Oxygen Generator For Mineral Processing

Oxygen Generator For Mineral Processing
Product Introduction:
Oxygen Generator for Mineral Processing is a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system that produces oxygen from compressed air for mineral leaching and oxidation processes.
The system is built as a skid-mounted unit consisting of:
Screw air compressor (0.6–1.0 MPa)
Air pretreatment unit (filtration and drying)
PSA adsorption towers (zeolite molecular sieve)
Oxygen buffer tank (0.1–0.6 MPa)
PLC control system (automatic valve switching)
The system uses zeolite molecular sieve to adsorb nitrogen under pressure, allowing oxygen to pass through and be collected as product gas.
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Description
Technical Parameters

Gas Separation Process 

The separation process is based on cyclic pressure variation inside two adsorption beds:

Compressed air enters adsorption tower A at 0.6–0.8 MPa
Zeolite molecular sieve selectively adsorbs nitrogen (N₂) through physical adsorption forces
Oxygen molecules pass through bed void space and are collected at outlet manifold
When adsorption saturation occurs, tower A is depressurized to near-atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa)
Adsorbed nitrogen is released through exhaust silencer by pressure release
Tower B simultaneously switches into adsorption phase to maintain continuous oxygen output

Cycle switching is controlled by PLC logic using pressure sensors (0–1.0 MPa range) and solenoid valves with response time ≤0.2 s.

Oxygen Injection Mechanism in Mineral Processing

Generated oxygen is delivered into mineral slurry systems through pipeline injection points:

  • Leaching tank bottom sparging ring: stainless steel 304 perforated pipe, 2–5 mm orifice size

  • Reactor side inlet diffuser: gas-liquid contact structure for bubble dispersion

When oxygen enters slurry (solid-liquid mixture containing ore particles and chemical reagents):

• Gas bubbles are dispersed into liquid phase under agitation (mechanical impeller 50–200 rpm depending on tank size)

• Oxygen dissolves into solution and increases dissolved oxygen concentration (DO control typically in mg/L range depending on process design)

• Oxidation reactions occur at mineral particle surfaces, especially sulfide minerals such as pyrite and chalcopyrite

This process directly affects oxidation rate and metal ion release kinetics in hydrometallurgical circuits.

System Components

Air Pretreatment Section

Coalescing filter element (borosilicate fiber media) removes oil aerosol ≤0.01 mg/m³ | Activated carbon adsorption layer captures hydrocarbon vapor residues | Refrigerated or adsorption dryer maintains compressed air dew point below -40°C to prevent zeolite pore blockage by water molecules

Adsorption Tower Assembly

Pressure vessel material: Q235B or SS304 (depending on corrosion environment) | Internal zeolite filling layer: 13X or lithium-based molecular sieve (0.4–0.8 mm granule size) | Gas distribution plate ensures uniform airflow velocity across bed cross-section to prevent channeling effect

Oxygen Storage and Stabilization Unit

Buffer tank absorbs flow fluctuation during valve switching phase | Equipped with pressure transmitter (accuracy ±1% FS) | Safety relief valve opens at design pressure threshold (typically 0.8 MPa)

Control System

PLC logic controls adsorption, equalization, and purge phases | Solenoid valve manifold distributes compressed air to each adsorption column | Feedback loop adjusts cycle time based on outlet oxygen purity signal

Working Environment Conditions

Designed for installation in mineral processing plants under the following conditions:

  • Ambient temperature range: 5°C–40°C

  • Dust-containing environment alignment

  • Continuous 24-hour operation mode

  • Containerized skid frame or concrete foundation with vibration isolation pads (10–20 mm)

Remote mining sites are fully supported where liquid oxygen logistics are not available.

Failure Modes & Process Stability

Measurable Degradation Links:

Moisture breakthrough → nitrogen leakage increase | Oil contamination → purity fluctuation | Valve timing drift (>0.5 s) → unstable outlet flow

Monitoring Instruments Used:

  • Oxygen analyzer (0–100% O₂, electrochemical)

  • Differential pressure sensors across beds

  • Flow meters at oxygen outlet pipeline (Nm³/h)

Installation and System Integration

System connection into mineral processing plant requires three interface points:

Compressed Air Interface

Connected to screw compressor discharge line (0.6–1.0 MPa). Requires upstream air receiver tank for pressure stabilization.

Oxygen Distribution Interface

Stainless steel pipeline (SS304 or HDPE). Connected to leaching tank manifold or sparging ring. Flow valve regulates injection rate.

Electrical Control Interface

380V / 50Hz standard industrial power supply (custom available). PLC communication via dry contact or Modbus protocol.

NEWTEK Engineering Configuration Capability

NEWTEK designs PSA oxygen systems based on process oxygen demand calculation rather than fixed equipment sizing. The workflow includes:

• Oxygen consumption estimation based on ore throughput (tons/day) and slurry residence time.
• Matching PSA output capacity (Nm³/h) with leaching tank volume and agitation intensity.
• Modular skid design using ISO container frame (20ft / 40ft transport structure) for remote mining logistics.
• Parallel adsorption tower expansion architecture for capacity scaling without system shutdown.
Oxygen Generator For Mineral Processing

 

Validation Scope: Pressure retention test at 1.1× rated working pressure | Continuous cycling test of adsorption valves for ≥48 hours | Oxygen purity stabilization test under variable load conditions.

Application Scope

Gold CIP/CIL leaching tanksCopper heap leaching oxidation systemsNickel and zinc hydrometallurgical extraction circuitsSulfide ore pre-oxidation reactorsTailings reprocessing systems

Technical Inquiry Data Required 

System configuration is determined using the following process parameters: Ore processing capacity (tons per day) | Leaching tank volume and number of tanks (m³) | Target oxygen consumption rate or DO requirement | Plant altitude | Available electrical capacity (kW limit). Based on these inputs, PSA tower size, molecular sieve volume, and oxygen buffer tank capacity are calculated.

Engineering Inquiry Output 

Provide your mineral processing flow sheet, leaching tank dimensions, or oxygen demand data. NEWTEK engineering team will calculate PSA adsorption tower sizing, compressor load configuration, and oxygen pipeline distribution layout based on your actual process conditions and operating cycle.

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●What is the working site temeperature averagely?
●What is the humidity locally?

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