DEVICE FOR AND METHOD OF SEPARATING PARTICLES

摘要

A device (32) is provided for separating particles in a material (34), the particles having different conductivities. The device (32) comprises a feeder (36) for accommodating the material (34), the feeder (36) defining an outlet opening (38). Charging means (40) is located within the feeder (36) and proximate the opening (38) of the feeder (36), the charging means (40) being arranged to directly charge the particles. The device (32) further includes a rotatable drum (42) that is located adjacent the opening (38) of the feeder (36). In use, the charging means (40) is arranged to produce a cloud of similarly charged particles that leave the feeder (36) via the opening (38) and land on the drum (42) substantially as a monolayer, with conductive particles (48) subsequently losing their charge to the drum (42) and thus falling off, while the insulative/less conductive particles (50) remain charged and thus attracted to the surface of the drum (42) so as to be removed further on in the rotation of the drum (42).