Electrostatic separation

ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION is defined as "the selective sorting of solid species by means of utilizing forces acting on charged or polarized bodies in an electric field. Separation is effected by adjusting the electric and coacting forces, such as gravity or centrifugal force, and the different trajectories at some predetermined time. Separations made in air are called Electrostatic Separation. Separations made using a corona discharge device, are called High Tension Separations. Separations made in liquids are termed separation by Dielectrophesis, and if motion is due to polarization effects in nonuniform electric fields. Electrophoresis is when separations are made if motion is due to a free charge on the species in an electric field. There are no industrial applications of mineral concentrations by electrophoresis of dielectrophesis." An electrostatic separator is a device for separating particles by mass in a low energy charged beam.It works on the principle of corona discharge, where two plates are placed close together and high voltage is applied. this high voltage is used to separate the ionized particles. Usually these are used in power plants where the harmful gases coming out of the chimneys are first treated using electrostatic separator. here the two electrodes are oppositely charged, with a negative electrode the positive ions gets attracted and thus results in a reddish flame whereas the positive electrode is used to treat the negatively charged ions resulting in a bluish white flame that is visible at nights. Electrostatic separation is important in the production of minerals, also in the reclamation of other valuable materials, as well as the cleaning of some food products. When every effort is being made by Process Engineers to make use of all concentrating equipment available for the recovery of critical minerals and reclaimed materials, the subject of applied electrostatic separation is of interest. Principal: All electrostatic separator systems consist of majorly four components: (i) a charging-discharging mechanism;(ii) an external electric field; (iii) a nonelectrical particle trajectory device; and (iv) feed and product collection system. Classification: Depending primarily on the charging mechanism involved this separator classified into three catagories: (i) free fall separators; (ii) high tension separators; and (iii) conduction separators.

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