Skip to content

Magnetic Separation

Magnetic Separation – Simulations in Process Engineering

High-gradient magnetic fishing (HGMF) is a method for the downstream processing of biomolecules such as proteins. In the first step of this method magnetic particles are coated with a layer that contains specific ligands for a certain target molecule. The particles are then introduced into a medium containing the target molecule and these molecules adsorb to the ligands. The particles are then separated on a magnetized wire and transferred to another medium. Finally, an elution step follows, in which the purified molecules are recovered. The simulation shows the deposition of magnetic particles on a magnetized single wire and models the magnetic separation step of the HGMF process. Dipol forces of the particles are considered in a coupled DEM-LBM approach and realized within the open source softare OpenLB.

Visualisation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/d737MDwYWl8

Simulation with OpenLB and Visualisation by Sascha Janz and Marie-Luise Maier

Magnetic Separator Simulation with LBM – Simulation in Process Engineering

How to constantly clean paint from iron particles?

In the painting lines in the automotive industry, iron particles that reside in paint of a previous production step like tiny welding beads can lead to optical errors in the lacquering of cars. To prevent problems caused by these inclusions, magnetic separators are used to continuously remove the metallic particles from the liquid paint.

Inside the magnetic separator, a static magnetic field is generated by permanent magnets. The magnetic forces attract the metallic particles towards the inner cylinder wall while the remaining liquid flows through and finally leaves the separator.

Simulation with OpenLB (www.openlb.net) and Visualisation by Daniel Krug and Marie-Luise Maier

More information:

Contributed by Mathias J. Krause.