15. 12. 2022
Improper cleaning of a grate magnet in housing
Initial status
The client purchased our manually cleanable drawer magnet MSS-MC for the separation very fine iron particles from free-flowing and non-abrasive materials conveyed by gravity
Problem
After the installation of any magnetic separator it is necessary to find out how long it takes to reach the limit of the separator's capture capacity (i. e., how quickly the separator becomes clogged with ferromagnetic particles) and then determine the optimal cleaning interval.
Unfortunately, the separator operator did not observe the cleaning interval and the separator got clogged up with ferrous contaminants. That was why the separator could not fulfill its function anymore (i. e., it did not separate iron tramp from the processed material). On the top of it, the layer of the trapped ferrous particles was already so high that the magnetic field could hold them and the flowing material carried them away into the already cleaned product.
Solution
In case of materials conveyed by gravity, the cleaning interval depends mainly on the degree of ferrous contamination. That is why it is always necessary to stipulate the optimal cleaning interval (= how long it takes to reach the limit of the separator's capture capacity) and the cleaning interval must be strictly observed.
Expert recommendation
Almost all kinds of our magnetic separators with manual cleaning are equipped with an easy cleaning system. This allows for a quick and easy removal of trapped ferrous particles. However, in any case we recommend that you use shorter cleaning intervals, as the more magnetic particles are accumulated and held by the magnetic core, the more difficult and physically demanding (despite the easy cleaning system) is to demagnetize them (i. e. move them out of the reach of the magnetic field). For applications that would require more frequent cleaning intervals, it is preferable to use magnetic separators with automatic cleaning (that at the same time eliminate the risk of human errors).