Permanent Magnetic Drum Separators And Drum Machines
Mitool Equipments manufactures a complete range of permanent magnetic drum separators and drum machines — engineered to continuously remove iron contamination from minerals, chemicals, food, flour, sugar, grains, plastics, sand, cement, fertilisers, rock, borings, and recycled materials. From a 300 mm drum sorting fine pharmaceutical powder to a 1500 mm drum handling slag at a steel plant, our range covers virtually every iron-separation requirement in Indian industry.
Because the magnetic field is generated by permanent magnets — ferrite ceramic or rare-earth Neodymium-Iron-Boron — there is no electricity needed for the magnet itself, no transformer, no rectifier, no coils to burn out, and no operating cost beyond the small motor that drives the drum shell. The magnetic strength stays effectively constant for the life of the installation.
• Working principle
A Mitool permanent magnetic drum consists of a stationary magnetic assembly inside a rotating non-magnetic stainless-steel shell. The magnet assembly is positioned to cover about half the drum circumference, creating a powerful field on one side and a field-free zone on the other.Material is fed evenly onto the top of the drum. As the shell rotates, non-magnetic material falls away freely under gravity, while ferrous particles are attracted to the shell and carried around — held firmly by the field — until they pass beyond the magnet zone, where they release and fall into a separate collection chute. The result is a continuous, automatic separation of ferrous contamination from product stream.
• Magnetic materials offered
• Ferrite ceramic magnets (low-intensity drum)
Suitable for the majority of applications where iron is in free form or where particles are relatively large. Field strength at the drum surface is typically 1,500–2,500 Gauss depending on drum diameter. Cost-effective and rugged — the workhorse of mineral processing, sponge iron, foundry sand recovery, and recycling applications.
• Rare earth NdFeB magnets (medium-intensity drum)
Used where weakly magnetic contamination or very fine ferrous particles need to be captured. Field strength at the drum surface is typically 4,000–5,000 Gauss. Significantly higher cost than ferrite, but the only practical option for difficult separations such as recovering tramp iron from non-ferrous foundry returns or polishing concentrate streams in mineral processing.
• Drum machine configurations
• Drum only
The bare drum mounted on pedestals, with a V-groove pulley for V-belt or link-belt drive. Supplied without housing or feeder — suitable for retrofitting at the discharge end of existing chutes, spouts, screw conveyors, elevators, or vibratory feeders. The most economical option when the customer wants to integrate the magnetic separation into existing infrastructure.
• Single drum machine
Self-contained unit with a feed hopper, adjustable feed gate, jig shaker feed tray, the drum itself, motorised drive, and discharge chutes for both magnetic and non-magnetic fractions. All mounted on a sturdy heavy-section angle-iron framework. Plug-and-play installation — connect inlet, outlet, and power, and the unit is running.
• Double drum machine
Two drums in series — used for large capacities or for difficult materials where a single pass leaves some ferrous behind. Available with a single shared jig shaker tray or with individual feed trays for each drum. Triple drum machines can also be supplied for the most demanding separations.
• Totally enclosed dust-tight drum machine
Fully enclosed in a dust-tight housing with a chute-type feed hopper, adjustable feed gate, magnetic drum, and geared motor drive. Inlet and outlet openings are flanged for direct connection to the customer's duct work. Used wherever process containment, dust suppression, or food/pharma hygiene is required. Double or triple totally-enclosed configurations are available.
•Magnetic drum separator specifications
| Parameter | Range |
|---|---|
| Drum Diameter | 300 / 400 / 500 / 650 / 800 / 1000 / 1200 / 1500 mm |
| Drum Width | 300 mm – 2000 mm (Custom widths possible) |
| Magnet Type | Ferrite Ceramic (1500–2500 G) / NdFeB Rare Earth (4000–5000 G) |
| Configuration | Drum Only / Single / Double / Triple / Totally Enclosed |
| Shell Material | Stainless Steel SS-304 (SS-316 on request) |
| Drive | Geared Motor with V-Belt or Chain Transmission |
| Voltage | 415 V, 3-Phase, 50 Hz |
| Application Range — 300–400 mm Dia | Small particles, low tonnage |
| Application Range — 500–900 mm Dia | Mid-sized particles, medium tonnage (Sponge Iron Industry Typical) |
| Application Range — 1000–1500 mm Dia | Large particles, high tonnage (Slag Recycling Typical) |
• Key advantages of permanent magnetic separation
- No transformer or rectifier required
- No coils to burn out
- No electric wiring needed for the magnet itself
- Zero power consumption by the magnet (only the drive motor consumes power)
- No operating cost
- Minimal maintenance
- No failure mode for the magnet — so no downtime
- Magnetic field is uniformly powerful across the full drum width
- Everlasting magnetic power, guaranteed for the life of the installation
• Industries & applications
Mitool magnetic drum separators are used in steel plants, cement plants, power plants, infrastructure & construction, pharmaceutical, chemical, fertiliser, cosmetic, food, packaging, mines, minerals, waste management, water treatment plants, and recycling industries — anywhere ferrous contamination must be removed from a product stream or recovered from a waste stream.
• Selecting the right magnetic drum
When specifying a drum separator, the following points are critical:
- Type of material — wet, dry, or hot
- Whether free-flowing, dusty, or cohesive
- Bulk density of material (t/m³)
- Whether neutral or chemically reactive
- Average and maximum lump size
- Required throughput in tonnes per hour
- Iron content level and target purity in the cleaned product
- Whether the ferrous to be removed is free iron or weakly magnetic — determines ferrite vs rare-earth choice
Frequently Asked Questions
A. A ferrite drum uses ceramic magnets producing 1,500–2,500 Gauss at the shell surface — strong enough to capture free iron and large ferrous particles. A rare-earth (NdFeB) drum produces 4,000–5,000 Gauss — strong enough to capture weakly magnetic particles and fine iron dust. Rare-earth drums cost significantly more but are essential where the contamination is fine or weakly magnetic.
A. 300–400 mm drums handle small particles at low tonnage. 500–900 mm drums suit mid-sized particles at medium tonnage — these are the typical sponge iron industry choice. 1000–1500 mm drums handle large particles at high tonnage — typical of slag recycling. Mitool engineers will recommend the exact size after reviewing your throughput and feed characteristics.
A. No — under normal industrial operating conditions, ferrite and NdFeB magnets retain effectively full strength for the life of the installation (40+ years for ferrite, 20+ years for NdFeB). The magnets must be protected from very high temperatures (NdFeB derates above 80 °C standard grade) and from mechanical impact damage.
A. Yes — wet drum separators are a standard configuration with sealed shells and corrosion-resistant materials. These are widely used in mineral processing and iron ore beneficiation. Specify the moisture content and slurry density at the enquiry stage.
A. Yes — the rotating shell continuously carries captured ferrous past the magnet zone, where it releases into a separate discharge chute. There is no manual cleaning required during normal operation; only periodic inspection of the shell wear surface.
