Abstract: A magnetic separator, in particular a drum separator, includes a magnetic system having a plurality of magnets. Each of the magnets produces an open field directed toward a separation zone which, in a drum separator, extends axially of the drum outside of the surface of the drum. The magnets may include conductive coils, preferably superconducting coils, which are traversed in the same direction by current and which include an iron-free core. The average center-to-center spacing of the coils is a maximum of 25 times the spacing between the coils and the separating zone and is preferably in the range of 15:1 to 10:1. The coils are elliptical and have major and minor axes which decrease from the outermost coil winding to the innermost coil winding, with the distances between the windings being greater along the major axes than along the minor axes.This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 843,737, filed Oct. 19, 1977, now abandoned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for cleaning magnetic material attracted to a ferromagnetic matrix within a separating chamber of a magnetic separator. The magnetic material retained by the matrix is cleaned in a high pressure cleaning stage in which both a liquid medium and a gaseous medium are provided under pressure to clean the magnetic material. As the gaseous medium passes through the matrix, it does so with a pressure drop which is substantially lower than that of the liquid passing through the matrix. Consequently, as the gaseous medium expands, it transfers a portion of its kinetic energy to the liquid which provides improved and more rapid cleaning effects than known rinsing steps.

Abstract: A high intensity magnetic field separator for the wet preparation of magnetizable particles of solids receives a charging material having a carrier medium with the particles therein through an arrangement of ferromagnetic bodies, organized as a matrix, in the area of a magnetic field. A hollow body of magnetically inert material is rotatably mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and carries a ferromagnetic body on its outer side and rotates in close proximity about at least one magnetic system which fixedly mounted within the interior of the rotating body. The hollow body is at least approximately rotationally symmetrical and is preferably a cylinder, but may take the shape of a truncated cone or a polygon. The magnetic system comprises an arrangement of superconducting coils in a cryostat which has refrigeration conduits extending down through the open of the hollow body and downwardly through the base of the machine which mounts the hollow body.

Abstract: A high intensity magnetic separator conveys particles of solids suspended in a carrier medium through a magnetic field between ferromagnetic bodies and has a rotor constructed of ferromagnetic material. The rotor rotates about an approximately vertical axis and has an arrangement of containers on the outer side which holds the ferromagnetic bodies. At least one magnetic system is fixed outside of the rotor and a portion of the rotor is included in the magnetic field between the poles of the magnetic system so that the field extends through the arrangement of containers. The rotor is constructed as a hollow body and the poles of different polarity are arranged together in alignment with one another in the magnetic system.