Differential separation of particulates by combined electro-static and radio frequency means

Apparatus for selectively separating different homogeneous types of particulate dielectric materials from a random heterogeneous mixture of two or more of said homogeneous types of materials which comprises a materials carrier on which said heterogeneous mixture moves, means located near said materials carrier for impressing an electrostatic charge upon the moving mixture of particles to cause adherence thereof on said carrier, and means located near said materials carrier for subjecting said materials to a radio frequency electric field to cause differential heating of said materials, said different types of homogeneous materials while in motion each successfully losing their respective electrostatic charges differentially in a time relationship proportional to their respective combination dielectric constants and loss factors, and consequently losing their adherence to and falling off said carrier in separate successive intervals of time.

The method for selectively separating different homogeneous types of particulate dielectric materials from a random heterogeneous mixture of two or more of said homogeneous types of materials, which comprises placing a mass of said heterogeneous materials in motion on a materials carrier, subjecting said mass both to an electrostatic charge and to a radio frequency electric field thereby causing said materials to adhere to said moving carrier, said different types of homogeneous materials while in motion each successively losing their respective electrostatic charges differentially in a time relationship proportional in their respective combination dielectric constants and loss factors, and consequently losing their adherence to and falling off said carrier in separate successive intervals of time.

The method for selectively separating different homogeneous types of particulate materials from a random heterogeneous mixture of two or more of said homogeneous types of materials where each of said homogeneous types of materials has its own characteristic combination dielectric constant and loss factor, which comprises placing a mass of said heterogeneous materials in motion on a materials carrier and subjecting said moving mass both to an electrostatic charge and to a radio frequency electric field, said materials becoming electrostatically charged and differentially heated in said fields in accordance with their respective combination dielectric constants and loss factors, said materials losing their respective electrostatic charges differentially in different intervals of time proportional to their respective combined dielectric constants and loss factors and consequently falling off said carrier into separate successive receptacles.

The apparatus for selectively separating different homogeneous types of particulate materials from a random heterogeneous mixture of two or more of said homogeneous types of materials where each of said homogeneous types of materials has its own characteristic combination dielectric constant and loss factor, which comprises a materials carrier on which said heterogeneous mixture moves, means located near said materials carrier for generating and impressing an electrostatic charge upon the moving mixture of particles on said carrier, and means located near said materials carrier for subjecting said materials to a radio frequency electric field, said materials becoming electrostatically charged and differentially heated in said field in accordance with their respective combination dielectric constants and loss factors, said materials losing their respective electrostatic charges differentially in different intervals of time proportional to their respective combined dielectric constants and loss factors and consequently falling off said carrier to separate successive intervals of time.