Magnetic Separators

What is a magnetic separator?

A magnetic separator is a machine that pulls ferrous metal out of a moving stream of material. The metal is usually tramp iron: bolts, reinforcing bar, liner plates, bucket teeth and lost tools. The separator is fitted on or around a conveyor, chute or pipeline so the iron is removed before it reaches a crusher, a mill, a shredder or the finished product.

In a sugar mill that means protecting the cane knives and fibrizer. In a cement plant it protects the crusher and the vertical mill. On a recycling line it is how steel is recovered for sale.

Types of magnetic separators we manufacture

Overband magnetic separators

An overband magnetic separator hangs above the conveyor, either across the belt or in line over the head pulley. A cleaning belt runs around the magnet and throws the captured iron clear, so the conveyor never stops for cleaning. We build it as an overband electro magnet separator, with a field of up to 9000 Gauss for deep burdens and heavy tramp iron, and as an overband permanent magnet separator, which needs no power for the magnet. Both cover belt widths from 650 to 2000 mm.

Suspension magnets

A suspension magnet works on the same principle without the cleaning belt. It is a stationary magnet hung over a conveyor or chute and cleaned by hand at intervals, which suits a line where tramp iron is occasional rather than constant. The range is the permanent suspension magnet, the electro suspension magnet for a stronger, adjustable field, and the dry suspension magnet for powders and granules.

Magnetic drum separators

A magnetic drum separator is a rotating shell around a fixed magnet. Material is fed onto the drum, the non-magnetic fraction falls straight off, and the iron is carried round and released behind a divider. Separation is continuous and the drum cleans itself. We manufacture the electro magnetic drum separator, the permanent magnetic drum separator and a drum magnetic separator supplied in either form, in drum diameters from 400 to 1200 mm.

Magnetic pulleys and chute separators

A magnetic pulley replaces the head pulley of the conveyor, so iron is held to the belt and dropped behind the discharge point with no separate unit to install. A chute magnetic separator is fitted inside a gravity chute and catches iron at the transfer point between two stages.

Eddy current separators, metal detectors and lifting magnets

A magnet cannot hold aluminium or copper. An eddy current separator throws those non-ferrous metals out of the stream with a high-speed magnetic rotor. A metal separator (metal detector) senses ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel and rejects it automatically. A lifting magnet is the crane-mounted electromagnet used to move scrap, billets and plate.

How to choose a magnetic separator

Five things decide which magnetic separator fits a line:

• Belt width. The magnet has to cover the full width of the material, not only the middle of the belt.
• Burden depth. Iron buried at the bottom of a deep bed needs a stronger field than iron lying on top. This sets the suspension height and the field strength.
• Size of the tramp iron. A fine nail and a length of rebar need different magnet designs.
• How much iron arrives. Occasional tramp iron suits a manually cleaned suspension magnet. Constant iron needs a self-cleaning overband or a drum.
• The material itself. Belt speed, moisture, temperature and whether the product is a dry powder or a coarse rock all change the choice.

Electro or permanent magnetic separator?

An electro magnetic separator uses a powered coil. It reaches a higher field, works at a greater suspension height, and can be switched off to drop the iron. It needs a power supply and a control panel.

A permanent magnetic separator uses ferrite or neodymium magnets. It needs no power for the magnet, cannot fail in a power cut and costs nothing to run, but its field is fixed and its reach is shorter. As a rule, a shallow burden on a narrow belt suits a permanent magnet, and a deep burden or heavy tramp iron suits an electro magnet.

Magnetic separator price in Pakistan

There is no single list price for a magnetic separator. The price depends on the belt width, the field strength, whether the magnet is electro or permanent, and whether the unit is self-cleaning. Send us the belt width, the material and the burden depth, and we will return an indicative specification and price as soon as possible. Request a quote.