ACHIEVING RADIOMETRIC

RESULTS WITH GAUGES Dr Madeleine Stoll, Berthold Technologies GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, provides an overview of radiometric gauges in the potash industry, from potassium detection to density and bulk flow measurement. longside nitrogen and phosphorus, potassium is one of the three main macronutrients for plants. Long-term agricultural cultivation inevitably leads to a reduction of those nutrients in the soil, for which reason the use of potassium-based fertilizers is indispensable. In order to obtain the raw material, potassium-bearing salts are extracted from evaporite deposits, which are over...

Radiometric potassium analysers To measure the potassium concentration online, radiometric potassium analysers are specifically designed and manufactured for the potash industry. In nature, the element potassium is both stable – potassium isotopes K-39 and K-41 – and radioactive – represented by the radioisotope K-40. Stable potassium and K-40 are always present in a fixed ratio. K-40 makes up only about 0.01% of the total potassium. With the help of radiometric gauges, it is possible to make use of this constant ratio. By measuring the concentration of K-40, the total concentration of potassium...

with a NaI(Tl)-crystal or a polymer as scintillator material. NaI crystals are more sensitive at the same size, however, they are more expensive compared to polymer scintillators. Due to the long scintillator rod, rod detectors are only available in a polymer version. Both scintillator materials are long-term temperature stable between −20˚C and 60˚C. To protect the scintillator and the electronics at temperatures above 60˚C, the use of a water-cooling jacket is mandatory. Bulk flow measurements at conveyors For bulk flow measurements, a measuring frame is required, which is installed around...

salt is milled down to obtain monomineralic fragments as far as possible. Since the crude salt is a mixture of valuable potassium bearing salts, other salt types and further impurities, separation techniques need to be applied to remove undesirable admixtures and to concentrate the valuable salts. There are three different separation techniques used in the potash industry. One of the most common techniques is flotation. This method is based on the different binding capabilities of the substances in crude salt to chemical additives. Depending on the deployed chemical and the desired salt type,...