Abstract: Systems and processes of the present invention for recycling glass fiber waste into glass fiber product include a supply of scrap glass fibers having a mean average length of less than about 5 millimeters; a crusher having at least one pair of rotatable rollers which rotate at essentially the same speed, the rollers having intermeshing protuberances for crushing scrap glass fibers passing therebetween; and an air separating device for separating a first portion of crushed glass fibers having a mean average length of less than about 3 millimeters from a second portion of oversize glass fibers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for producing glass fiber product from scrap glass fibers comprising at least one crusher having at least one pair of rotatable rollers which rotate at essentially the same speed, the rollers having intermeshing protuberances for crushing scrap glass fibers passing therebetween; a dryer for drying the crushed glass fibers to form dried glass fibers having a mean average moisture content of less than about one weight percent; and a separating device for separating the crushed glass fibers into (1) a first portion of crushed glass fibers having a mean average length of less than about 5 millimeters and (2) oversize dried waste material.

Abstract: The waste material processing system of the present invention includes a (1) waste material supply; (2) shredder; (3) moisture reducing device; (4) crusher having a rotatable screw auger positioned within a cavity of the crusher for crushing and conveying waste material and a pressurizing device such as a conduit attached to the discharge end of the cavity for exerting a backpressure upon a portion of the waste material positioned about the second end of the auger such that a portion of the scrap glass fibers in the waste material is crushed; (5) dryer; and (6) separating device for separating waste material having a mean average length of less than about 5 millimeters from oversized dried waste material. Also provided by the present invention is a process for recycling waste material using the system.

Abstract: The process and apparatus of the present invention enable the production of glass fiber product from scrap glass fibers. The process includes: feeding the scrap glass fibers having an average length up to around 12 inches to a glass melting tank having a pool of molten fiberizable glass, melting the scrap glass fibers without the presence of non-vitrified glass forming materials in an oxidizing environment, conditioning the melt to a formable viscosity, and forming the glass fiber from the conditioned melt where for a given glass fiber product there is a near constant pull of the melted glass from the melter. The rate of feeding of the scrap glass to the melter is sufficient to maintain the pool of melted glass with a level within the range of .+-.0.35 inch (9 mm.) over a period of eight hours. The scrap glass fibers have a similar fiberizable inorganic composition to that of the desired glass fiber product and generally include fibers with organic-containing sizes and/or coatings.