Determination of experimental conditions for HGMS magnetic separation to reduce the inorganic contents in cellulignin catalytic fuel

Cellulignin can be generated by recycling the organic content present in the municipal solid waste. This cellulignin, in dry powder form, can be used as a highly efficient catalytic fuel. The main objective of the present work was to reduce the cellulignin inorganic contents through High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS), aiming the use of the cellulignin as solid fuel in turbines and other systems. The magnetic separation was performed using a canister filled with 420 stainless steel mesh, in the region of central magnetic field, where it was pumped liquid with dispersed cellulignin. The cellulignin was characterized before and after each separation test. The magnetic separation tests were performed at the applied magnetic fields of 1 T, 2.5 T, and 4 T, and with feeding flows of 200 L/h, 300 L/h, and 500 L/h. Reduction in the inorganic contents was found in all magnetic separation tests and the efficiency increased with the decrease of the feeding flow. The highest magnetic separation efficiency for inorganic removal was found with the feeding flow of 200 L/h and at an applied magnetic field of 2.5 T.