Numerical optimization of an electro-adhesion actuator used in the application of electrostatic sorting of metal and polymer particles

The electrostatic adhesion technique is recently used in the electrostatic separation of granular metal/polymer (Copper/PVC) materials. In order to understand the behavior of conductive and dielectric particles on an electrostatic adhesion actuator, it is essential to study the force that appears above the surface of the actuator, when applying the electrical voltage. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of the electro-adhesion force on the conductive and dielectric particles. Based on Maxwell's stress tensor formulation, a numerical simulation is carried out to study the properties of the electro-adhesive force in the presence of conductive and dielectric particles, for different electrical and geometrical parameters. The electro-adhesion force is evaluated numerically by the electrical voltage, the waveform impact, frequency and the electrodes geometrical parameters, the width and the spacing effects in particular. The conclusions of this analyze show that the best compromise between electro-adhesion and separation is favored by using an alternative waveform and electrode width and spacing corresponding to particles size.