Ferrofluid and Washing System Design

The ferrofluid and washing system is integrated together.  Housed in 5-gallon food-grade aluminum pot, the system ensures safety, cleanliness, and no interaction with magnets.  2 ladles sit on side of pot, with handles extending outside of pot for easy removal.  Inside of the ladles sits electromagnets, which can be turned on and off when needed.  The ladles allow the magnets to have a place to sit, and allow the wiring to run up the ladle.  A 5mm mesh sieve sits inside of the pot.  The portable washer sits at the bottom of the pot. 

Plastic pieces, after being chopped from the shredder, is sent through the sieve.  Bigger plastic pieces stay on the top portion of the pot, and smaller microplastics are filtered through to the bottom.  Adding in soap and water, all plastic is washed by turning on the portable washer.  After washing, the sieve is taken out, taking the bigger, washed plastic pieces out to be sent for energy conversion uses.  The washed microplastics remain in the pot.  As it is still mixing, ferrofluid is added into the system to separate the microplastics from the water and soap.  Due to the vortex motion from the washer, the microplastic-ferrofluid mixture is attracted to the magnets sitting inside the ladles, capturing the microplastics.  The ladles, with the magnets and microplastics, can be taken out of the pot to remove from the water.