Separating constituents of a mixture of particles

Process for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles passing through an electric field established between electrodes and without requiring gravitational or pneumatic conveyance, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging particle of each specie by surface contact,
• (b) transporting particles of like net polarities in two strems each of opposite net polarity running near each other between said electrodes transversely to said electric field,
• (c) separating charged particles of each specie in the electric field established between electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, substantially exclusively according to their respective polarities, by motion in the direction of said field, and
• said streams being in communication parallel to said electric field, so as to transfer particles of at least one of said species to the other of said respective streams by virtue of continued particle contact and field separation of charged particles as said streams progress transversely to said electric field, wherein said two streams run in opposite directions.

Process for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles passing through an electric field established between electrodes and without requiring gravitational or pneumatic conveyance, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging particles of each specie by surface contact,
• (b) mechanically transporting particles of like net polarities in two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other between said electrodes both said streams moving transversely to said electric field, and
• (c) separating charged particles of each specie in the electric field established between electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, substantially exclusively according to their respective polarities, by motion of charged particles in the direction of said field,
• said streams being in communication parallel to said electric field, so as to transfer particles of at least one of said species to the other of said respective streams by virtue of continued particle contact and field separation of charged particles as said streams progress transversely to said electric field,
• providing a spatially-separated sequence of alternating substantially field-free-particle-charging zones and particles-separating electric fields, and
• passing said streams sequentially through said zones and fields so as to alternately charge particles of said mixture and separate said species one from the other, for increasing the concentration of at least one of said species as said streams progress through said zones and fields.

Process for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles passing through an electric field established between electrodes and without requiring gravitational or pneumatic conveyance, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an electric field established between two differentially-polarized electrodes spaced not more than about 10mm apart,
• (b) mechanically passing a stream of said particles transversely to and through said field between said electrodes under conditions creating intense particle-to-particle and particle-to-electrode contacts so as to charge the surfaces of said particles triboelectrically,
• (c) electrostatically transferring particles from said stream with said field according to their respective electric-charge potentials so as form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity, said streams running near each other between said electrodes transversely to said electric field, and
• (d) collecting from said two streams respective groups of particles of each net polarity.

Process for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles passing through an electric field establishing between electrodes, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an electric field established between two differentially-polarized electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart,
• (b) mechanically passing a stream of said particles to and through said field between said electrodes under conditions creating intense particle-to-particle and particle-to-electrode contact so as to charge the surfaces of said particles electrically,
• (c) transferring particles from said stream with said field according to their respective electric-charge potentials so as form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity, said streams running near each other between said electrodes transversely to said electric field, and
• (d) collecting from said two streams respective groups of particles of each net polarity,
• wherein the direction of the field is substantially horizontal.

Apparatus for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles comprising:

• a pair of electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, means to polarize said electrodes differentially so as to establish an electric field between said electrodes, means to introduce said mixture into the space between said electrodes, mechanical means simultaneously to agitate said particles in said space so as to bring about intense collisions between said particles and between some of said particles and said electrodes, whereby to place on surfaces of said particles electrical charges resulting from said collisions, to physically transport said particles in at least one stream running in a path transversely to the direction of said field between said electrodes, and with said field to deflect charged particles from said stream in accordance with the electric charge-receiving potentials of the respective species so as to form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other, and means to accumulate particles of each net polarity apart from particles of the other net polarity, said electrodes extending to define between them an elongated space for said path, said mechanical means including particle agitating means movable between said electrodes in the direction of said path for establishing said stream and for simultaneously agitating said particles as they progress in said path so as to electrically charge the surfaces of said particles substantially continually.

