CoMatrix™ Tower: Excellent Organic Recovery, Plus 5X Flow Rate of Standard SX Filters
The SpinTek CoMatrix™ system is specifically designed to provide excellent organic recovery and electrolyte filtering for the solvent extraction(SX) market. The system is designed to operate at five times the flow rate of traditional SX filters.
This filtration system translates to a 65% cost reduction and reduced backwash volumes of 70%.
The CoMatrix™ systems are free standing, self-contained units available in a variety of standard sizes with individual unit flow rates of up to 3,300 gpm (750 m3/hr). Multiple units can provide for much higher flow rates. All vessels, media, piping, instruments and controls are provided for a completely automatic and operational filtration system.
Controls and Instruments
The CoMatrix™ SX filtration system is automatically controlled in service, organic recovery and backwash with a PLC in a NEMA 4X housing to protect it from the environment. Custom controllers can be engineered and built to any specification for single unit or multiple unit control.
Standard instrumentation includes two stainless steel pressure gauges with seals. A vortex flow meter, automatic flow controller, delta pressure switch and organic recovery switch, all of 316L SS, are also standard.
Piping and Valves
Standard valves for the CoMatrix™ are 316 SS butterfly with air operators. Three 316 SS sample valves are included for monitoring the system`s performance and a 316 SS safety pressure relief valve provides system protection.
Piping is manufactured of 316 SS or Drisco HDPE fusion welded, and can be heat traced to prevent crystallization.
Media and Matrix Plates
The matrix plates are fabricated of PVC and perform excellent coalescing and recovery of the organic.
The CoMatrix™ uses two separate layers of media for final organic coalescing and filtration down to 10 microns. The layers consist of both granite and anthracite media with a specially designed packing system for greater flow through the large filters.
Pressure Vessels and Skid
The CoMatrix™ pressure vessels are constructed of 316L SS, built to the stringent ASME and NB requirements and stamped. Normal pressure vessel rating is 50 psig with higher ratings available.
Manways, tank supports and windows are standard and are also constructed of 316L SS. All vessel connections are standard ANSI flanges.
The CoMatrix™ filtration system is mounted on a carbon steel skid that has been blasted to SSPC-10 and coated with both epoxy and polyurethane for extra corrosion protection.
Vessel Internals
Vessel internals for inlet flow, backwash and service outlet are all constructed of 316L SS. In addition, the backwash, air and service outlet internals have 316L SS screens for media containment.
Custom Features
The CoMatrix™ system can be built to a wide variety of specifications. Typical options include custom controllers, alternate piping and vessel materials, such as Hastelloy, specific welding specifications, and many others, to meet the demanding requirements of clients and specifying engineering firms.
Standard Features
- Easily recovered organic
- Five times the flow rate of SX filters
- Single unit flow rates up to 3,300 GPM (750 m3/hr)
- Fine electrolyte filtration down to 10 microns
- Organic removal down to 2 PPM
- 65% less capital cost than SX filters
- 70% less backwash required than SX filters
- Lower installation cost
Matrix™ Tower for 75% Organic Recovery from Aqueous
Standard Features
- Easily recovered organic
- No air introduction
- Reliable performance
- Hydrophobic Matrix plates for coalescing
- No moving parts
- Simple, safe operation
Matrix Tower for Organic Coalescing
The SpinTek Matrix™ Tower is specifically designed to provide excellent organic recovery of up to 75% from the electrolyte or raffinate stream of solvent extraction plants without air injection. The recovery of organic improves the operating efficiency of the plant and greatly reduces the backwash frequency of the dual media filters prior to electro winning.
The Matrix Towers are free standing, self-contained filtration units available in a variety of standard sizes with individual flow rates of up to 2,000 gpm (454 m3/hr) with multiple units accommodating higher flow rates. All vessels, packing and organic sensing probes are provided for a completely automatic system.
How the Filtration System Operates
The Matrix Tower has no moving parts, unlike other filtration systems. Aqueous enters through the bottom of the Matrix Tower and flows upward through SpinTek`s hydrophobic non-clogging Matrix media packing. The Matrix media packing provides a vast surface area for the organic in the aqueous stream to coalesce or ``stick`` to and collect. Additional organic will ``stick`` to the organic already on the plates to form larger droplets that will then break free and begin to float. These large organic droplets formed in the Matrix Tower are released from the packing to flow along with the aqueous moving upward through the packing.
Once the aqueous flow passes through the media packing it takes a reverse turn and flows down through the outer shell of the Matrix Tower. The lighter coalesced organic will continue in a upwardly direction and collect in the top of the tower. Here the concentrated organic is collected and automatically discharged from the tower for reuse in the plant, completing the filtration cycle.
Stable Trouble Free Operation
The Matrix Tower works well regardless of the level of incoming organic in the aqueous stream. Other filtration systems which rely on air flotation must be constantly adjusted to maintain satisfactory removal efficiencies. Air flotation of organic also causes potential personnel and environmental hazards by gassing off diluent into the air. By contrast, the Matrix Tower is a completely sealed filtration system. This safety measure assures the prevention of hydrocarbons escaping into the atmosphere.
