Abstract
The recovery of rare earth elements, especially Nd and Dy, from used products is important for maintaining stable supplies. Two immiscible liquids in the Fe-Cu-C system, one that is Fe-rich and the other Cu-rich, are proposed for recycling motors that use Nd magnets. In this recovery system, mechanical separation of the Fe-rich and Cu-rich phases is important. This study aims to investigate the effect of electromagnetic forces on the separation of two immiscible liquids in Fe–Cu–C systems. The degree of mechanical separation of the Fe-rich and Cu-rich phases increases with increasing strength of the electromagnetic separation force. It was found that low magnetic field and high direct current are advantageous for the separation when the strength of the electromagnetic separation force is equal. Moreover, it was found that the electromagnetic separation force can remove the primary crystalized Fe particles from the Cu-rich liquid immediately.
