Recovery of nonferrous metals from scrap automobiles by magnetic fluid levitation.Ferrofluids are colloidal dispersions of subdomain magnetic solids in carrier liquids. In the presence of a non-homogeneous magnetic field, ferrofluids exert a pressure on immersed nonmagnetic objects in the opposite sense of the field gradient. This pressure force can, when opposite to gravity, levitate objects of higher density than the ferrofluid. This levitation technique can be used to separate solids according to density. Its application to the separation of nonferrous metals from shredded automobiles has been demonstrated on a prototype of a full-scale separator. Its use to recover nonferrous metals from municipal solid wastes also seems practical.
Document ID
19730057729
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mir, L.
Simard, C. (Avco Corp. Systems Div., Lowell Mass., United States)
Grana, D. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, Va., United States)