Thickener
Thickeners, also known as sedimentation thickeners or slurry clarifiers, are core solid-liquid separation equipment widely applied in copper hydrometallurgy, mineral processing, coal washing, tailings disposal and industrial wastewater treatment. The equipment relies on gravity sedimentation to separate solid particles from liquid slurry, concentrating solids into high-density underflow while generating clear reusable overflow water for factory circulation. Our full-series thickener products cover conventional flexible tank thickeners, hydraulic center-driven thickeners and deep cone paste thickeners, to match diversified concentration demands from routine slurry clarification to high-viscosity paste discharge in mining projects.
Core Benefits: Deliver Tangible Value to Your Operations
Backed by proven technology and field validation, our thickeners reduce total cost of ownership, improve operational reliability and boost ROI for mining, aggregate, coal and environmental projects.
Maximize Resource Recovery & Water Reuse
With an overall material recovery rate up to 99% and higher underflow concentration, we help you fully recover valuable mineral resources. Meanwhile, large volumes of process water can be reclaimed, significantly reducing freshwater consumption and ideal for water-scarce regions and high-standard environmental projects.
Ultra-Low Flocculant Consumption Cuts Operating Costs
Flocculant consumption is only 100g per ton of dry ore, well below the industry average. Through optimized feed structure and flocculation hydrodynamics, we achieve high settling efficiency with minimal reagent usage. Customers can also source flocculants locally to further reduce logistics and total operating expenses.
Reliable & Easy to Maintain, Minimizing Downtime
Core structures are validated by mechanical simulation and field projects, adapting to complex working conditions. The modular design facilitates inspection and maintenance, paired with our responsive global service system, effectively reducing downtime and ensuring continuous production.
Technical Strength: Data-Driven Design, Field-Proven Performance
Dynamic Laboratory for Precision Process Customization
Equipped with a professional dynamic laboratory, we conduct comprehensive material tests on various ore samples to fully identify sedimentation characteristics and dewatering rheology. Based on test data, we deliver tailored solid-liquid separation process design, with accurately defined key indicators: treatment flow rate (Q value), solid flux, underflow concentration and yield stress, to guarantee performance.
High-Intensity Seismic-Resistant Design, Validated by Real Projects
With professional high-intensity seismic design capabilities, our thickeners are engineered for mining sites in high-seismic regions.
- Field Validation: Deployed at a Peruvian mining site with 9-degree seismic intensity (0.4g seismic acceleration), the equipment has operated continuously and stably for 2 years without failure after seismic events.
- Engineering Support: Within 3 working days upon request, we deliver a complete mechanical calculation package, accurately simulating all loads including slurry load, wind load, seismic force and dust load, with sufficient structural safety redundancy.
Innovative Flexible Tank Structure: Higher Strength, Lower Installation Risk
Adopting an industry-leading flexible tank design with 6mm and 8mm chassis steel plate options, the structure delivers superior performance over traditional heavy rigid tanks in strength, deformation resistance and construction efficiency.
Hydraulic Center-Drive System: Smooth Operation with Overload Protection
Hydraulic center-driven models feature a proven hydraulic drive system with high torque output and stable, low-noise operation. Equipped with real-time torque monitoring and automatic rake lifting protection, it effectively prevents rake bogging and is ideal for continuous operation in large-capacity, high-concentration applications.
Full Product Portfolio: Tailored Solutions for Diverse Applications
1. Flexible Tank High-Rate Thickener
Core Positioning: Highly reliable lightweight thickening equipment innovatively designed based on funicular theory
- Structural Design: Features a shell-shaped flexible tank bottom plate designed by funicular theory, paired with radial beam structure. The structural strength is several times that of traditional rigid tanks, greatly improving overall reliability.
- Installation Advantages: All components are pre-assembled and test-fitted in the factory, significantly reducing on-site adjustment and installation workload. This not only maximizes on-site installation quality, but also greatly lowers operational risks during field construction.
- Applications: Aggregate processing, coal washing, conventional ore dressing, industrial wastewater treatment and other medium-concentration, large-capacity scenarios, especially suitable for projects with limited site conditions and fast commissioning requirements.
- Key Advantages: High structural strength, low construction cost, short installation cycle, low foundation requirements, fast project launch.
2. Hydraulic Center-Driven High-Efficiency Thickener
Core Positioning: New-generation high-efficiency thickener with center drive and automatic rake lifting function
- Structural Design: Adopts a dual-barrel feed structure: an inner distribution barrel and an outer feed barrel, which optimizes slurry distribution and flocculation mixing efficiency to enhance settling and separation performance.
- Applications: Widely used for dewatering of concentrate and tailings slurry in wet beneficiation operations, as well as thickening and purification of solid-containing slurry in coal, chemical, building materials and wastewater treatment industries.
- Key Advantages: Strong torque output from hydraulic drive, equipped with automatic rake lifting overload protection system, stable and reliable operation, excellent anti-bogging performance, suitable for continuous production with large capacity and large load fluctuations.
3. High-Efficiency Deep Cone Paste Thickener
Core Positioning: Next-generation high-capacity solid-liquid separation equipment designed for high-density paste discharge
- Performance Features: Specially designed for fine and ultra-fine particle materials, with far higher production capacity than traditional equipment. Its treatment capacity is 5~10 times higher than conventional thickeners; underflow concentration can reach approximately 70% in paste form; overflow water quality meets environmental discharge standards.
