20. 8. 2023
Separation of iron particles from feathers (case study)
Initial status
A prominent Czech manufacturer and member of an international consortium of companies involved in feather processing and the production of high-quality duvets and pillows approached us for assistance in removing iron contaminants from feathers. Feathers are a highly specific material that requires the use of unique technologies during processing. The input material needs to be thoroughly analyzed in the laboratory to assess its further processing possibilities. Subsequently, the feathers are washed, dried, sorted (by mixers), and finally, the materials are blended in large mixing machines according to the requirements of the final customers (feathers are transported between processing technologies through enclosed conveying pipelines using pressure differential and air flow).
Problem
The Czech manufacturer imports the raw material (i. e., down feathers and goose and duck feathers) from various suppliers from almost all continents around the world. Therefore, contamination with foreign materials (such as small iron objects) cannot be excluded. Additionally, as feathers go through a series of technological devices during processing, some small machinery fragments could potentially get into the final product (and none of us would want to rest on a pillow containing an iron chip, for example). To avoid the risk of costly health claims, the reputable manufacturer needed to eliminate the source of these potential problems (i. e., completely remove small iron objects from feathers). However, finding a magnetic separator suitable for such a specific material is not easy at all. Feathers are very lightweight, what excludes the application of the usual (gravity-based) magnetic separators. It is not also possible to use e. g. magnetic grids, as they would get immediately clogged by the feathers. Furthermore, taking into account the necessity of the enclosed pipeline transportation, the magnetic separator had to be connected to the pipeline system in an airtight (= hermetic) manner.
Solution
The company SOLLAU was aware of the fact that the result of the intended separation of ferrous particles from such a complex material might be uncertain. Therefore, we offered the client the opportunity to borrow two inline chute magnets with a diameter of 200 mm (ML 200 N). This chute magnet is delivered in a stainless steel housing that is to be connected to a pipeline in order to become its integral part. At the separator's inlet, there is solid steel dispersion cone that disperses the flow of the pneumatically conveyed feathers over extremely powerful neodymium magnets (placed on the inner sides of the separator doors). During the trial period the client got convinced of the high magnetic efficiency of the chute magnet ML 200 N and decided to purchase both borrowed devices, leaving them installed on the production line.
Benefits of our solution for the client
In addition to the high reliability of the separation system, the client is very satisfied with the easy cleaning system of the separator. Upon opening the doors, the stainless steel cover with the accumulated iron particles is tilted away from the magnetic core, and the captured iron contaminants fall off spontaneously.
Applied equipment: Chute magnet ML 200 N