Réalisation d’un séparateur électrostatique de particules par l’utilisation d’un disque rotatif alimenté par des tensions polyphasées

Abstract

Electrostatic separation techniques used actuator have emerged as an effective solution for the sorting of granular materials by exploiting differences in their electrical properties. These technics typically employ rotating or linear actuators combined with high-voltage electrodes to create non-uniform electric fields, enabling selective control over particle behaviour. The generated electro-adhesion force allows conductive particles to be attracted and retained on charged surfaces, while insulating particles can be removed through mechanical or pneumatic means. The objective of this work is to develop a new electrostatic separation device using a rotating disk to separate millimetre-sized plastic and metal particles. It will be evaluated experimentally. The actuator is powered by a high-voltage polyphase supply, producing a non-uniform electric field that induces electro-adhesion forces on conductive particles, while plastic particles are extracted by a vacuum blower system placed above the disk. Two different configurations of actuator disks were created and evaluated. The first type of actuator is a single-sided rotating disk-shaped, which is made from a single-layer printed circuit board (PCB) and has two helical concentric electrodes on its top surface. The second type of actuator is a double-sided rotating disk-shaped made from a double-layer PCB and has a helical electrode on its top side and a plan circular electrode on its bottom side. The study was conducted in two stages: the study of the electro-adhesion force than the examination of the separation performance of the metal/plastic combination. Each actuator was investigated separately using different high-voltage supplies. Important operating parameters such as applied voltage level, frequency, signal wave- form, air suction flow rate, vibrator feeding rate, disk rotation speed, and ambient humidity were all thoroughly examined for their effects. The high recovery and purity rates of the separation were validated by the results. Importantly, this device was insensitive to ambient humidity, in contrast to traditional electrostatic separation techniques, confirming its dependability for industrial applications in changeable settings.