Integral to process plant design is identification of the slurry system operating window that allows increased throughput and recovery while safely decreasing capital and operating costs. For any system involving thickening, filtration or paste production, understanding the material rheological and dewatering characteristics is prerequisite to identifying this window and optimal, reliable and safe operation. 

An understanding of slurry and paste rheology or fluid flow, dewatering including thickening and filtration and surface chemistry/rheology interrelationships is fundamental to process system design, optimal operation and risk management. 

Investment into an integrated understanding of slurry, dewatering and cake property fundamentals is often insufficient to mitigate against the risk of under or over design and poor operating performance. 

The course will focus on identifying what information is required, how to interpret measured data and how to apply to new system design and existing operations. 

Attendees will learn about slurry physical and chemical properties, how flow and dewatering properties or rheology are measured and how to meaningfully interpret rheological data for viscosity, yield stress, time dependence and dewatering information. The course will outline how to apply rheology, dewatering and surface chemistry knowledge to pipeline transport, and thickening and filtration equipment selection and optimal control and operation.