Dry Magnetic Induction Chamber for Coarse Particle Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing magnetic separation technologies require finely crushed mineral ores, leading to over-grinding and increased energy costs, as well as the need for wet slurry handling or dry airflow systems, which are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic separation apparatus and method that uses a treatment chamber with moveable magnetic sources and surface elements to induce magnetism in dry particulate feed material, allowing for effective classification and separation without the need for fine crushing, using a dry separation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If magnetic separation is performed on finely crushed mineral ores, then separation efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases due to over-grinding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary magnetic induction to coarse particulate feed material before separation. By inducing magnetism in the magnetic sources as they pass over the particulate material, the system prepares the magnetic field necessary for separation in advance, allowing effective separation of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic minerals from non-magnetic gangue without requiring fine crushing of the entire feed stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates localized magnetic field zones between opposing magnetic sources that are moveably displaceable along the treatment chamber. This localized magnetic induction field allows selective magnetization and separation of magnetic minerals at specific locations within the treatment chamber, enabling efficient separation without the need to process the entire feed stream at fine sizes.
2Measurement precision
If conventional magnetic separation equipment is used, then separation of magnetic minerals is achieved, but the requirement for wet slurry handling or dry airflow systems increases operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for wet slurry handling systems or dry airflow classification systems by using a dry magnetic separation process. The magnetic sources are moveably displaceable within a treatment chamber to create localized magnetic induction fields that directly separate magnetic minerals from non-magnetic gangue in dry particulate form, removing the intermediary wet or airflow handling steps required by conventional equipment.
3Device complexity
If magnetic sources are stationary, then apparatus complexity is reduced, but separation effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the magnetic sources moveably displaceable along the treatment chamber rather than stationary. This dynamic configuration allows the magnetic sources to create moving localized magnetic induction fields that can effectively process particulate material as it moves through the chamber, improving separation effectiveness while maintaining relatively simple apparatus structure through the use of moveable support elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus achieves efficient separation of valuable ferromagnetic and paramagnetic materials from diamagnetic contaminants using a coarse particulate feed, reducing energy consumption and operational costs by minimizing the need for over-grinding and wet processing.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of spaced-apart magnetic sources located adjacent to, and moveably displaceable along the length of both an upper and a lower side region of the treatment chamber, such that, during said movement, a respective magnetic source from each of the upper and lower side regions forms a pair of magnetic sources which are aligned in opposing relation to one another, and laterally spatially positioned apart with respect to one another, in use each of said pairs of magnetic sources generating a localised magnetic induction field zone
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is disclosed for inducing magnetism in a flowstream of at least partially magnetisable, dry particulate feed material, in order to effect a subsequent particle classification. The dry separation stage is located proximal to the magnetic induction apparatus, in the form of a treatment chamber 10 with a plurality of spaced-apart magnets 16, 18 located adjacent to, and moveably displaceable along the length of both an upper and a lower side region of the treatment chamber 10, to generate a localised magnetic induction field zone. Conveyer belts 22, 24 carrying the dry particles move across each of the outer faces of the magnets 16, 18 on both sides of the chamber 10, but at differential relative velocities to each other, creating a region of air-particle fluidisation and agitation within the treatment chamber 10 and then a physical separation of the particulate feed material can occur based upon their susceptibility to magnetic induction.