Wills' Mineral Processing Technology, 8th Edition

Figure 12.32 (a) Introduction of tracer as an impulse (concentration is based on volume of reactor.), and measurement in the discharge stream over time, and (b) the two extreme outcomes, plug flow and fully (or perfectly) mixed flow.

A tracer test is most readily performed on the liquid; for example, adding a salt (usually NaCl) and monitoring the conductivity on the discharge, or introducing a colored dye and monitoring the discharge using spectroscopy. Guidelines are given by Nesset (1988). Particle mixing can be determined by introducing a different type of particle to those in the flotation feed but of similar size and density; or, better, ...