Understanding the Effect of Stepwise Irrigation on Liquid Holdup and Hysteresis Behavior of Unsaturated Ore Heap

Liquid is a crucial medium to contain soluble oxygen, valuable metal ions, and bacteria in unsaturated heap leaching. Liquid retention behavior is the first critical issue to be considered to efficiently extract low-grade minerals or wastes. In this study, the residual liquid holdup of an unsaturated packed bed was quantitatively discussed by liquid holdup (θ), residual liquid holdup (θresidual), relative liquid holdup (θ’), and relative porosity (n*) using the designed measuring device. The detailed liquid holdup and the hysteresis behavior under stepwise irrigation are indicated and discussed herein. The results show that relative porosity of the packed bed was negatively related to particle size, and intra-particle porosity was more developed in the −4.0 + 2.0 mm packed bed. The higher liquid retention of the unsaturated packed bed could be obtained by using stepwise irrigation (incrementally improved from 0.001 to 0.1 mm/s) instead of uniform irrigation (0.1 mm/s). It could be explained in that some of the immobile liquid could not flow out of the unsaturated packed bed, and this historical irrigation could have accelerated formation of flow paths. The θ was sensitive to superficial flow rate (or irrigation rate) in that it obviously increased if a higher superficial flow rate (u) was introduced, however, the θresidual was commonly affected by n* and θ’. Moreover, the liquid hysteresis easily performed under stepwise irrigation condition, where θ and θresidual were larger at u of the decreasing flow rate stage (DFRS) instead of u of the increasing flow rate stage (IFRS). These findings effectively quantify the liquid retention and the hysteresis behavior of ore heap, and the stepwise irrigation provides potential possibility to adjust liquid retention conditions.