Electrophoretic technique for varying the concentration of a colloidal solution

摘要

The processing speed and efficiency of separation of a first phase of a colloidal suspension by an electrophoretic technique is described. The medium to be concentrated is introduced into a funnel on the top of an enclosure whose bottom wall carries a first, vertically extending electrode, the solution flowing generally downwardly from the funnel along guide paths that are separately defined between the opposed walls of the first electrode and the peripheries of a pair of rotationally mounted drum electrodes situated on opposite sides of the first electrode. The first electrode is vibrated during the downward flow of the fluid while an electric field is applied across the separate guide paths, thereby efficiently separating the first phase of the solution. The remaining product adheres to the periphery of each of the rotating second and third electrodes, such product being removed therefrom by baffle plates supported in the tank and coupled to suitable discharge chutes. The baffle plates are positioned above a second pair of discharge chutes which are carried on the bottom wall of the tank for receiving the separated first phase at the bottom of the guide paths.