Alicja IDZIASZEK-GONZALEZ, Stefan WÓJTOWICZ

Electrotechnical Institute, Department of Measurement and Diagnostic Systems

Analysis of material separation process performed in wet drum

magnetic separators
Abstract. Magnetic separators are widely used in both research and industry. The progress that has been made in magnetic separation technique
resulted in some novel application as biotechnology and nanotechnology. The results of magnetic field modeling inside drum magnetic separators
have been shown. The magnetic field source is the permanent magnet assembly. The performed simulation is the first step in designing more
effective separating devices.

Streszczenie. Separatory magnetyczne znajdują powszechne zastosowanie zarówno w nauce jak i w przemyśle. Wieloletnie badania naukowe, a w
szczególności postęp jaki dokonał się w ciągu ostatnich kilkunastu lat zaowocowały wykorzystaniem separacji magnetycznej w takich nowoczesnych
dziedzinach jak biotechnologia czy nanotechnologia. W pracy zostały zaprezentowane wyniki symulacji numerycznych rozkładu pola
magnetycznego w separatorze typu bębnowego. (Analiza procesu separacji materiałów paramagnetycznych w magnetycznych separatorach
bębnowych).

Key words: magnetic separator, drum separator, magnetic field distribution.

Słowa kluczowe: separator magnetyczny, separator bębnowy, rozkład pola magnetycznego.

Introduction
During the past fifty years many improvements have (2) H ( r , )  U  n  1
14
been made in order to develop innovative magnetic 2 KR C1  2C1(     n ) cos( n )
2 n
separation technology [1, 2, 3, 4]. The progress has  
 2n
 2 cos( 2n )     
2n
resulted from advances in materials and understanding of
the nature of magnetic forces. The performed research
paved the way for applications of magnetic separation U 2 n 3
ranging from processing industrial minerals to F (r ,  )  m 
8K 2 R 3
biotechnology [5]. The Department of Measurement and
Diagnostic Systems inquiries the possibilities of  
 
development of new methods of simulation and designing
magnetic separators with neodymium magnets and
superconducting electromagnets.
 n

 2 sin 2n   C1    sin n 
n
 

 32 
 3 C1  2C1 (   ) cos(n )  
2 n n

Theory 
   
2n 2n
The physical principle at the basis of magnetic  2 cos(2n )      
separation is the existence of magnetic force acting on
particles with different susceptibilities. The externally where: H ( r , ) is the magnetic field strength; Fr ( r , )
applied field can select particles out of physically similar radial component of magnetic force; F ( r , ) azimuthal
mixture particles based on their magnetic characteristics.
The nonhomogeneous external magnetic field creates component of magnetic force;  m magnetic susceptibility of
magnetic force that is expressed by [6]: 7
the particle’s material;  0  4  10 H m , V particle’s
   3 
(1) F   m  0V ( H  ) H 0   m  0V H 0 H 0 volume;  relative permeability ; H 0 magnetic field
2
strength; U  difference in the magnetic potentials applied

Where: F is the magnetic force;  m the magnetic to the ends of unlike poles, K complete elliptic integral,
susceptibility of the particle’s material; k absolute value of the complete elliptic integral, a is an arc
length of the magnetic poles, m is the mass of the ball, 
 0  4  10 7 H m , V the volume of the magnetic
parameter,  is an arc length of an air gap; n is the number

particle;  relative permeability and H 0 is magnetic field of poles, R radius of the magnetic system,  polar angle,
strength.   R  r  / R 
There are several variables influencing the separation C1  2 cosa  /   a 
process in a wet drum magnetic separator: magnetic field
strength, its gradient, hydraulic capacity, percent solids, where r is the radial distance from the pole surface, and a
magnetic content etc. The crucial role play here magnetic size of an air gap.
field strength H0 and its gradient H 0 since they are two
Construction and operation principle
main elements contributing to magnetic force. Clearly, the A typical drum magnetic separator consists of stationary
homogeneous magnetic field cannot produce separating magnet set, rotating drum, tank, feed box, magnetics and
force since its gradient is zero. tailings discharge. The magnetic system plays here the
Drum magnetic separators are characterized by radial most important role. Its design influences the magnetic field
or axial pole disposition. The analytical expression for intensity and gradient. The axial type is characterized by
magnetic field strength in the radial magnet configuration sandwiching magnets between the poles to increase the
can be obtained by the method of conformal mappings [6]: magnetic depth beyond the drum shell.

PRZEGLĄD ELEKTROTECHNICZNY, ISSN 0033-2097, R. 89 NR 7/2013 265

 The magnets here are called interpole magnets. The solid of the feed directly affects the selectivity of the
other type, radial section, is characterized by large size separation. As the percent solids increases, the slurry
magnets to provide a very deep magnetic field in order to becomes more viscous minimizing the effects of the fluid
maximize the magnetic force. The schema of radial type drag to assist in the separation. Any given wet drum
section is presented in Fig. 1. The typical magnetic element magnetic separator has the capability of removing a limited
consists of a series of agitating magnet poles that span an amount of magnetics based on the diameter of the drum,
arc of 120 to 140°. peripheral speed, and the magnetic field strength.
Most drum separators employ novel class neodymium-
iron-boron (NdFeB) magnetic systems. Strong NdFeB
(a) (b
magnets develop an extremely high surface force to allow
)
the magnetic circuit to remove very fine or weekly magnetic
contamination. Such high strength separators are
extensively used by food, chemical and pharmaceutical
processors requiring the highest levels of product purity [4].

