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Measurement of Particle Size Distribution in Turbid Solutions by Dynamic Light Scattering Microscopy
Published on: January 9, 2017
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A real-time light-scattering technique for tailings solids measurement.
Manisha Gupta1, Tim Ho1, Tulika Srivastava1
1Dep. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada.
Journal of Environmental Quality
|March 22, 2021
Summary
A new economic in situ light-scattering sensor accurately measures solid content in tailings facilities in real-time. This technology offers effective tailings management by correlating scattered light intensity with solids concentration.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Engineering
Background:
- Real-time monitoring of solid content in tailings facilities is crucial for effective management and environmental safety.
- Traditional methods for measuring solids content can be time-consuming and may not provide continuous data.
- Existing technologies may lack the economic viability for widespread implementation in tailings management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an economical in situ light-scattering sensor for real-time measurement of solids content in tailings.
- To establish the relationship between scattered light intensity and solids concentration using different materials.
- To assess the sensor's performance against established measurement techniques in a large-scale settling column.
Main Methods:
- Construction of an experimental setup utilizing a blue laser diode (405 nm) and silicon photodiodes to measure scattered light intensity at various angles.
- Characterization of light scattering behavior for tailings and kaolin, identifying a cos^n(θ) relationship with n ≈ 1.5.
- Development and testing of an insertion-based prototype in a 2.7 m settling column, comparing results with gravimetric and gamma-ray measurements.
Main Results:
- Scattered light intensity increases with solids content, showing similar settling behavior for tailings and kaolin, albeit on different timescales.
- An optimal scattering angle of θ = 20° was identified for sensor design due to a high signal-to-noise ratio.
- The prototype sensor demonstrated good agreement with standard gravimetric and gamma-ray methods, indicating its potential for tailings management.
Conclusions:
- The developed light-scattering sensor is a cost-effective and reliable tool for in situ, real-time monitoring of solids content in tailings facilities.
- The sensor's ability to correlate light scattering with solids concentration provides valuable data for optimizing tailings management practices.
- Further validation in the absence of optical fouling confirms the sensor's potential for practical application in the mining industry.
