Charges and forces on conductive particles in roll-type corona-electrostatic separators

The authors proposed the use of a numerical method of field analysis to evaluate more accurately the charges and forces on man-size conductive particles of virtually any shape in contact with an electrode. A charge simulation program was tested for this purpose, and provided the input data to an algorithm for the computation of particle trajectories. The results were in good agreement with observations made on a laboratory electroseparator. The effect of space charge on the behavior of conductive particles was studied with a three-electrode system (a grounded grid between a corona electrode and a metallic plate energized by two high-voltage supplies of opposite polarities). The accuracy of numerical simulations of electroseparation processes is expected to increase when a mathematical model of particle motion in DC corona fields will be incorporated in the existing computer programs