Apparatus for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles comprising:

• a pair of electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, means to polarize said electrodes differentially so as to establish an electric field between said electrodes, means to introduce said mixture into the space between said electrodes, means simultaneously to agitate said particles in said space so as to bring about intense collisions between said particles and between some of said particles and said electrodes, whereby to place on surfaces of said particles electrical charges resulting from said collisions, and to sweep said particles in at least one stream running in a path transversely to the direction of said field between said electrodes, and with said field to defleot charged particles from said stream in accordance with the electric charge-receiving potentials of the respective species so as to form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other, and means to accumulate particles of each net polarity apart from particles of the other net polarity wherein said electrodes extend to define between them an elongated space for said path and including particle agitating means movable between said electrodes in the direction of said path for establishing said stream and for simulatneously agitating said particles as they progress in said path so as to electrically charge the surfaces of said particles substantially continually, wherein said particle-agitating means is an effectively dielectric member extending between said electrodes substantially throughout said elongated space, and including means to move said member through said space substantially parallel to said path wherein said agitating means is an endless belt of foraminous material and including roll means adjacent two ends of said elongated space to support two lengths of said belt between said electrodes in said space, and means to turn said rolls so as to move said lengths parallel to each other in respective opposite directions whereby to move said two streams of particles of opposite net polarity in opposite directions through said elongated space.

Apparatus for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles comprising:

• a pair of electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, means to polarize said electrodes differentially so as to establish an eIectric field between said electrodes, means to introduce said mixture into the space between said electrodes, means simultaneously to agitate said particles in said space so as to bring about intense collisions between said particles and between some of said particles and said electrodes, whereby to place on surfaces of said particles electrical charges resulting from said collisions, and to sweep said particles in at least one stream running in a path transversely to the direction of said field between said electrodes, and with said field to deflect charged particles from said stream in accordance with the electric charge-receiving potentials of the respective species so as to form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other, and means to accumulate particles of each net polarity apart from particles of the other net polarity wherein said electrodes extend to define between them a space for said path and including particle agitating means movable between said electrodes for establishing said stream and for simultaneously agitating said particles as they progress in said path so as to electrically charge the surfaces of said particles substantially continually, wherein said particle-agitating means is an effectively dielectric member extending between said electrodes substantially throughout said space, and including means to move said member through said space wherein said electrodes are substantially circular and said agitating means is an effectively dielectric disk located between said electrodes, said disk having apertures through it, a substantially centrally-located aperture through one of said electrodes for supplying said mixture of particles into the space between said electrodes, and means to rotate said disk on an axis that is substantially perpendicular to said electrodes, for mechanically agitating particles of said mixture in the space between said electroddes and simultaneously moving said particles in paths having a radially-outward component of motion.

Apparatus for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles comprising:

• a plurality of electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, means to polarize said electrodes differentially so as to establish an electric field between said electrodes, means to introduce said mixture into the space between said electrodes, means simultaneously to agitate said particles in said space so as to bring about intense collisions between said particles and between some of said particles and said electrodes, whereby to place on surfaces of said particles electrical charges resulting from said collisions, and to sweep said particles in at least one stream running in a path transversely to the direction of said field between said electrodes, and with said field to deflect charged particles from said stream in accordance with the electric charge-receiving potentials of the respective species so as to form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other, and means to accumulate particles of each net polarity apart from particles of the other net polarity wherein said electrodes extend to define between them a space for said path and including particle agitating means movable between said electrodes for establishing said stream and for simultaneously agitating said particles as they progress in said path so as to electrically charge the surfaces of said particles substantially continually, wherein said particle-agitating means is an effectively dielectric member extending between said electrodes substantially throughout said space, and including means to move said member through said space including a hollow tube that is free to rotate on ts longitudinal axis, at least two of said particle-agitating means fixed to the exterior of said tube in axially-spaced relation, an annular array of apertures through the wall of said tube located between said two particle-agitating means, at least three electrode means located one between said two particle-agitating means and one on the opposite side of each of said particle-agitating means, so as to provide at least two inter-electrode spaces each with one of said particle-agitating means in it, means to mount said electrode means separately from said tube, whereby rotation of said tube on its axis will move each of said particle-agitating means through the inter-electrode space between the two electrode means confronting said particle-agitating means, means to introduce said mixture into said tube and via said array of apertures into said inter-electrode spaces, and means to polarize said electrodes with voltages increasing progressively from one outer electrode to the other so as to establish a substantially constant electric field, both in sign and in magnitude, between each pair of successive electrodes.

