This article was downloaded by: [University of Saskatchewan Library]

On: 28 January 2015, At: 22:18

Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered
office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Particulate Science and Technology: An

International Journal
Publication details, including instructions for authors and
subscription information:
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/upst20

Fluidized Bed Device for Plastic Granules

Triboelectrification
a a a
Laur Calin , Adrian Mihalcioiu , Alexandru Iuga & Lucian
b
Dascalescu
a
High-Intensity Electric Fields Laboratory, Technical University of
Cluj-Napoca , Cluj-Napoca, Romania
b
Electronics and Electrostatics Research Unit, LAII-ESIP, Institut
Universitaire de Technologie , Angoulême, France
Published online: 30 Mar 2007.

To cite this article: Laur Calin , Adrian Mihalcioiu , Alexandru Iuga & Lucian Dascalescu (2007)
Fluidized Bed Device for Plastic Granules Triboelectrification, Particulate Science and Technology: An
International Journal, 25:2, 205-211, DOI: 10.1080/02726350701257782

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02726350701257782

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the
“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,
our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to
the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions
and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,
and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content
should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources
of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,
proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or
howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising
out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any
substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,
systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &
Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-
and-conditions
 Particulate Science and Technology, 25: 205–211, 2007
Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 0272-6351 print/1548-0046 online
DOI: 10.1080/02726350701257782

Fluidized Bed Device for Plastic Granules

Triboelectrification

LAUR CALIN
ADRIAN MIHALCIOIU
ALEXANDRU IUGA
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

High-Intensity Electric Fields Laboratory, Technical University of

Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

LUCIAN DASCALESCU
Electronics and Electrostatics Research Unit, LAII-ESIP, Institut
Universitaire de Technologie, Angoulême, France

The study of the triboelectrification process is the key factor to the successful indus-
trial application of electrostatic separation in the field of plastics recycling. There-
fore, the aim of the present work is to evaluate an original device for the laboratory
study of this process. The original design of the fluidized bed type triboelectrification
device has the following distinctive features: (i) transparent walls to observe the
fluidization process and the particles moving in the triboelectrification module;
(ii) air distributors with different mesh apertures correlated with granule size;
(iii) quick replacement of the triboelectrification Plexiglas chamber with other met-
allic (aluminium, copper) or nonmetallic chambers (polyvinyl chloride—PVC,
polyethylene—PE, and polyethylene terephthalate—PET); (iv) possibility of inde-
pendent operation, for granule charge measurement or integrated operation, for the
electrostatic separation experiments using a free-fall electrostatic separator. The
results of charge measurement experiments pointed out the different triboelectric
behaviour of two types of granules (polystyrene and low-density polyethylene) in
contact with the walls of the device. The electrostatic separation experiments carried
out on a binary mixture of mm-size polystyrene=polyethylene granules confirmed the
effectiveness of the triboelectrification device.

Keywords electrostatic separation, fluidized bed, plastic materials, tribo-

electrification

Introduction
Electrostatic separation is an advanced technology successfully used for the recovery
of plastic materials from granular industrial wastes (Inculet et al., 1998). Typically,
the granular mixture to be separated is first introduced in a triboelectrification

The authors acknowledge with thanks their students Bogdan Chisu, Ciprian Porutiu,
Nicolae Fratila, and Radu Beleca, and their collaborators Eng. Marius Bordea and Eng.
Maria Apostoaie for experimental help and industrial support.
Address correspondence to Lucian Dascalescu, Electronics and Electrostatics Research
Unit, LAII-ESIP, UPRES-EA 1219, Institut Universitaire de Technologie, 4 avenue de
Varsovie, 16021, Angoulême Cedex, France. E-mail: ldascalescu@iutang.univ-poitiers.fr

205
 206 L. Calin et al.

device: a fluidized bed, a cyclone, a vibratory feeder, or a rotary drum (Kwetkus,

1998). The constituents of the mixture, which get different superficial charges, pass
then through an electrostatic field produced by an appropriate electrode system. The
electrostatic forces acting on the differently charged granules drive them to separate
compartments of a collecting system.
Although many of the technical problems that had previously limited the appli-
cation of electrostatic separation to plastic materials were solved, the study of the
triboelectrification process is still the key factor to the successful industrial appli-
cation of this procedure (Carpco, 1997; Hamos, 1998; Dodbiba et al., 2003). There-
fore, the aim of the present work is to evaluate an original device for the laboratory
study of plastics triboelectrification, described in the next section. The results of the
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

charging tests performed for two types of granules in contact with the walls of the
device are given in the following section. The electrostatic separation experiments
presented in the final section were carried out on a binary polystyrene=polyethylene
mixture and confirmed the effectiveness of the triboelectrification device.