Fig.1. Multipole magnetic system of drum separator. Geometry of

the radial type separator (a). δ is an arc length of an air gap, a is an
arc length of the magnetic poles (b).

Fig.3. Mesh of the drum magnetic separator generated using

Comsol Multiphysics Program

Magnetic field distribution in wet drum separators

The computation of magnetic field distribution inside wet
drum separator has been performed using the Comsol
Multiphysics software with AC/DC module that uses finite
element method [7]. The geometry of the calculated model
was concurrent tank style permanent magnet separator.
The magnetic system consists of 12 alternating magnetic
Fig.2. Schematic illustration of wet drum magnetic separator tank. poles of magnetic flux density of 1T. Fig 3 shows a mesh
The magnetic element consists of a series of poles that span an arc
generated prior to simulation. Fig 4 illustrates an agitating
of 120°. The magnetic poles alternate from north to south in order
to produce an agitating effect to magnetics as they are conveyed. effect that is useful to transport magnetics along the drum.
The symmetry of magnetic scalar potential is apparent.
The other important element is rotating drum situated in Figure 5 shows the magnetic field line distribution around
a tank that receives the feed slurry which is the mixture the separator. The high symmetry is clearly visible.
some magnetic and nonmagnetic materials. The drum
encloses the magnetic system and is mounted in a tank.
The magnetic slurry is fed to the tank and then flows
through the magnetic field generated by the drum. The
magnetic particles are attracted to the drum shell by the
magnetic circuit and rotated out of the slurry stream. Next,
they discharge from the drum shell out of the magnetic field.
There are two common types of tank designs. In the first
type drum rotates in the same direction as the slurry flow in
the concurrent tank style (Fig. 2). The slurry flows into the
magnetic field generated by the drum. The magnetics are
attracted by the magnetic field, collected on the drum
surface, and rotated out of the slurry flow. In the other type -
counter–rotation wet drum tank style drum rotates against
the slurry flow. The slurry enters the feedbox and flows
directly into the magnetic field generated by the drum. In
comparison with the first type, the magnetic material is Figure.4. The distribution of magnetic scalar potential in wet rdum
conveyed the shorter path that results in high magnetics magnetic separator. The agitating effect of 12 alternating magnetic
recoveries. poles is apparent
In wet drum separator the magnetic force acting on
a magnetic particle is predominately opposed by The computed magnetic field distributions are the basis
hydrodynamic drag force. However, the drag force helps to for determining magnetic forces using expression (2) and
wash away the non-magnetic particles while the magnetic next particle’s trajectory in the separation zone. It is
particles are collected in the magnetic field. As the flowrate possible to find out the efficiency of calculated separator’s
increases, the slurry velocity and consequently the fluid geometry.
drag force increases which tends to detach more magnetic
particles from the opposing magnetic field. The percent

266 PRZEGLĄD ELEKTROTECHNICZNY, ISSN 0033-2097, R. 89 NR 7/2013

 The models under consideration are derived from practical
limitations of their application. Due to modeling tools there
is a possibility to optimize the specified parameters. The
optimized model is going to be used as the solution of
inverse problem that is determining of construction
parameters, a prerequisite for designing a highly efficient
magnetic separator.

REFERENCES
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[3] Svoboda, J., Fujita, T., Recent developments in magnetic
methods of material separation. Minerals Engineering 16 (9)
(2003), 785–792.
[4] Moeser, G.D., Roach, K.A., et al., High-gradient magnetic
separation of coated magnetic nanoparticles. A.I.Ch.E. Journal
50 (11) (2004), 2835–2848.
Figure.5. The distribution of magnetic field lines [5] Yavuz C. T, Prakash A., Mayo J. T., Colvin V., Magnetic
separations: From steel plants to biotechnology, Chemical
Conclusions Engineering Science 64 (2009) 2510-2521.
The paper presents the analysis of the drum magnetic [6] Smolkin M. R., Smolkin R. D., Calculation and Analysis of the
separators. The physical principle underlying separation is Magnetic Force Acting on a Particle in the Magnetic Field of
presented, that is magnetic force acting on magnetic Separator. Analysis of the Equations Used in the Magnetic
particles. The analytical expression for magnetic field Methods of Separations, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol.
42, No. 11 (2006).
strength and magnetic force produced by drum separator
[7] http://www.comsol.com/.
characterized by radial magnet arrangement. The results of
magnetic field modeling inside drum magnetic separators Autorzy: dr inż. Stefan Wójtowicz, E-mail: [email protected],
have been shown. The magnetic field source is the mgr Alicja Idziaszek-Gonzalez, E-mail: [email protected],
permanent magnet assembly. The performed simulation is Electrotechnical Institute, Department of Measurement and
the first step in designing more effective separating devices. Diagnostic Systems, ul. Pożaryskiego 28, 04-703 Warszawa.

PRZEGLĄD ELEKTROTECHNICZNY, ISSN 0033-2097, R. 89 NR 7/2013 267