Patent EA-001656-B1 (EA)
Title: Belt separator system having improved belt geometry
Inventor: CERULLO THOMAS
IPC: B03C7/08
Filed: 1998-01-14
Abstract: 1. A belt separator system for separating constituents of a mixture of particles, the belt separator system comprising: a first electrode (16) and a second electrode (12) arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline (25) and having an electric field provided between the first and second electrodes; a belt (30) permeable to the constituents of the mixture of particles, the belt conveying constituents of the mixture of particles, having like net influenceability to the electric field, in respective counter-current streams along a longitudinal direction between the first and second electrodes; and the belt (30) having a leading deflective surface (46) at a plurality of locations on the belt that contact the constituents of the mixture of particles and impart a momentum component to the constituents in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the belt separator system. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the leading deflective surface is made of a wear-resistant electrically non-conductive material. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the leading deflective surface is made of a material which includes polymerization products from at least one olefinic monomer. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the leading surface is made of a material which includes one or more polymerization products from the group consisting of fluoropolymers and polyamides. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein any point on each leading deflective surface forms an angle with respect to the direction of belt travel in a range from 10-60 degree . 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the angle is in a range from 15-45 degree . 7. The system of claim 1, wherein any point on each leading deflective surface forms an angle with respect to the direction of belt travel which is selected to reduce contact between counter-current belt segments (19), and (17). 8. The system of claim 1, wherein any point on each leading deflective surface forms an angle with respect to the direction of belt travel which is selected to accomplish one or more of: maximizing throughput of the belt separator system; maximizing the ability to separate a particular mixture of particles. 9. A method of separating a mixture of particles in a separation chamber having an elongated dimension, having a pair of opposing electrodes (50 and 52) between the surfaces of which an electric field is formed and the mixture of particles being conveyed in opposite directions between the opposing electrode surfaces and along the elongated dimension by a conveying member (30), wherein the mixture of particles is adapted to impart velocity components in a direction transverse to the movement of said an elongated dimension and toward the longitudinal centerline (25) between the opposing electrode surfaces and guide elements having a leading deflective surface (46) at a number of locations on the conveying member. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the conveying member is an endless belt of open grid construction. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein each leading deflective surface is disposed on the conveying member to be adjacent to one of the electrode surfaces and any point on each leading deflective surface forms an acute angle with respect to the adjacent electrode surface. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the perpendicular velocity component is directed away from the adjacent electrode surface. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the conveying member in the process of imparting a perpendicular velocity component to the mixture of particles, experiences a reaction force which causes the conveying member to impinge upon the adjacent electrode surface. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reaction force is sufficient to prevent contact between different segments of the conveying member moving in opposite directions between the opposing electrode surfaces. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the angle is in the range of 10-60 degree . 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the angle is in the range of 15-45 degree . 17. The method of claim 9, wherein the conveying member includes counter-current segments (17) and (19) traveling in opposite directions. 18. The method of claim 20, wherein the counter-current segments bow away from a longitudinal centerline (25) between the countercurrent segments of the conveying member.