Comparative Analysis Of Air Separation And Vibration Technology In Cable Granulation

Cable granulation, as an increasingly important resource recycling method, aims to decompose discarded cable granulation into reusable materials such as copper, aluminum, and plastic. Effective separation techniques are crucial in this process. Air separation and vibration separation are two common cable granulator separation technologies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, exhibiting different efficiencies and applicability in different application scenarios. This article will compare and analyze these two technologies in order to better understand their characteristics and application prospects.

cable granulation， As the name suggests, it is the use of the dynamic characteristics of airflow to sort particles of different densities

Specifically, by blowing up the fragmented cable granulator machine particles through airflow, lightweight materials such as low-density plastics are more easily carried by the airflow, thereby separating them from heavier metal materials. The advantage of air separation lies in its fast processing speed, high production efficiency, and suitability for large-scale cable granulation treatment. In addition, the structure of air separation equipment is relatively simple and the maintenance cost is low. However, the drawbacks of air separation are also evident. The separation accuracy is affected by various factors such as particle shape, size distribution, and airflow control, making it difficult to achieve extremely high separation purity. For materials with similar densities, the separation effect is often not ideal. At the same time, the dust pollution generated during the air separation process is also a matter that needs to be taken seriously.

Vibration separation technology utilizes the difference between the vibration frequency of the vibrating screen and the aperture size of the screen to achieve the separation of different cable granulation particles

By adjusting the vibration frequency and sieve specifications, particles of different sizes can be classified to achieve the goal of separating different materials. The advantage of vibration separation lies in its high separation accuracy, which can achieve good separation results for materials with significant differences in particle size. Meanwhile, the dust pollution caused by vibration separation is relatively small. However, the processing speed of vibration separation is relatively slow, the production efficiency is low, and it is not suitable for large-scale copper wire granulator processing. In addition, vibration separation equipment has a relatively complex structure, high maintenance costs, and is easily affected by material blockages.

In summary, air separation and vibration separation have their own advantages in the copper wire granulator separator process. Air separation is suitable for large-scale applications with low requirements for separation purity, with fast processing speed and low cost. Vibration separation is suitable for situations where high purity separation is required and the processing capacity is relatively small. In practical applications, it is often necessary to comprehensively consider and select appropriate separation technologies based on factors such as processing scale, material characteristics, and cost budget. In some cases, the two techniques can even be combined, such as using air separation for preliminary separation and then using vibration separation for fine separation, in order to achieve better separation results.

Looking ahead to the future, with the continuous improvement of environmental awareness and the increasing demand for resource recycling, cable granulation technology will be more widely applied. In order to improve the efficiency and economy of cable granulation, it is necessary to continuously improve existing separation technologies, such as developing more precise airflow control systems, optimizing the vibration parameters and mesh structure of vibrating screens, and exploring new separation technologies, such as electrostatic separation and magnetic separation, to achieve more efficient and environmentally friendly cable granulation resource recycling.

Cable Granulation FAQs

What is the main function of air separation (air separation) in the cable granulation process?

Air separation (air separation) is mainly used to separate light impurities (such as plastic shavings, fibers) and copper/aluminum particles. The principle is to use airflow to layer materials of different densities: lighter plastics are blown away, while heavier metal particles fall down by gravity, thus achieving efficient sorting.

How can vibration sorting improve metal recovery in cable granulation?

Vibration sorting is achieved by the mechanical movement of a vibrating screen or table, which separates the broken cable granulation particles into layers according to size or density

Screening: Different aperture screens separate coarse/fine particles.

Density sorting: Vibration causes metal (high-density) to sink, plastic (low-density) to float, and then combined with airflow or mechanical scraper separation.

Advantages: Able to handle mixed materials, with high sorting accuracy and a metal recovery rate of over 95%.

Can cable granulation air separation and vibration sorting be used together? Give an example.

sure. Typical process:

1. Primary crushing: Cable granulation is shredded into a mixture of particles (metal+plastic).
2. Vibration screening: Separate particles of different sizes (such as<5mm copper particles and>5mm plastic particles).
3. Air separation: Blow air onto the screened particles to further remove residual plastic dust.

Effect: Combined use can reduce metal loss and improve purity (such as copper purity reaching 99%).

What are the key parameters of cable granulation? How to optimize?

The key parameters include:

Wind speed: usually needs to be adjusted to 815 m/s (too low cannot separate plastic, too high will take away metal particles).

Material humidity: Excessive humidity can cause clumping and requires pre drying.

Feed uniformity: Control the flow rate through a vibrating feeder.

Optimization method: Determine the optimal wind speed through experiments and combine it with a cyclone separator to recover small metal particles.

5. What are the common and solutions for vibration sorting equipment in cable granulation recycling?

1: Screen blockage

Reason: Plastic melting or fiber entanglement.

Solution: Choose a screen with anti adhesive coating or heated screen surface (to prevent plastic adhesion).

2: Low sorting efficiency

Reason: Improper amplitude or frequency settings.

Solution: Adjust the parameters of the vibration motor (such as frequency 2530Hz, amplitude 25mm) and regularly clean the equipment.

3: Metal particle damage

Reason: The vibration is too intense.

Solution: Reduce the amplitude or switch to a stepped vibrating screen (step-by-step sorting).