Method and apparatus for cleaning a matrix of a wet magnetic separator

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is an object of the present invention to improve and optimize the method described at the beginning in order to attain an optimum in cleansing with a minimum in expenditure of energy with the best possible careful treatment of the matrix.
The invention is solved in that the initiation of the compressible medium takes place according to a measure of the adherent magnetic material present.
An embodiment of the method resides in that the charging of the matrix with magnetic material is determined, and that the entry of the compressible medium takes place upon exceeding an established threshold value.
This has the advantage that with careful cleansing with the liquid medium alone, the operation of the magnetic separator may be continued until an increase in the solids adhering to the matrix impairing the output is observed.
Only then does the entry of the compressible medium take place.
In this connection, according to the object of the invention, both energy is saved, as well as also the poles of the matrix are protected from increased wear.
In a development of the method, it is further provided that the charging of the matrix with magnetic material is determined per time unit, and that the insertion of the compressible medium takes place according to a time-cycle.
The advantage of this manner of procedure lies in its uncomplicated nature.
Because the same types of minerals with an approximately constant granulation spectrum generally have an unaltered behavior during operation of a magnetic separator, therefore the loading of the matrix with magnetic material observed over a longer period of time remains approximately the same per time unit.
As a consequence, there results the operationally suitable set-up of the process according to the teaching of the invention, in that for the compressible medium, there is initiated a time cycle.
In case, however, the observance of the occurrence of operation should result such that differences in the material behavior are so great that the operation cannot take place meaningfully according to a time cycle, then the alternative possibility results with the invention that the loading of the matrix with magnetic material is determined by means of measuring the permeability or density