Laboratory Fluidized Bed Triboelectrification Device

Design Features
The original design of the fluidized bed triboelectrification device (Figure 1) has the
following distinctive features: (i) transparent walls to observe the fluidization process
and the particles moving in the triboelectrification module; (ii) air distributors with
different mesh apertures correlated with granule size; (iii) quick replacement of the
triboelectrification Plexiglas chamber with other metallic (aluminium, copper) or
nonmetallic chambers (polyvinyl chloride—PVC, polyethylene—PE, and polyethyl-
ene terephthalate—PET); (iv) dual operation mode: independent operation, for
granule charge measurement, or integrated operation, for the electrostatic separation
experiments using a free-fall electrostatic separator; (v) modular solution with three
subassemblies, air chamber, input-output module of the granular plastics, and

Figure 1. Fluidized bed device for the study of plastic granules triboelectrification. Note:
All dimensions are in mm. The triboelectrification chamber has a square cross-section
40 mm
40 mm.
 Fluidized Bed Device for Plastic Granules 207

triboelectrification chamber, to permit the adaptation of the triboelectrification

device to different experimental conditions. The ratio H=D  20, where H is the
height of fluidization volume (distance between air distributor and air output screen)
and D is the equivalent diameter of the cross section area (Ivanus et al., 1996;
Werther, 1992).

Principle of Operation
The granular material is introduced in the input-output module and is deposited on
the screen-type air distributor. The air jet, generated with variable speed by a turbo-
blower, passes through the air admission pipe in the air chamber. The screen-type air
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

distributor disperses the air quasi-uniformly throughout the cross section of the tri-
boelectrification chamber. In the fluidized bed state generated by the ascending air,
the granules are dispersed in the triboelectrification chamber volume, where multiple
particle-particle and particle-wall collisions take place. The particles are maintained
in the fluidized state a few minutes, which is enough for triboelectrification. Through
an output door driving mechanism, the charged granules flow on an inclined plane
and enter a Faraday cup for charge measuring or between the electrodes of a free-fall
electrostatic separator.

Operational Testing of Fluidized Bed Triboelectrification Device

In order to experimentally validate the device the following questions were to be
answered: (i) Which pairs of plastic materials from triboelectric series are more suit-
able for testing the device? (ii) Is the device capable of fluidizing millimeter-size
granular materials? (iii) How do the particles charge through collisions with the walls
of the device? (iv) What triboelectrification mechanism (Figure 2) prevails in the case
of a binary mixture: particle-wall or particle-particle collisions?

Figure 2. Schematic representation of the triboelectrification mechanisms in a fluidized bed

device showing three successive positions (1, 2, 3) of plastic granules on trajectories.
 208 L. Calin et al.

Table 1. Materials characteristics

Polymethyl Low-density
Characteristics methacrylate Polystyrene polyethylene

Density [kg=m3] 1180 1050 960

Relative 3.6 2.5 2.3
permittivity [
]
Thermal stability 100 60 95
[C]
Size and shape 5 mm thick, 3  3  2 mm, a ¼ 2.5 mm,
plate wall parallel piped b ¼ c ¼ 2 mm,
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

ellipsoid
Volume 1013 1012 1015
resistivity [Xm]
Position in the Positive Negative
triboelectrification PMMA PS PE
series

Materials
The operating test of the fluidized bed triboelectrification device was performed with
polystyrene (PS) and low-density polyethylene (PE) millimeter-size granules from
NAPOCHIM S.A., Cluj-Napoca. These plastic materials PS and PE (Table 1)
charge negatively when contacting polymethyl methacrylathe walls (PMMA), and
among them with opposite charges: PS (þ) and PE (
).

