Numerical and Experimental Study of Magnetic Separation in a Liquid Flow

  1. Intersectoral Expert and Analytical Center, Moscow, Russia
  2. National Research University «Moscow Power Engineering Institute», Moscow, Russia
  3. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, Moscow, Russia

Corresponding author: paa@sngpr.ru.com

doi: 10.65402/npnh.2026.1.007
UDC: 532.5
Issue №1 2026 г.
Pages 35-41
Received: 10.12.2025 г.
Published: 27.01.2026 г.

Abstract

Removing impurities from liquids using magnetic separation is a pressing issue in the oil and gas and chemical industries, improving product quality and protecting equipment. Demetallization by magnetic separation is an effective method based on the interaction of magnetic particles, such as iron, with an external magnetic field, which attracts them and allows them to be separated from the rest of the medium. The aim of this study is to develop and verify a numerical model for the motion of magnetic particles in a fluid flow.
The study involves numerical multiphysics simulation in the COMSOL Multiphysics software environment. The model describes the motion of magnetic particles in a fluid flow, taking into account the Navier-Stokes equations for fluids, magnetic interaction forces, and hydrodynamic drag. The experimental portion was conducted on a laboratory rig reproducing the simulation conditions, where the trajectories of magnetic particles, the dependence of the maximum magnetic field on the number of permanent magnets, and the effectiveness of various magnetic field configurations were studied.
Comparison with experimental data obtained on the rig confirmed the high accuracy of the developed model. An analysis of the digital model of the setup allowed us to identify key parameters influencing the separation process. The results demonstrate the applicability of the developed model for optimizing magnetic field configurations in magnetic separation, facilitating the efficient removal of magnetic particles from liquids. The proposed approach has potential for adaptation to other fields, such as liquid purification or mineral processing. This paper shows only the first stage of research into demetallization and magnetic separation, in which water with magnetic particles is used as the test liquid.

Key words: magnetic separation, demetallization, numerical modeling, COMSOL Multiphysics, digital twin, finite element method, magnetohydrodynamics, magnetic field configuration, experimental verification, oil and gas industry

For citation:

Papushkina A.A., Kim V.R., Dergachev P.A, Ryzhov V.V., Averina Yu.M., Zamrii A.V. Numerical and experimental study of magnetic separation in a liquid flow. Oil Refining and Petrochemistry, 2026, No. 1, pp. 35-41. DOI 10.65402/npnh.2026.1.007

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