Premises for the numerical computation of conducting particle trajectories in plate-type electrostatic separators

Increasing the controllability of particle trajectories is a crucial issue in the development of new industrial applications of plate-type electrostatic separators. The relative position of the electrodes and the applied high-voltage are the two factors that influence the magnitude of the electric force exerted on the particles composing a given granular mixture. The aim of the paper is to model the particle behaviour after lift-off from the plate electrode. A program based on the boundary element method was employed for the computation of the electric field in the active zone of the separator. This enabled the evaluation of the charge acquired by a conducting particle in contact with the plate electrode and the electric force exerted on it before and after detachment. An algorithm is proposed for the computation of particle trajectories for various electrode configurations, as a step towards complete feasibility studies concerning new industry applications of electrostatic sorting or classifying techniques.