PARTICLE SORTING METHOD

摘要

Particulate material is sorted according to the thermal properties of the particles. The particles (24,25) to be sorted are initially all cooled to a temperature below the freezing point of a liquid. The cooled particles are then placed on a surface (14) and contacted with the liquid. This has the result that the liquid freezes in the localities of the particles to adhere them to the surface. Heat is then to the particles and those particles (24) with higher thermal diffusivity gain heat more rapidly than other particles (25) and are released first from the surface. Finally, particles (24) which have been released from the surface and those particles (25) which have not been released from the surface after a certain time lapse are collected separetely.