Apparatus for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles comprising:

• a pair of electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, means to polarize said electrodes differentially so as to establish an electric field between said electrodes, means to introduce said mixture into the space between said electrodes, mechanical means simultaneously to agitate said particles in said space so as to bring about intense collisions between said particles and between some of said particles and said electrodes, whereby to place on surfaces of said particles electrical charges resulting from said collisions, to physically transport said particles in at least one stream running in a path transversely to the direction of said field between said electrodes, and with said field to deflect charged particles from said stream in accordance with the electric charge-receiving potentials of the respective species so as to form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other, and means to accumulate particles of each net polarity apart from particles of the other net polarity,
• wherein each of said electrodes is provided by a portion of an endless belt of electrically-conductive material, there being at least two such belts each supported on a pair of rollers on axes relatively fixed to present said portions to form said electrodes, and means to rotate ast least one roller of each belt so that said electrodes are continually replaced.

Apparatus for separating different species of the material consitutuents of a mixture of particles comprising:

• a pair of electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart, means to polarize said electrodes differentially so as to establish an electric field between said electrodes, means to introduce said mixture into the space between said electrodes, mechanical means simultaneously to agitate said particles in said space so as to bring about intense colisions between said particles and between some of said particles and said electrodes, whereby to place on surfaces of said particles electrical charges resulting from said collisions, to physically transport said particles in at least one stream running in a path transversely to the direction of said field between said electrodes, and with said field to deflect charged particles from said stream in accordance with the electric charge-receiving potentials of the respective species so as to form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity running near each other, and means to accumulate particles of each net polarity apart from particles of the other net polarity,
• wherein said electrodes have defined therebetween a spatially-separated sequence of a plurality of alternating substantially field-free particle-charging zones and a plurality of particle-separating electric fields, said mechanical means passing a stream of said mixture sequentially through said zones and fields transversely to said electric fields so as to alternately charge particles of said mixture within said particle-charging zone and then separate said species one from the other within said particle-separating electric field and in accordance with the respective charge-receiving potentials of said materials.

Process for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles passing through an electric field established between electrodes, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an electric field established between two differentially-polarized electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart,
• (b) mechanically passing a stream of said particles transversely to and through said field said electrodes under conditions creating intense particle-to-particle and particle-to-electrode contact so as to charge the surface of said particles electrically,
• (c) transferring particles from said stream with said field according to their respective electric-charge potentials so as form substantially two streams each of opposite net polarity, said streams running near each other between said electrodes transversely to said electric field, and
• (d) collecting from said two streams respective groups of particles of each net polarity,
• wherein the two streams run in opposite directions.

Process for separating different species of the material constituents of a mixture of particles passing through an electric field established between electrodes, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an electric field established between two differentially-polarized electrodes spaced not more than about 10 mm apart,
• (b) mechanically passing a stream of said particles transversely to and through said field between said electrodes under conditions creating intense particle-to-particle and particle-to-electrode contact so as to charge the surfaces of said particles electrically,
• (c) transferring particles from said stream with said field according to their respective electric-charge potentials so as form substantially two streams each of oposite net polarity, said streams running near each other between said electrodes transversely to said electric field, and
• (d) collecting from said two streams respective groups of particles of each net polarity,
• wherein the stpe of passing a stream includes mechanically cleaning the electrodes simultaneously with moving the stream.

A method of separating different components of a mixture of material in a separation chamber comprising the steps of:

• a. admitting said material into the separation chamber, said separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• b. impressing a separation infunece toward at least one of said confronting surface of said separation chamber;
• c. separating said different components in the direction of said separation influence according to their relative influencability to said separation influences;
• d. mechanically moving components of like net influencability in streams each of unlike net influencability near each other transversely to said separation influence, said streams being in communication parallel to said separation influence, so as to transfer a portion of at least one of said components to another of said respective streams by virtue of the continued action of said separation influence as said streams progress transversely to said separation influence;
• e. removing separated streams from said separation chamber,
• wherein said streams are mechanically moved in opposite directions.

A method of separating different components of a mixture of material in a separation chamber comprising the steps of:

• a. admitting said material into the separation chamber, said separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• b. impressing a separation influence toward at least one of said confronting surfaces of said separation cahmber;
• c. separating said different components in the direction of said separation influence according to their relative influencability to said separation influence;
• d. mechanically moving components of like net influencability in streams each of unlike net influencability near each other transversely to said separation influence, said streams being in communication parallel to said separation infIuence, so as to transfer a portion of at least one of said components to another of said respective streams by virtue of the continued actions of said separation influence as said streams progress transversely to said separation influence;
• e. removing separated streams from said separation chamber,
• wherein said separation influence is impressed in a spatially periodic manner.

