Beltless rare earth roll magnetic separator system and method

A system for separating particles of varying degrees of magnetism comprising:

• a substantially nonmagnetic, generally cylindrical, elongated shell having a pair of opposing open ends, an inner surface, and an outer surface;
• means for directing particles to be separated onto said outer surface of said shell;
• a magnet assembly substantially contained within said shell for magnetically separating said particles directed onto said outer surface of said shell, said magnet assembly including:
• at least one rotatable, elongated magnetic roll having a generally cylindrical body with an outer surface and a pair of generally cylindrical shafts of smaller diameter than said body, each said shaft extending longitudinally from a respective opposing end of said body;
• a pair of opposing mounting plates for each magnetic roll, each said mounting plate having a hole therethrough and an attached magnetic roll bearing with an axially aligned open center such that a proximal end of said shaft of said magnetic roll is received through said open center and said hole;
• and
• a supporting means for supporting said mounting plates, said supporting means including a contacting means for movably contacting said inner surface of said shell with said outer surface of said body of said magnetic roll and for adjusting pressure of contact therebetween;
• a pair of substantially cylindrical end plates, each fitted adjacent to said shell at a respective said opposing open end of said shell for closing said opposing open ends of said shell so as to substantially prevent contaminates from contacting a portion of said magnet assembly within said shell;
• a positioning means for adjustably positioning a line or area of contact between said inner surface of said shell and said outer surface of said body of said magnetic roll of said magnet assembly;
• a pair of access doors, each said access door movably attached to a respective said end plate for gaining access to interior of said shell;
• and
• a drive means for inducing rotational movement of said shell.

A method of separating feedstock having magnetic particles and nonmagnetic particles using a beltless magnetic separator with an elongated, cylindrical, rotating, enclosed shell and at least one rotating, cylindrical magnetic roll disposed within the shell and movably contacting an inner surface of the shell comprising the steps of:

• A) positioning a line or area of contact between the inner surface of the shell and the magnetic roll;
• B) adjusting the contact pressure between the magnetic roll and the inner surface of the shell;
• C) rotating the shell and the magnetic roll in the same direction without slippage therebetween;
• D) directing the feedstock towards the outer surface of the shell at a plurality of selected spaced positions to create at least two resultant streams of processed feedstock from the shell;
• and
• E) collecting the two resultant streams of the processed feedstock.