Triboelectric Separation of Three-Component Plastic Mixture

Abstract

The results of an experimental study on the triboelectric separation of one type of plastic from a three-component plastic mixture are presented. A triboelectric separator, which consists of a vibratory conveyor equipped with two electrodes, was used. The separation method makes it possible to avoid the adhesion of oppositely charged particles. Separation tests were performed on two kinds of mixtures. The effect of operating parameters such as electric field strength, polarity of applied voltage, and triboelectric charging time on the separation efficiency was examined. In the case of the separation of a mixture of 50% polyvinyl chloride (PVC), 50% polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and 50% polyethylene (PE), the purity of the extracted PVC was larger than 99% for a recovery rate of 94.9%. In the case of the separation of a mixture of 50% acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), 50% polypropylene (PP), and 50% polystyrene (PS), the purity of the extracted ABS was larger than 99% for a recovery rate of 89.4%.

Keywords:

• electrostatic separation
• plastic mixtures
• triboelectric charging