Magnetic separator: the best machine for your fluid filtration system

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Do you know what we never think about when it comes to liquid filtration? Magnetic separator.

They have become a commodity these days. And sometimes they’re cheap. However, we want to ask you: is a cheap magnetic separator worth it?

This article will explore everything you need to know about magnetic separators. To buy the right one for your needs—no matter your budget.

Basics of a magnetic separator

Magnetic separation

Magnetic separation is an essential part of your fluid filtration system. The reason for this is simple: it’s inexpensive, and it works.

Inside a magnetic separator are powerful magnets that attract ferrous particles as they pass through it. The primary components of these separators are assemblies of magnets, depending on the application and process conditions. They can be either rare earth magnets or permanent magnets. Rare earth magnets are much stronger than permanent magnets and produce an extremely high magnetic field intensity- 4000 Gauss.

Advantages of magnetic separation

• It’s simple to install and maintain
• It has a low initial investment cost
• It is automatic by design
• We can use it with a wide range of fluids
• It’s capable of operating in both dry and wet conditions
• The equipment is lightweight and compact

How does it work?

Types of magnetic separators vary as per their design and applications. For the sake of this article, let us focus on the drum-type magnetic separators.

Drum-type magnetic separators are the most common separation equipment for industrial fluid filtration. They are used to remove tramp iron and other magnetic particles from a fluid, including granular materials, powders, burrs, or fines.

For example, the drum magnet is a stationary 180-degree sector in a rotating shell attached to a shaft driven by a geared motor. The dirty fluid enters one end of the housing and flows along the surface of the drum through the 180-degree sector. Hence, ferrous material is attracted to and held by the magnetic field. At the same time, non-ferrous products flow freely through an exit at the end of the housing.

Advantages of a drum type magnetic separator

1. We can use them in virtually any application where there are liquids involved;
2. It is possible to use it on two or more fluids simultaneously;
3. We can use them with other separation systems such as gravity separators.
4. The sludge coming out of the separator is dry; users can even adjust the dryness can by positioning the squeezer roller correctly.

Where to use magnetic separators?

Sometimes you need to filter fluid in a way that’s easy to maintain and clean. On the other hand, you might also be looking for a system to handle high temperatures or even something as corrosive as an acid.

Magnetic separators are the perfect choice for these types of situations. They’re highly reliable and don’t require much maintenance. In addition, they can handle hot liquids with no problem. They can even take many different acids and alkaline fluids, making them versatile and adaptable to various situations and industries.

Applications of magnetic separator

• Coolant filtration systems
• Industrial component washing machines
• Honing oil filtration systems
• Grinding oil/coolant filtration systems
  • Surface grinders
  • Thread grinders
  • Internal grinding machines
  • External grinding machines
  • Cylindrical grinding machines
  • Tool & Cutter grinding machines making HSS (high-speed steel tools)

How do you know if you need a magnetic separator?

Suppose your cutting fluid has particles larger than 50 microns. Or you are concerned about the high number of particles less than 50 microns in size. In that case, the answer is yes; you should consider adding it to your fluid handling system. It is your first line of defense against mechanical failure when it comes to liquid filtration.

Frequent mechanical failures

When you have frequent equipment downtime due to mechanical failure, your productivity and lead time suffer. Longer lead times can hurt your customer base and profitability. Adding a magnetic separator can help prevent these issues and improve productivity.

E.g., Pumps on your fluid filtration system are frequently failing. Reasons range from impellers clogging or mechanical seal failure due to excessive dirt. Adding a magnetic separator before these pieces of equipment will significantly reduce the probability of their failure.

Pre-filtration

Magnetic separators are the best pre-filters for a fluid handling system. Since they are automatic, they need very little maintenance or installation effort. Moreover, sludge removal does not require any manual intervention.

Especially in the case of cast iron machining, the material removal rate by the CNC machines is high. Moreover, the size of dirt particles is tiny, ranging anywhere from 3 to 100 microns. Hence, the cutting fluids need to be filtered down considerably- this is where a magnetic separator becomes necessary. It ensures maximum removal of particles above 50 microns, thus protecting the filters downstream. Also, having it as a pre-filter drastically reduces the clogging frequency and hence the consumption of filters downstream.

Please click here to learn how a manufacturer reduced their component rejection rate using a magnetic separator as a pre-filter.

Dry Scrap

Every machinist knows that dry scrap fetches a higher rate than wet or watery sludge. Some scrap processors refuse to accept the waste if it contains moisture or residual oil beyond a specific limit. The simple reason is that the moisture or residual oil adds unnecessary weight to the scrap. The scrap processors must spend extra effort removing these ‘impurities’ from the valuable metal scrap.

A high-power separator removes only the metallic particles. The squeezer roller ensures that any fluid traces are squeezed out of the scrap before scraping off the separator.

Wet sludge or watery sludge coming out of the separator means wasting precious cutting fluid. Imagine this to be a leaking tap in your home- drop by drop; it has the potential to drain out an entire tank. Now, the per lit cost of the fluid may not be much, but it is still a waste. And this cost accumulates over time.

Also, suppose you are a numbers person. In that case, the cost of wasting your cutting fluid is much higher than choosing a superior equipment.

Is a cheap magnetic separator worth it?

In the end, they are just another tool for the fluid filtration system. They may not be as attractive or revenue-generating as your CNC machines. They are not as necessary as your pumps. But they’re critical to the functionality of your whole filtration system.

What’s more important is that you’ll quickly realize that not all magnetic separators are equal. There is a big difference between the high-quality separators and the cheapest available. However, sometimes it isn’t always so black and white. There is a whole spectrum of separators out there. Sometimes choosing your purchase based on price alone can be unwise if you’re unaware of what parameters to consider.

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