The role of field-assisted techniques in solid/liquid separation

The separation of finer particle suspensions into constituent solid and liquid components is difficult to achieve. Field assisted separations which utilise the forces generated by applied electric, acoustic or magnetic fields are becoming an increasingly viable alternative to the more conventional, frequently ill-suited, techniques used presently. An overview is given of the development of the more pertinent assisted separation techniques and illustrates their performance with experimental data obtained by the author. The data show how improved separation rates can be achieved with imposed force fields, often at lower overall energy inputs per unit of product. Current and possible future applications of assisted separations are discussed both in terms of equipment performance and economic considerations.