Effect of variations of entrained air in mineral slurries on the precision of on- stream analysis using radioisotope x-ray techniques.

Abstract

Variations in entrained air in mineral slurries cause errors in on-stream X-ray analysis for element concentration in the slurry solids. Complete elimination of entrained air may not always be practicable, particularly for radioisotope X-ray techniques where probes are immersed directly into existing plant slurry vessels through which the whole process stream flows. Calculations of the effect of entrained air on precision of analysis show that X-ray preferential absorption techniques are usually much more affected than X-ray fluorescence techniques. Calculations agree reasonably well with results of plant trials of on-stream analysis. Errors in analysis using radioisotope immersion probes should in most cases be within limits acceptable for plant control.