Electrostatic Separator Operation Guide: Technical Principles and Industrial Applications

Electrostatic separators leverage triboelectric charging to purify mixed materials without water or chemicals. This comprehensive technical guide details operational physics, system configurations, and maintenance protocols for industrial-grade separation systems achieving >98% purity in plastic and mineral recovery.

Core Operating Principles

Triboelectric Charging Mechanism

• Friction-Based Polarization:

  • Particles acquire charge through collisions in fluidized beds

  • Charge differential: 5-15 μC/g (microcoulombs/gram)

• Material Charge Affinity:

  Material	Charge Polarity
  ABS	Strong positive (+)
  PS	Negative (-)
  PVC	Neutral/weak negative

• Critical Parameters:

  • Humidity: <40% RH

  • Particle size: 0.3-20mm uniformity

Electrostatic Separation Process

1. Charging Stage: Material-fluidized bed contact

2. Deflection Phase: 20-40 kV fields deflect particles

3. Collection Zones: Precision separation at ±1° accuracy

System Configuration Specifications

Component Architecture

• Electrode System:

  • Plate/wire configurations (1.5-3.5 kV/cm fields)

  • Titanium nitride coating for corrosion resistance

• Material Handling:

  • Vibratory feeders with ±2% flow consistency

  • Stainless steel conveyors (ISO 2149 compliant)

• Control Interface:

  • Siemens PLC with 10″ HMI touchscreen

  • Real-time voltage adjustment (0.5kV increments)

Performance Parameters

Operational Procedures

Initial Setup Protocol

1. Material Preparation:

   • Shred to 2-10mm particles

   • Moisture control: <0.8%

2. System Calibration:

   • Electrode alignment: ±0.1mm tolerance

   • Voltage gradient verification

3. Test Run Sequence:

   • 30-minute low-load operation

   • Thermal monitoring (<65°C bearings)

Production Operation

• Parameter Optimization:

  Material	Voltage (kV)	Feed Rate
  ABS/PS Mix	28-32	2.5 t/h
  E-Waste Plastics	30-35	1.8 t/h
  Mineral Sands	35-40	3.2 t/h

• Quality Control:

  • NIR validation every 4 operating hours

  • Gravimetric analysis sampling

Maintenance Requirements

Preventive Schedule

Critical Troubleshooting

Safety Protocols

• Electrical Safety:

  • Lockout/tagout procedures (OSHA 1910.147)

  • 5m exclusion zone during operation

• Material Handling:

  • ATEX Zone 22 compliance for combustible dust

  • Static discharge prevention systems

• Emergency Procedures:

  • Automatic shutdown at 120°C

  • Fire suppression system activation

Industry Applications

E-Waste Recycling

• Separation Task: ABS from PC/ABS blends

• Configuration:

  • Hybrid LIBS detection

  • Brominated flame retardant sensors

• Output Quality: Metal content <50ppm

Automotive Shredder Residue

• Challenge: GF-reinforced PP separation

• Solution:

  • Oil-resistant charging chambers

  • Multi-stage recovery loops

Technical Glossary

• Triboelectric Series: Material charging hierarchy

• Dielectric Constant: Charge storage capacity (ABS: 2.7-3.2)

• Corona Discharge: Ionization method for particle charging

• Specific Charge Density: μC/g measurement