Abstract: Solid waste is sorted by passing it through a rotating hollow drum which has sets of extensions, called flights, from the interior wall of the drum, some sets of flights being separated from each other and from the entrance to the drum by blank sections along the drum wall. The first set of flights are knives, so that filled plastic waste bags are opened and emptied. The second set of flights are adjustable magnet strips, lifting and depositing ferrous material onto a conveyor. A ferrous scraper removes ferrous materials, for depositing onto the conveyor. The third set of flights are flexible lifters for lifting and depositing glass, grit and dirt onto another conveyor. A bar screen is positioned over the conveyor to screen out larger materials, clean the lifters, and to be cleaned by the lifters.

Abstract: Solid waste is sorted by passing it through a rotating hollow drum which has sets of extensions, called flights, from the interior wall of the drum, some sets of flights being separated from each other and from the entrance to the drum by blank sections along the drum wall. The first set of flights are rotatable knives, positioned in a reverse spiral, so that larger items, usually filled plastic waste bags, are inhibited from advancing until opened and emptied. The second set of flights are adjustable magnet strips, lifting and depositing metal material onto a conveyor belt. The third set of flights are flexible lifters for lifting and depositing glass, grit and dirt onto the takeout belt, which rub against the conveyor, thus cleaning both the lifters and the conveyor. A bar screen is positioned over the conveyor to screen out larger materials, clean the lifters, and to be cleaned by the lifters. There is also a movable conveyor belt which relieves jamming by moving away from the drum wall.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the vitrification of fly ash produced from an incineration system for solid waste materials, including the combining of fly ash extracted from the pollution control device in the incineration system with fusible material, particularly glass, and preferably recycled glass extracted from the solid waste material before it is incinerated, and subsequently melting the combined glass and fly ash in a vitrification furnace in order to vitrify the fly ash and its toxic contaminants, including lead, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals, to produce an inert vitrified ash product. The flue gas from the vitrification furnace is returned to the flue gas stream from the incinerator for introduction into the pollution control device.

Abstract: Solid waste incinerator fuel is preclassified by passing it through a hollow rotating cylindrical drum which has two sets of extensions from the wall going lengthwise along the length of the drum, the first set toward one end and the second toward the other, the second set being shorter or smaller-sized than the first and the first preferably having rodlike projections which may have at least partly knifelike or bladelike ends or edges at the axial or inner ends thereof. The first set of extensions homogenizes the incoming waste by lifting, dropping, churning, and ripping it as well as fluffing it. The second set of extensions, preferably angled, lifts smaller sized heavier, non-combustible particles to the upper part of the drum from which they are removed at the exit end. The lighter material, mostly combustibles such as paper, textiles and wood, for example, is discharged toward the bottom of the exit end of the drum.

Abstract: Solid waste incinerator fuel is preclassified by passing it through a hollow rotating cylindrical drum which has magnetic extensions called flights protruding from the inside of the drum wall along its length. The drum may also have a first set of non-magnetic flights toward one end protruding farther from the wall toward the center or axis of the drum then a second non-magnetic portion on the other side of the magnetic flights along the length of the drum. The magnetic flights attract particles and material subject to magnetic attraction. The ends of the first set of non-magnetic flights toward the middle of the length of the drum are preferably shaped or rounded somewhat lengthwise. A scraper assembly preferably having two material removal channels or chutes in addition to a scraper blade, may be arranged to extend into an exit end of the drum. The scraper blade removes magnetic or iron particles from the magnetic flights as the drum rotates.