Hi-Cap TM

T hickener s
New Installation or Retrofit on Existing Tanks for Increased Capacity

Increased Thickener
Throughput in Less
Land Area
Dorr-Oliver Eimco Hi-Cap Thickeners Enhance Flocculation

The Dorr-Oliver Eimco Hi-CapTM Thickener design High underflow solids with less land area
optimizes feed flocculation. As a result, thickening
rate in many cases can be increased by several hundred
percent.

Operating Principle
A. Feed enters a deaeration system where entrained air
is removed. After deaeration, the feed flows through the
feedpipe to the mixing chamber.

B. Optimum flocculation is achieved in a specially

designed, baffled feedwell. Polymer is added at controlled
rated in each stage of the feedwell to allow thorough
dispersion of the flocculant into the feedstream and
promote progressive floccule growth. A mechanical
mixer is also available to further enhance flocculation
when required.

C. The flocculated slurry flows from the mixing chamber

into the tank, where rapid solids concentration occurs.
Flow from the mixing chamber contacts with previously
flocculated material to enhance settling. The compact design of Hi-Cap Thickeners allow for
installation even in confined spaces.
Effective process control is achieved by using a slurry
level detection device. This detection device is linked to
a controller which regulates the underflow pumping rate
and maintains a constant slurry blanket level. More
sophisticated control systems are available to control
functions such as flocculant dosage and underflow density.

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Applications

Dorr-Oliver Eimco Hi-Cap

Thickeners in a Southeast
Utah Uranium Processing
Plant.

3
Drive Mechanisms

The heart of any thickener mechanism is the drivehead. Typically, drives are required to work 24 hours a day to keep
settled solids moving from the tank. While some thickener manufacturers rely on sub-manufacture by other vendors
to produce various components of the rake drive assemblies for their mechanisms, our engineers design and manufacture
the entire drive mechanism from raw materials to final assembly. Quality control inspection is made throughout
manufacturing to assure compliance to our rigid specifications for every drive. Our rugged drives have features
specially designed to serve the heavy-duty, continuous operation demanded by sedimentation service.

Driveheads
Dorr-Oliver Eimco has extensive experience in gear design
and manufacture, combining technology with computerized
data analysis to produce a complete line of application-
engineered driveheads for HI-CAP THICKENERS. Torque
can be developed from 2,000 ft.-lbs. to 2,000,000 ft.-lbs.,
which will exceed most process requirements. Dorr-Oliver
Eimco maintains complete control over the quality, materials,
and manufacture of its driveheads. Superior quality, control
and design provide:
· Rated Output Torque
· Long Service Life
· Proper Support for the Mechanism and its operating
loads
· Reliable overload protection
· Optimum Rotation Speed for Service Requirements
· Allowance for Rake Life Capability

Worm Gear Drives

Dorr-Oliver Eimco worm gear drives have high quality
centrifugally cast bronze main gears and hardened steel worms
mounted on precision turnable bearings. The bearings and
worms run in an oil bath. When required, a lifting device can
be included with Dorr-Oliver Eimco worm gears.

4
Process Technology - The key to Efficient Operation

Dorr-Oliver Eimco has specialized in liquid-solids separation equipment and recognizes successful process performance
requires working with a complex technology involving many variables. To satisfy this need, the Dorr-Oliver Eimco
was started almost 50 years
ago and has developed the
process expertise that sets it
apart from other liquid-solids
equipment suppliers. Many
of the standards for testing
and design have been
established by our engineers.

Retrofit/Upgrading of
Existing Facilities
Often installations must by
expanded, modernized or
otherwise upgraded to remain
efficient. Usually, both space
and financing costs are at a
premium. One method of
minimizing these costs and
space requirements/restriction
is a retrofit existing
conventional thickeners to a
HI-CAP THICKENER
design. When you need to
upgrade or expand an
operation, check with your
local Dorr-Oliver Eimco office
for complete information on
our retrofit program.
EIMCO Drives Assure
Proper support for the mechanism and
operational loads
Optimum output torque
Maximum service life
Allowance for rake lift capability
Reliable overload protection
Predictable, long gear and bearing life

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Typical Installations

This HI-CAP Thickener handles copper

concentrate in South America.

Dorr-Oliver Eimco conventional

thickeners are available is sizes and
materials of construction to suit any
process requirements. This 150’
diameter unit has stainless steel wetted
components.

6
Typical Installations

The compact construction of HI-CAP

Thickeners and our Custom Engineering
Capabilities allows for unique machines with
special features to suit any need; such as this
elevated, covered mechanism in a chemical
plant.

This 10-meter (32.8’) diameter HI-CAP

Thickener clarifies acid minewater in Canada.

This 40-meter (131.2’)

diameter HI-CAP
Thickener with
Dorr-Oliver Eimco’s
700,000 ft. lb. drive
handles 29,000 TPD of
carbon in pulp feed at
a gold mine in the
remote mountains of
New Guinea.

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Dimension/Performance

Dorr-Oliver Eimco Hi-Cap

Thickeners are often selected
over conventional machines
because of the lower installed
cost and reduced space
requirements.

Two 30-foot diameter Dorr-Oliver

Eimco Hi-Cap Thickeners
installed as part of an 8-stage
uranium CCD (continuous
countercurrent decantation)
circuit in New Mexico

All ten of the units mentioned on this page

have performed at or above design levels as
noted in the table above.

One of eight 40-foot diameter Dorr-Oliver

Eimco Hi-Cap Thickeners installed in
Southern Utah

© Copyright 2006 GL&V. DOE K-073.

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