Patent ID: 7478727

Claim:
A continuous process for separating hot particles according to their magnetic properties comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a thin bed of hot particles including a plurality of factions of particles having different magnetic properties onto a moving surface spaced closely above a stationary magnetic assembly including a plurality of permanent magnets producing a magnetic flux density capable of producing a coercive force on the factions of particles; (b) controlling the temperature of the bed of hot particles to enable selective separation of different factions of particles based upon the temperature of the particles in the plurality of factions; (c) the feeding step including the step of passing the bed of hot particles through the magnetic flux for separating factions of particles from the other factions of particles, wherein the moving surface travels in a downward path with the particles of respective factions falling from the moving surface at different locations depending on the magnetic attractive strength of each particle to cling to the surface; (d) allowing the falling particles to be separated by means of one or more splitters positioned selectively to divide factions of particles of less magnetic strength from those of greater magnetic strength; and (e) maintaining the temperature of the magnets substantially below the Curie point of the magnets by passing a contained cooling liquid between the magnetic assembly and the moving surface.