Patent ID: 9221061
Filing Date: 2015-12-29
Classification: B03C

Abstract:
1. An eddy current separation apparatus for separating particles from a particle stream, the eddy current separation apparatus comprising: a separator drum adapted to create out of the particle stream at least a first particle fraction moving from the separator drum along a first trajectory and a second particle fraction moving from the separator drum along a second trajectory; a feeding device upstream of the separator drum for supplying particles to said separator drum; a splitter element provided downstream of the separator drum for splitting the first particle fraction from the second particle fraction; and a sensor device arranged for detecting particles and arranged for at least one of counting the detected particles to determine a counted number of detected particles or detecting material properties of the detected particles from at least part of one of the particle fractions, wherein said splitter element is movably mounted to the eddy current separation apparatus such that at least one of a distance between the splitter element and the separator drum, an orientation of the splitter element with respect to the separator drum or a transporting velocity of the feeding device is adjustable in dependence of a signal from the sensor device based on at least one of the counted number of detected particles or the material properties of the detected particles, wherein the sensor device comprises a first sensor part, wherein the first sensor part is a transmitter part adapted to transmit beam shaped energy, and a second sensor part, wherein the second sensor part is a receiver part to measure at least one of reflection or attenuation when a particle is passing the energy beam, wherein the sensor device is arranged to count particles to determine a total counted number of particles passing said first and second sensor part, wherein the sensor device comprises a third sensor part configured to detect an electromagnetic response of the particles passing said third sensor part, wherein the sensor device is arranged to count metal particles to determine a counted number of metal particles passing said third sensor part, wherein the sensor device comprises a detection section configured to allow to pass a sample of the first particle fraction, wherein the sensor device is configured to calculate a metal grade of the first particle fraction based on the total counted number of the detected particles passing said first and second sensor part, the counted number of metal particles passing said third sensor part, and a given average particle mass ratio between non-metal and metal particles, wherein the eddy current separation apparatus is configured to adjust the position of the splitter element substantially continuously based on the signal from the sensor device.