Relative viscosity model which describes the rheological behavior of lateritic suspensions

Abstract

The raw pulp of mineral lateritic, matter prevails main in the Cuban industry of the nickel; it presents characteristic non Newtonians due to its physical - chemical properties and to the content of solids required for its industrial prosecution; causing transportation problems and sedimentation for their high viscosity. To predict their behaviour rheological is a complex, given task the variability of the mineral that feeds to the process; for this reason, in the work a model mathematical semi empiric was obtained that allows to establish a quantitative relationship among the main factors that determine the behaviour reológico of the suspensions lateritic, such as: speed of deformation, content of solids, index of stability, mineral number and Coefficient of Polidispersion (parameter obtained starting from an empiric mathematical model, also proposed in this work that describes the distribution of size of the particles in the suspension). The obtained pattern of relative viscosity, valid in the domain of operation of the process of Sour Lixiviation to Pressure (LAP), brings possibilities predictive of the characteristic rheological of the pulps limonitic as for different operation conditions.