Method And Device For Separating Materials According To Their Density

Abstract

The separation of materials according to their density is carried out in a fluid bath by floating ground light materials and carrying same over an overflow, as well as depositing ground heavier materials on a horizontal sieve base within the fluid bath. In order to improve the floating of the lighter materials, a displacement body is cyclically sunk into the fluid bath. The fluid bath is supplied with additional fluid in a synchronous manner with the cyclical movement of the displacement body. A control device for supplying the fluid can also be connected to pressure sensors or the drive of the displacement body.

Claims

1. A method for separating mixtures of ground materials according to their density in a fluid bath with at least one sieve floor, on which heavier parts of the inserted mixtures sit, and a device to create a cyclical change of pressure in the fluid bath, so characterized in that during an increase in pressure a predetermined amount of additional fluid is inserted into the fluid bath.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of additional fluid is determined according to the composition of the mixture to be separated.

3. A device for separating mixtures of ground materials according to their density in a fluid bath with at least one sieve floor, on which heavier parts of the inserted mixture sit and with a displacement body, which is dipped cyclically into the fluid bath, so characterized in that a control device is provided, which during dipping of the displacement body introduces a predetermined amount of additional fluid into the fluid bath via a supply pipe.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined amount of additional fluid is determined by the composition of the mixture to be separated.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein pressure sensors are provided in the fluid bath under the sieve floor, which deliver control signals to the control device.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein a formative device in each case indicates the separated parts of material for manual fine control of the additional fluid.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the control device introduces fluid when the displacement body is lifted in an amount that corresponds to the volume of fluid that is taken up by the displacement body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The fluid container (setting box) 1 contains a fluid bath 2 (preferentially water) and is filled up to an overflow 6 that carries away floating materials. At about half the height of the fluid in the setting box 1 there is arranged at least a horizontally movable sieve floor 4.

[0023] In the fluid bath, an amount of various materials (with various densities) is added. Material of lower density floats in the fluid bath up to the surface and is carried off by the overflow 6. Heavier materials sink to the sieve floor 4 and there form a layer of sediment, which is carried off periodically by a horizontal back and forth movement of the sieve floor 4 through an opening 5, which can be formed as a crack in the wall of the fluid container 1. In this way there is a systematic separation of materials of various densities.

[0024] To accelerate the separation, a displacement body 3 can be provided in the fluid bath 2, which cyclically dips into the fluid bath 2 and creates an exactly defined change in pressure, which is empirically determined according to the material to be separated and increases the buoyancy of lighter materials.

[0025] A pressure sensor 11 in the area below the sieve floor 4 measures the pressure in the fluid bath and supplies to it control elements 8 of a control and regulation device 9 for the insertion of additional fluid.

[0026] When the displacement device 3 is lifted in the fluid bath 2, suction (and thereby a drop in pressure) arises that must be prevented, so that material that is not already floating should not be sucked back onto the sieve floor 4. In order to prevent such suction in the fluid bath 2, a controlled supply pipe for additional fluid 7 is connected to the setting box under the sieve floor 4.

[0027] The control of the fluid insertion occurs synchronously with the movement of the displacement body 3.

[0028] When the displacement body 3 is dipped into the fluid bath 2, the amount of additional fluid depending on the material mixture to be separated is so controlled that not only light materials can be separated, which float beforehand, but also heavy materials and even heavier materials can be separated, which without the controlled insertion of additional fluid would both be set on the sieve floor.

[0029] The controlled insertion of fluid when the displacement body is dipped—which leads to stronger screening (or greater changes in pressure) in the fluid bath than through the dipping of the displacement body alone—allows the invention to have a flexible and rapid adjustment of the separating action on the particular heterogeneous mixture material that is present of light, heavy, and heavier materials.

[0030] When the displacement body 3 is lifted out of the fluid bath 2, additional fluid is brought into the fluid bath 2 under pressure, so that no suction (drop in pressure) occurs in the fluid bath 2; to this end, the amount of the additional fluid is set according to the volume of fluid released by the lifting.

[0031] A connection to the control device 9 can exist between the displacement body 3 and its drive gear, which controls the additional amount of fluid according to time, pressure, and amount, alone or working together with the pressure sensors.

[0032] Sensors 10 can also be arranged in the area above the sieve floor 4, which deliver control signals for the insertion of additional fluid.

[0033] The material that is taken out by the overflow 6 and the material given off from the sieve via the opening 5 in each case are imaged by a video camera and displayed by a display device (monitor). The service staff can thereby perform a manual fine control of the input of additional fluid and thereby intentionally affect the separation work of the device, depending on the observed current results of the separation.

[0034] In the method and device that are described, additional fluid is inserted into the fluid bath continuously and controlled, both when inserting the displacement body and when lifting it out. Thereby a movement is created in the fluid bath that can be set at the material mixture that is to be separated and that allows a targeted and defined separation between light, heavier, and heavy material components. In particular in this way floating pieces of material are no longer brought in the direction of the sieve floor.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

[0035] 1 Fluid container [0036] 2 Fluid bath [0037] 3 Displacement body [0038] 4 Sieve floor [0039] 5 Opening for carrying off the heavy material [0040] 6 Overflow for carrying off the light material [0041] 7 Supply pipe for additional fluid [0042] 8 Control elements for inserting additional fluid [0043] 9 Control device for pressure, amount, and time of inserting additional fluid [0044] 10 Sensors [0045] 11 Sensors under the sieve floor for setting the pressure in the fluid container 1