Electrostatic Separation Processes: A Linear-Interaction Optimization Model using Taguchi's Experimental Design Technique

Optimization of electrostatic separation processes demands the control of a multitude of factors, including the characteristics of the granular mixtures to be sorted, the feed rate, the configuration of the electrode system, the applied high-voltage and the environmental conditions. The Taguchi's experimental designs presented in this article clearly prove that the linear-interaction models of the electrostatic separation processes can reflect the effects of the main factors in a manner that is satisfactory to most case of the practical interest. The Taguchi's experimental designs are based on special matrices called orthogonal arrays.