A method of separating different components of a mixture of material in a separation chamber comprising the steps of:

• a. admitting said material into the separation chamber, said separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• b. impressing a separation influence toward at least one of said confronting surfaces of said separation chamber;
• c. separating said different components in the direction of said separation influences according to their relative influencability to said separation influence;
• d. mechanically moving components of like net influencability in streams each of unlike net influencability near each other transversely to said separation influence, aid streams being in communication parallel to said separation influence, so as to transfer a portion of at least one of said components to another of said respective streams by virtue of the continued saction of said separation influence as said stream progress transversely to said separation infleunce;
• e. removing separated streams from said separation chamber,
• wherein the step of admitting includes providing more than one feed material admission opening in the separation chamber.

A method of separating different components of a mixture of material in a separation chamber comprising the steps of:

• a. admitting said material into the separation chamber, said separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• b. impressing a separation influence toward at least one of said confronting surfaces of said separation chamber;
• c. separating said different components in the direction of said separation influence according to their relative influencability to said separation influence;
• d. mechanically moving components of like net infuencability in streams each of unlike net influencability near each other transversely to said separation influence said streams being in communication parallel to said separation inflluence, so as to transfer a portion of at least one of said components to another of said respective streams by virtue of the continued action of said separation influence as said streams progress transversely to said separation influence;
• e. removing separated streams from said separation chamber,
• wherein the step of mechanically moving components includes generating regions of shear within the separation chamber.

A method as of separating different components of a mixture of material in a separation chamber comprising the steps of:

• a. admitting said material into the separation chamber, said separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• b. impressing a separation influence toward at least one of said confronting surface of said separation chamber;
• c. separating said different components in the direction of said separation influence according to their relative influencability to said separation influence;
• d. mechanically moving components of like net influencability in streams each of unlike net influencability near each other transveresly to said separation influence, said streams being in communication parallel to said separation influence, so as to transfer a portion of at least one of said components to another of said respective streams by virtue of the continued action of said separation influence as said streams progress transversely to said separation influence;
• e. removing separated streams from said separation cahmber,
• wherein the step of mechanically moving components includes generating regions with different levels of shear within said separation chamber.

Appparatus for separating different components of a mixture of material comprising:

• a separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• means to apply a separation influences across the smaller dimension of the separation chamber toward one of said confronting surfaces;
• means to mechanically transport material in streams running transversely to said separation influence, and with said separation inflence deflecting influencable components from said streams in accordance with their influencability;
• and
• means to remove separated components from said separation chamber,
• wherein said mechanical transport means comprises an endless belt of foraminous construction.

Apparatus for separating different components of a mixture of material comprising:

• a separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• means to apply a separation influence across, the smaller dimensions of the separation chamber toward one of said confronting surfaces;
• means to mechanically transport material in streams running transversely to said separation influence, and with said separation influence deflecting influencable components from said streams in accordance with their influencability;
• and
• means to remove separated components from said separation chamber,
• wherein said mechanical transport means and said confronting surfces are provided by imperforagte endless transport belts.

Apparatus for separating different components of a mixture of material comprising:

• a separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• means to apply a separation influence across the smaller dimension of the separation chamber toward one of said confronting surfaces;
• means to mechanically transport material to introduce a material mixture into said separation chamber in streams running transversely to said separation influence, and with said separation influence deflecting influencable components from said streams in accordance with their influencability;
• and
• means to remove separated components from said separation chamber,
• wherein more than one means to introduce a material mixture into said separation chamber is provided.

Apparatus for separating different components of a mixture of material comprising:

• a separation chamber having means defining confronting surfaces spaced more closely than the respective lengths of said confronting surfaces;
• means to apply a separation influence across the smaller dimension of the separation chamber toward one of said confronting surfaces;
• means to mechanically transport material in streams running transversely to said separation influence, and with said separation infleunce deflecting influencable components from said streams in accordance with their influencability;
• and
• means to remove separated components from said separation chamber,
• wherein a barrier is interposed between said streams.