SELFRAG Lab V2 12-01

SELFRAG Lab is the first commercial high voltage (HV) pulsed power laboratory equipment for selective fragmentation.  The technology is based on very short pulsed HV-discharges applied to solids under water which causes the material to disaggregate along grain boundaties, inclusions or inhomogeneities.  These discharges occur through the solid, causing strong internal shockwaves resulting in selective breakage.  The selectivity of the SELFRAG process arises from two sources:  field enhancements are strongly dependent on electrical properties of minerals; and shockwave interaction with acoustic properties of minerals.  The SELFRAG processing causes two types of selective fracturing: intergranular selective fragmentation, ie. Preferential fracturing along grain boundaries; and intra-granular selective fragmentation, ie. Preferential fragmentation of certain mineral phases (most notably quartz). 

The SELFRAG Lab is a free-standing laboratory instrument which requires 3-phase power for operation and water in which the sample is placed.  It is a robust instrument with no moving parts and the only consumables are the electrodes which are easily replaceable.  The equipment is simple to operate and the processing of a sample is accomplished in a matter of minutes.  It is clean to use and dust free.