Automatic sorting of non-ferrous metals from domestic refuse

Closing the materials loop is an important issue. Re-use of products or materials in their post consumer state is required by the government. However, uncontrolled waste streams, e.g. household refuse, are still a problem. In the past the Eddy Current technology has proven to be a suitable technique to separate non-ferrous metals from mixed waste streams and from pre-separated packaging material. In the Netherlands all cities are obliged to collect their organic waste separately from the other waste, this leads to a rest fraction with a high potential on metals, e.g. steel, stainless steel and valuable non-ferrous metals, e.g. aluminium and copper. Bakker Magnetics has started a co-operation with the Delft University of Technology, for the development of a new generation Eddy Current machines with a higher separation efficiency. This machine has been tested under laboratory and in heavy industrial conditions on the separation of waste without organic components. The new generation Bakker Magnetics Eddy Current machines and the results of the separation tests will be discussed.