WASTE-IN-EUROPEEDDY CURRENTS

SEPARATOR

Eddy currents are an electrical phenomenon that occurs when a conductor goes through a variable magnetic field.

This relative movement causes a circulation of electrons, or induced current within the conductor.

For a practical demonstration of eddy currents we can use cylindrical magnets dropped vertically in tubes of copper or aluminum.

One can observe that the force which opposes the weight is proportional to the speed of the magnet. In the tube appears an induced current or eddy current, which opposes the increase of flow in the direction indicated in this figure.

Eddy currents separator

The non-ferrous metals separator by eddy currents is able to separate the non-ferrous metals from other materials with a complex magnetic block, rotating at high speed, called the "drum inductor."

When a non-ferrous metal traverses the induced magnetic field, it undergoes a repulsion effect and it is ejected at a certain distance, away from other materials.

The objective is to detect the presence of objects made of non-ferrous metals (aluminum) and ensure separation.

Among the variations of the eddy current separator, we chose this drum inductor type of separator for our work. The speed can go from 0 to 3000 rotations per minute, producing eddy currents. 

This phenomenon has been studied for a long time by students and teachers of this highschool and what you will see today is the result of this hard work. Together with the effort of our friends in France, Slovenia and Slovakia, the finished product will amaze you.

Students’ experiments

Thank you for your attention!