Mechanism of particle flocculation by magnetic seeding

Magnetic seeding flocculation of micrometer-sized particles in liquid suspensions is investigated. Primary forces acting on individual particles, including gravity and magnetic attraction, as well as van der Waals, electrostatic, magnetic dipole, and hydrodynamic interparticle forces, are examined and quantified. A mathematical statement of the overall relative velocity is developed from the net force acting on a particle. From this, the equation of relative motion for two particles in cylindrical coordinates is derived. A computer model is then used to solve this equation repeatedly to find the particle trajectory borderline between collision and noncollision, thus determining the collision efficiency and collision frequency. The effects of a variety of parameters on flocculation performance are then explored. It is found that some factors have unexpected and complex influences on the collision efficiency and collision frequency, particularly the particle size ratio and the direction of the magnetic field. Magnetic separation has been used for desulfurization of coal, and separation and concentration of mining ores and wastes, and nuclear reactor coolant water filtration