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US3887457A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Magnetic separation method

Assignee: MAGNETIC ENG ASS Inc
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Filing: 1973-05-21
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1993-05-21
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Abstract

Abstract A method of separating more-magnetic particles from lessmagnetic particles contained in a fluid medium submitted to a ferromagnetic matrix having a multiplicity of collection sites subject to an applied magnetic field of a predetermined intensity including: providing an applied magnetic field of predetermined field intensity in the matrix to induce high magnetic field gradients at the collection sites and to induce magnetic dipole moments in the more-magnetic particles to adhere the moremagnetic particles having induced magnetic dipole moments to the collection sites having high magnetic field gradients, some of the less-magnetic particles being entrapped between two or more more-magnetic particles or between one or more more-magnetic particles and a collection site; and periodically decreasing the intensity of the magnetic field below the predetermined intensity to reduce the induced high magnetic gradients at the collection sites, and to reduce the induced magnetic dipole moments in the more-magnetic particles below the level required for the moremagnetic particles to adhere to each other and to the collection sites to free entrapped less-magnetic particles, and then increasing the intensity of the magnetic field, at a rate of at least one cycle of the magnetic field per matrix transit period.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter G Marston
  • 👤 Ionel Wechsler
  • 👤 John J Nolan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 04:06
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03C; B03C1/00; B03C1/02; B03C1/025; B03C1/031; B03C1/033; B03C1/0335; B03C1/027; B03C1/032; B03C1/034; B03C2201/00; B03C2201/18

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 239 words
An improved method of separating more-magnetic particles from less-magnetic particles contained in a fluid medium which reduces mechanical entrapment of less-magnetic particles by more-magnetic particles comprising: submitting a fluid medium containing both more-magnetic particles and less-magnetic particles to a ferromagnetic matrix having a multiplicity of collection sites; and simultaneously subjecting the more-magnetic particles and the less-magnetic particles, as they move through said matrix, to a time varying magnetic field whose intensity in said matrix varies, from a predetermined intensity sufficient to induce a high magnetic field gradients at sAid collection sites and to induce magnetic dipole moments in the more-magnetic particles to adhere the more-magnetic particles having induced magnetic dipole moments to said collection sites having high magnetic field gradients, some of the less-magnetic particles being entrapped between two or more more-magnetic particles or between one or more more-magnetic particles and a said collection site, to a lower intensity sufficient to reduce the high magnetic field gradients induced at said collection sites and reduce the induced magnetic dipole moment in said moremagnetic particles below the level required for said moremagnetic particles to adhere to each other and to said collection sites to free entrapped less-magnetic particles; said time varying magnetic field reaching said predetermined intensity at a collection site more than once and decreasing below that predetermined intensity at least once during each matrix transit period during which more-magnetic and lessmagnetic particles are simultaneously being fed to said matrix.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 239 words
An improved method of separating more-magnetic particles from less-magnetic particles contained in a fluid medium which reduces mechanical entrapment of less-magnetic particles by more-magnetic particles comprising: submitting a fluid medium containing both more-magnetic particles and less-magnetic particles to a ferromagnetic matrix having a multiplicity of collection sites; and simultaneously subjecting the more-magnetic particles and the less-magnetic particles, as they move through said matrix, to a time varying magnetic field whose intensity in said matrix varies, from a predetermined intensity sufficient to induce a high magnetic field gradients at sAid collection sites and to induce magnetic dipole moments in the more-magnetic particles to adhere the more-magnetic particles having induced magnetic dipole moments to said collection sites having high magnetic field gradients, some of the less-magnetic particles being entrapped between two or more more-magnetic particles or between one or more more-magnetic particles and a said collection site, to a lower intensity sufficient to reduce the high magnetic field gradients induced at said collection sites and reduce the induced magnetic dipole moment in said moremagnetic particles below the level required for said moremagnetic particles to adhere to each other and to said collection sites to free entrapped less-magnetic particles; said time varying magnetic field reaching said predetermined intensity at a collection site more than once and decreasing below that predetermined intensity at least once during each matrix transit period during which more-magnetic and lessmagnetic particles are simultaneously being fed to said matrix.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 239 words
An improved method of separating more-magnetic particles from less-magnetic particles contained in a fluid medium which reduces mechanical entrapment of less-magnetic particles by more-magnetic particles comprising: submitting a fluid medium containing both more-magnetic particles and less-magnetic particles to a ferromagnetic matrix having a multiplicity of collection sites; and simultaneously subjecting the more-magnetic particles and the less-magnetic particles, as they move through said matrix, to a time varying magnetic field whose intensity in said matrix varies, from a predetermined intensity sufficient to induce a high magnetic field gradients at sAid collection sites and to induce magnetic dipole moments in the more-magnetic particles to adhere the more-magnetic particles having induced magnetic dipole moments to said collection sites having high magnetic field gradients, some of the less-magnetic particles being entrapped between two or more more-magnetic particles or between one or more more-magnetic particles and a said collection site, to a lower intensity sufficient to reduce the high magnetic field gradients induced at said collection sites and reduce the induced magnetic dipole moment in said more-magnetic particles below the level required for said more-magnetic particles to adhere to each other and to said collection sites to free entrapped less-magnetic particles; said time varying magnetic field reaching said predetermined intensity at a collection site more than once and decreasing below that predetermined intensity at least once during each matrix transit period during which more-magnetic and less-magnetic particles are simultaneously being fed to said matrix.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 239 words
An improved method of separating more-magnetic particles from less-magnetic particles contained in a fluid medium which reduces mechanical entrapment of less-magnetic particles by more-magnetic particles comprising: submitting a fluid medium containing both more-magnetic particles and less-magnetic particles to a ferromagnetic matrix having a multiplicity of collection sites; and simultaneously subjecting the more-magnetic particles and the less-magnetic particles, as they move through said matrix, to a time varying magnetic field whose intensity in said matrix varies, from a predetermined intensity sufficient to induce a high magnetic field gradients at sAid collection sites and to induce magnetic dipole moments in the more-magnetic particles to adhere the more-magnetic particles having induced magnetic dipole moments to said collection sites having high magnetic field gradients, some of the less-magnetic particles being entrapped between two or more more-magnetic particles or between one or more more-magnetic particles and a said collection site, to a lower intensity sufficient to reduce the high magnetic field gradients induced at said collection sites and reduce the induced magnetic dipole moment in said more-magnetic particles below the level required for said more-magnetic particles to adhere to each other and to said collection sites to free entrapped less-magnetic particles; said time varying magnetic field reaching said predetermined intensity at a collection site more than once and decreasing below that predetermined intensity at least once during each matrix transit period during which more-magnetic and less-magnetic particles are simultaneously being fed to said matrix.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 in which said applied magnetic field is periodic and stationary.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 2 in which said applied magnetic field periodically reverses polarity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1 in which said slurry to undergo separation includes an iron ore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 4 in which the more-magnetic particles include magnetite and the less-magnetic particles include silica.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1417189A Cited
US1564732A Cited
US1605117A Cited
US3279602A Cited
US3294237A Cited
US3375925A Cited
US3552564A Cited
US3627678A Cited
US3676337A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-06-02 1978-12-02 1979-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-06-02 1982-12-02 1983-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-06-02 1986-12-02 1987-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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