The XVIIIth Conference of the European Ceramic Society takes place in Lyon, France on 2-6 July 2023.  On stand 19, Bunting is highlighting the necessity of using high-intensity magnetic separators to remove iron, iron-bearing and paramagnetic minerals to reduce defect rates and improve surface brightness.

Materials used in the manufacture of ceramics, such as feldspar, silica sand, and clays, commonly include paramagnetic minerals and fine iron.  If left in the raw material during the ceramic manufacturing process, the magnetic contamination causes defects and flaws in the body and on the surface of the finished ceramic product.  Also, very fine iron contamination can affect the surface brightness, especially of white glazed products.

Traditionally, ceramic manufacturers have used both electromagnetic and permanent rare earth magnets to capture the magnetic contamination.  This technology successfully removes a proportion of the contamination.

To maximise the removal of paramagnetic minerals and fine iron, an increasing number of ceramic producers are investing in high-intensity Electro Magnetic Filters.  Electro Magnetic Filters produce a high-intensity magnetic field (up to 40,000 Gauss).  Leading European ceramics producers use the technology to remove problematic magnetic particles from slips and glazes.

Electro Magnetic Filters consist of an electromagnetic coil positioned around a central hollow core containing a magnetic (400 series) stainless-steel matrix of various designs.  The highly-efficient computer designed coil generates a high intensity magnetic field that becomes intensified on the points of the matrix creating the magnetic force needed to separate paramagnetic particles from the slurry.

The magnetic coil is either enclosed in a circular or rectangular steel casing designed to intensify the magnetic field into the hollow centre of the coil.  Valves trees (for the product feed and exit as well as cleaning water and air) are mounted on the top and bottom to suit the application and installation.

Removal of the captured magnetics inside an Electro Magnetic Filter is either undertaken manually or automatically.  For automatic operations, the process is managed through a separate control.

www.bunting-redditch.com


 
High-Intensity Electro Magnetic Filter

 

 
(Below) Specking caused by iron contamination

« Back