Magnetic drum separator and method for operation thereof

In a magnetic drum separator (2), with a drum (6) rotatable about a rotational axis (4), with a magnet arrangement (10) comprising a plurality of magnets (12) arranged in the interior (8) of the drum (6), with a separation zone (18) located in the exterior space (14) of the drum (6), through the separation zone of which a feed material (22) can flow, separable in the separation zone (18) with the aid of a magnetic field (26) generated by the magnet arrangement (10), according to a separation behavior (32) of the drum separator (2), into a waste stream (30) and a recyclable material stream (28), a relative position (R) of at least one of the magnets (12) relative to the rotational axis (4) can be varied. A nominal magnitude (S) for a process value (78) on the drum separator (2) that is influenced by the separation behavior (32) can be specified. The drum separator comprises at least one measurement device (74) for detecting an actual magnitude (I) of the process value (78), and a controller (82), by which a change of the relative position (R) of the at least one of the magnets (12) can be automatically effected, whereby the actual magnitude (I) can be controlled to approach the nominal magnitude (S).