Triboelectrification Tests
The experiments confirm the ability of the device to provide conditions for the exist-
ence of a fluidized bed of millimeter-size granules made of PS and PE. By adjusting
the input voltage of the turboblower, it was possible to modify the speed of the air jet

Figure 3. Experimental setup for triboelectrification experiments. 1, air chamber; 2, screen

type air distributor; 3, input/output module; 4, triboelectrification chamber; 5, Faraday cage;
6, digital electrometer.
 Fluidized Bed Device for Plastic Granules 209
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

Figure 4. Mass charge Q=m of PS and PE as a function of the charging time t.

until reaching the fluidized state characterized by multiple granule-wall and granule-
granule collisions. A Faraday cage connected to a digital electrometer was employed
to measure the electrical charge for a given type of granule through repeated colli-
sions with the walls of the triboelectrification device (Figure 3).
Each point on the graph in Figure 4 was obtained through the following pro-
cedure. After introducing m grams of PS and PE sample on the screen air distributor
of the input-output module (3 in Figure 3) the turboblower is connected to the air

Figure 5. Triboelectrostatic separator with integrated fluidized bed, equipped for separation
of a binary mixture PS=PE; 1, triboelectrification device; 2, turboblower; 3, variable autotrans-
former; 4, electrostatic separator entrance; 5, plate electrodes 1000
200 mm; 6, positioning
panel; 7, collecting boxes; PS, polystyrene; M, middlings; PE, polyethylene.
 210 L. Calin et al.
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

Figure 6. Experimental results for triboelectrostatic separation of a 50% PE, 50% PS mixture.

chamber (1 in Figure 3). The granules remain in the fluidized bed for a determined
time t, between 1 and 10 minutes, for charging in contact with the walls of triboelec-
trification chamber (4). Opening the evacuation door, the plastic material flows on an
inclined plane leading it into the Faraday cage. The charge Q measured by the elec-
trometer (6) and divided by mass m determines the ordinate of the abscissa point t.

Electrostatic Separation of a Binary Plastic Mixture

The triboelectrostatic separation experiment was performed with the laboratory
installation presented in Figure 5 composed of a free-fall separator, two high-voltage
supplies (75 kV and 50 kV), the fluidized bed device (1), and the turboblower (2)
supplied by the variable autotransformer (3).
The material used was a synthetic mixture of 50% PS and 50% PE. The granules
were charged in the fluidized bed device for a certain time and then introduced in the
electrostatic field generated by two electrodes placed symmetrically and connected to
two different potentials. The conditions for obtaining a good separation of PS and
PE were the following: U1 ¼ 45 kV, U2 ¼ þ 45 kV, (X1 ¼ þ 75 mm, Y1 ¼ 0),
(X2 ¼ 75 mm, Y2 ¼ 0), a1 ¼ a2 ¼ 5, charging time ¼ 3 min, ambient conditions
T ¼ 23C, W ¼ 31%.
The PS concentrate had a 99.1% purity, which means that only 6 granules of PE
were found in the total of 686 granules collected to the positive electrode. The PE
concentrate contained 17 granules of PS in a total of 398 granules, which represents
a purity of 95.7% (Figure 6). The experiment shows that the predominant mech-
anism used in the charging of granular mixture is the collision between PS=PE.

Conclusions
The fluidized bed triboelectrification device has the following functional character-
istics: total transparency to allow the observation and control of the physical
processes; modular construction (air chamber, input-output module, triboelectrifica-
tion chamber) that provides electrical charge study for a large variety of plastic
materials of different sizes; and facilities for both tribocharge measurements and
separation studies, when it is integrated in a free-fall electrostatic separator.
 Fluidized Bed Device for Plastic Granules 211

The triboelectrification and electrical separation tests demonstrate that the pre-
dominant mechanism in charging is the collisions between different granules and not
the repeated contacts between the granules and device walls.
To study the factors that influence triboelectrification and the separation of
plastic materials, in future work the fluidized bed device will be equipped with
controlling elements.

References
Carpco. 1997. Bulletin No. 97713. Jacksonville, Fla.: Carpco, Inc.
Dodbiba, G., A. Shibayama, T. Miyazuki, & T. Fujita. 2003. Triboelectrostatic separation of
Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 22:18 28 January 2015

ABS, PS and PP plastic mixture. Mater. Trans. 44 (1): 161–166.

Hamos. 1998. Bulletin KWS-D-1 10=98. Penzberg, Germany: Hamos GmbH.
Inculet, I. I., G. S. P. Castle, & J. D. Braun. 1998. Electrostatic separation of plastics for recy-
cling. Part. Sci. Technol. 16 (1): 91–100.
Ivanus, G., I. Todea, A. Pop et al. 1996. Fluidization Engineering. Bucuresti: Editura Tehnica.
Kwetkus, B. A. 1998. Particle triboelectrification and its use in the electrostatic separation
process. Part. Sci. Technol. 16 (1): 55–57.
Werther, J. 1992. Fluidized-bed reactors. In Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry,
vol. B.4. Weinheim: VCH Publishers. pp. 239–274.