 part in 31,000.

This is a good one for general use. The three weights extend the range.

Thanks for that expert guidance on accuracy and mess measurement. It's the thinking process I see value in. With this improvided activities there is a high risk of damage / loss of equipment, so am getting seemingly "good enough" quantitative categorisations with low-cost things.

Thanks for that expert guidance on accuracy and mess measurement. It's the thinking process I see value in. With this improvided activities there is a high risk of damage / loss of equipment, so am getting seemingly "good enough" quantitative categorisations with low-cost things.

----------------------------- I do that too if necessary, I've weighed by balancing the unknown against US nickel coins (~5 grams) on a wooden ruler. I try to give a satisfactory permanent answer as well as a cheap temporary one, like the drill pump. I assume that like me you do non-paying projects on the cheap and watch for deals on stuff you can use, which is why I mention possibilities. I'm not trying to shame you into spending on high end lab equipment but after it's too old to be calibrated it may sell very cheaply. I found an older model of this for $50.

When you stumble onto a possible deal on something better it helps a lot to understand if you can make good use of it, or not, especially when entering a new unfamiliar field. I often have to estimate on the spot if the reason a find is for sale is obsolescence or damage, and if so is fixable, like a carburetor rebuild or a bit of welding or machining, all of them plus belts needed for my snowblower. The older model variable speed motor I just bought has a reputation for failure if used at its rated power, so I'll have to watch the current draw.

While I was working I made frequent build/buy decisions and did some volunteer work building theatre scenery, where I had neither time to seek scrap lumber nor money to buy it and so had to improvise and make do. I understand that situation too.

Weighing looks and often is simple, the difficulty is controlling the sample, knowing it's dry and not losing any in handling.

Thanks for this. I am bemused by the gold extraction processes:

• mercury amalgamation
• cyanide leaching
• ...?

I have heard about both. Apparently in historic gold mining areas in the USA it can be worth re-working the tailing for the mercury. I've seen videos of people using a retort with a condenser - which seems reliable and safe enough.

Cyanide is "funny" - in a way. Seemingly can work very dilute and has the advantage of working when alkaline. Meaning no other metal is "on the move". One comment in a video I saw is that it is difficult to find a replacement for cyanide which is LESS hazardous than cyanide...!!!

Yesterday I find a company less than a mile from where I live supplies hydrocyclones. Know them otherwise for mineral separation machinery - were my largest customer for what I did in last welding job.

Day before had found in "the bible" of mineral processing (Wills "Mineral Processing Technology") that have hydrocyclones down to 10mm diameter for very fines. Actually held one yesterday.

My ventures enabled me to hold quite a conversation.

Running inlet pressure 3 to 4 Bar.

Regards,

These are the 10mm hydrocyclones

Inlet pressure 3Bar to 3.5Bar Flow-rate suggested to be about 0.2 m^3 hr^-1

So changes any recommendation on pumps?