PURPOSE: To separate and sort particles in response to their components with high accuracy, by forming a solid wall from the material which gives priority to the collision of the particles with the solid wall at a frictionally electrified part, and introducing the particles together with turning stream-forming gas.

CONSTITUTION: When impalpable particles fluidized by proper gas such as air or inert gas is supplied through a supply pipe 21 into a cylindrical vessel 23, the gas forms a high-speed turning stream at the upper side of the vessel and flows out through an outflow pipe 22. On the other hand, the particles are moved to the wall surface of the cylindrical vessel 23 by the centrifugal force of the turning stream of the gas, and a spiral stream along the arrow 26 is formed by the turning stream formed from the upper part to the lower part of the vessel 23. At this time, the particles are brought into contact with the wall surface and charged with electricity by friction. Since the vessel wall is made of copper, fluororesin or the like, the particles preferentially come into collision with the vessel wall surface without collision with each other and discharged through a particle outlet 24.