Effect of the Effect of the water quality of the benefit process in the rheology of the ceramic kaolin suspensions quality of the benefit process in the rheology of the ceramic kaolin suspensions

Abstract

In the obtaining process of the kaolin by wet way, the influence that the quality of the water inthe rheological properties of the suspensions of ceramic kaolin was evaluated, for which benefittests of kaolin were carried out, using the same raw material and water of different sources andquality. The rheological properties of the kaolin suspensions were measured in terms of electrolytedemand -DE-, thickening, the Methylene Blue Index -IAM- and the rate of deformation. Theparameters of water quality evaluated were pH, conductivity, acidity, alkalinity, total hardness andfree chlorine. It was found that when alkalinity, the acidity and conductivity of the water used toobtain kaolin increases, also does the DE of the suspensions, however, despite observing a diferentbehavior between materials obtained from washing with water with few ions content and materialsobtained from washing with water with some more ions content, no specific relationship wasfound for thickening.