Kinetic study of dry magnetic separation based on Gauss-Maxwell magnetic stress tensor: A 3D finite element method (FEM)

Abstract

In this paper, two artificial magnetic particles (1#, 2#) with known magnetic parameters were taken as the objects, a finite element model based on Gauss’s law was established for the calculation of the transient Maxwell magnetic stress tensor on the surfaces of particles and kinetic study, a high-speed camera was used to obtain the motion behaviors of magnetic particles in comparison with the simulation. According to the results of multiple simulation-experiment comparisons, the motion behaviors of magnetic particles in the finite element simulation were consistent with experimental phenomena under the identical conditions, indicated that the accuracy of the model is reliable. In the comparison of two kinds of magnetic force calculations, the magnetic force FM based on the Gaussian formula had a similar tendency to FD based on the kinetic calculations, and since the FM was obtained by converting the surface tension of particles, it more accurately reflected the overall magnetic force and magnetic torque acting on the particles. Kinetic analysis showed that the magnetic force acting on a particle was strictly dependent on its magnetization, dynamic and non-uniform magnetization caused the magnetic particle to be subjected to magnetic force and magnetic torque in the non-uniform magnetic field, resulting in displacements and flips. In addition, compared to the particle release attitude, the influence of the distribution of magnetic substance and the particle’s release position on the displacement was particularly significant. The 3D finite element model established for dry magnetic separation can be further used for the study of dynamic, non-uniform magnetization and the force of magnetic particle or grain groups, which is of certain significance for the kinetic study of magnetic separation and improving research of magnetic separation equipment.