- Intelligent Operation: Supports fully intelligent operation, requiring no manual attendance under normal working conditions, with a high degree of automation.
- Applications: Tailings dry stacking, paste backfill, high-density concentrate thickening, deep sludge dewatering and other scenarios requiring high underflow density.
- Key Advantages: Low investment cost, small footprint, high separation efficiency, significantly improved underflow concentration and overflow water quality, with remarkable comprehensive benefits.
Product Selection Guide
| Product Type | Core Structure | Underflow Concentration | Treatment Capacity | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flexible Tank High-Rate Thickener | Shell-shaped flexible bottom + radial beams | Medium density | Large capacity | Coal washing, aggregate, general wastewater, low-density tailings |
| Hydraulic Center-Driven Thickener | Hydraulic center drive + dual-barrel feed + auto rake lift | Medium-high density | Large capacity, wide load adaptability | Large concentrators, metallurgy, high-load tailings treatment |
| Deep Cone Paste Thickener | Large height-diameter ratio deep cone structure | High density (~70%), paste form | 5~10 times of conventional thickeners | Tailings dry stacking, paste backfill, high-density concentrate thickening |
Advantages Over Leading International Brands
With equivalent performance, we deliver better cost efficiency and more responsive service support.
| Comparison Dimension | Leading International Brands | Our Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement Cost | 3-4 times higher price, heavy upfront capital investment | Only 1/3 to 1/4 of imported price with equivalent performance, outstanding ROI |
| Technical Access | Closed core technology; extra licensing fees for retrofits and expansion | Fully open technology; no barriers for future upgrades, retrofits or capacity expansion |
| After-Sales Response | Long response cycle from overseas HQ, prolonged on-site wait, high downtime loss | Responsive global service network, fast on-site support, minimized downtime |
| Delivery Lead Time | Long delivery cycle, delayed project commissioning | Short lead time, accelerating project launch and earlier revenue generation |
| Customization | Standardized products; high cost and long lead time for special working condition customization | Full customization available for seismic, foundation and material-specific requirements |
Industries & Materials
- Industries Served: Mineral processing, metallurgy, coal, aggregate, chemical industry, environmental wastewater treatment, tailings management, building materials, etc.
- Treatable Materials: Tailings slurry, concentrate slurry, coal washing wastewater, aggregate processing wastewater, chemical slurry, sewage sludge and various other solid-liquid separation materials.
Full-Process Global Services: End-to-End Support from Selection to Operation
- Material Testing & Process Design: Free sedimentation tests with accurate process parameters and selection recommendations
- Customized Engineering: Tailored design based on capacity, material properties, site conditions and seismic requirements
- Fast Solution Delivery: Complete mechanical calculation and selection proposal within 3 working days
- Installation & Commissioning: On-site guidance by professional technicians for smooth startup
- Global After-Sales Maintenance: Full lifecycle technical support, rapid fault response, regular inspection services
- Open Technical Support: Fully independent core technology, no extra licensing fees for future upgrades
Project Validation & Capabilities
- Overseas Proven Case: Stable operation for 2 years under 9-degree seismic intensity at a high-seismic mining site in Peru
- R&D & Testing: Professional dynamic laboratory for full-range material sedimentation, rheology tests and process design
- Global Coverage: Products exported to multiple countries and regions, serving numerous industrial and mining clients
FAQ
Q: How do I choose the right thickener for my application?
A: Selection depends on material particle size, feed concentration, target underflow density, treatment capacity and site conditions. We can accurately match the optimal model through material testing. Contact our technical team for free selection recommendations.
Q: What are the advantages of a flexible tank over a traditional rigid tank?
A: Our flexible tank is designed based on funicular theory, with a shell-shaped bottom plate and radial beam structure, delivering several times the strength of traditional rigid tanks. All components are pre-assembled in the factory, reducing on-site workload, ensuring more controllable installation quality, lowering construction risks, and achieving lower comprehensive construction cost.
Q: What is the function of the dual-barrel feed structure in the hydraulic center-driven thickener?
A: The dual-barrel design with inner distribution barrel and outer feed barrel optimizes slurry distribution in the tank, enables more uniform mixing of slurry and flocculant, improves settling and separation efficiency, and reduces disturbance to the settling bed to ensure stable overflow water quality.
Q: What is the actual capacity and underflow concentration of the deep cone paste thickener?
A: For fine and ultra-fine particle materials, its treatment capacity is 5~10 times higher than conventional thickeners. Underflow concentration can reach approximately 70% in paste form, which can be directly used for tailings dry stacking and paste backfill. Overflow water quality meets environmental discharge standards.
Q: Can the equipment adapt to high-seismic mining sites?
A: Yes. We have professional high-intensity seismic design capabilities with a proven case of 9-degree seismic intensity (0.4g acceleration) in Peru. We can perform special mechanical calculations based on project seismic parameters to ensure structural safety.
Q: What is the typical delivery lead time?
A: Standard models have much shorter lead times than imported brands. Exact delivery time depends on equipment specifications and customization requirements. Please contact our sales team for an accurate schedule.