Tension mechanism for belt-type triboelectric separator devices

A belt separator system comprising:

• a first electrode and a second electrode arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline and configured to provide an electric field between the first and second electrodes;
• a first set of rollers disposed at a first end of the system;
• a second set of rollers disposed at a second end of the system;
• a continuous belt disposed between the first and second electrodes and supported by the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers;
• a separation zone defined by and between the continuous belt;
• and
• a tensioning mechanism to tension the continuous belt, the tensioning mechanism including
• a tension roller configured to apply tension to the continuous belt,
• a pair of rotating disks coupled to the tension roller at respective ends of the tension roller, the pair of rotating disks being configured to move the tension roller to apply tension to the continuous belt, and
• a rotating shaft assembly coupled to the pair of rotating disks, the rotating shaft assembly including an inner shaft coupled to an outer shaft, the inner shaft being rotated with an actuator, the outer shaft being sized to receive the inner shaft therein and is coupled to the pair of rotating disks, the rotating shaft assembly being configured so both rotating disks of the pair of rotating disks experience approximately the same angular deflection relative to the outer end of the inner shaft when each disk exerts equal amount of torque on the rotating shaft assembly against the opposing torque exerted by an actuator on the inner shaft.

A method of separating a particle mixture within a belt separator system, the method comprising:

• introducing the particle mixture to a feed port of the belt separator system, the system comprising:
• a first electrode and a second electrode arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline and configured to provide an electric field between the first and second electrodes,
• a first set of rollers disposed at a first end of the system,
• a second set of rollers disposed at a second end of the system,
• a continuous belt disposed between the first and second electrodes and supported by the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers,
• a separation zone defined by and between the continuous belt, and
• a tensioning mechanism to tension the continuous belt, the tensioning mechanism including
• a tension roller configured to apply tension to the continuous belt,
• a pair of rotating disks coupled to the tension roller at respective ends of the tension roller, the pair of rotating disks being configured to move the tension roller to apply tension to the continuous belt, and
• a rotating shaft assembly coupled to the pair of rotating disks, the rotating shaft assembly including an inner shaft coupled to an outer shaft, the inner shaft being rotated with an actuator, the outer shaft being sized to receive the inner shaft therein and is coupled to the pair of rotating disks, the rotating shaft assembly being configured so both rotating disks of the pair of rotating disks experience approximately the same angular deflection relative to the outer end of the inner shaft when each disk exerts equal amount of torque on the rotating shaft assembly against the opposing torque exerted by an actuator on the inner shaft;
• providing a separation influence to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;
• separating different components of the particle mixture in the direction of the separation influence according to their relative influenceability to the separation influence;
• mechanically moving the different components of the particle mixture transversely to the separation influence;
• and
• removing the separated components from said separation chamber.