The Development of the Separation Apparatus of Phosphor by Controlling the Magnetic Force

The phosphor wastes contain the multiple kinds of rare-earth phosphors with high market value. Because of increasing demand for rare-earth, the technique to recover and reuse the rare-earth in the phosphor wastes is required.In this study, we focused on the difference of physical property such as magnetic susceptibility and density for each type of phosphor and tried to separate and recover the phosphors by using the magnetic separation technique utilizing the difference of the traction force to the magnet acting on the particles. Magneto-Archimedes method is method separation technique utilizi g the difference of magnetic susceptibility and density. We developed the magnetic separation apparatus by applying this technique.To develop the practical separation apparatus, the continuous process is required. Hence the fundamental experiment utilizing High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) Bulk Magnet which can generate the strong magnetic force was conducted. As a result, we succeeded the continuous separation of the phosphor wastes.