Abstract: A rotary drum air separation system separates mixed solid materials into a light fraction and a heavy fraction with substantially no stagnation of material in the air drum. It further provides for processing high volume urban solid waste without first size reducing the waste. The system separates such waste into a light fraction, substantially free of glass and ready for composting or for use as a source of energy in the form of heat or combustible gas from pyrolysis, a heavy fraction, and a glass-rich fraction from the heavy fraction, all in a high volume operation.

Abstract: The invention is an improvement in the process of benificiating phosphate ores, the process including at least one acid flotation and at least one amine flotation. The improvement is a reduction in the formation of slimes, obtained by drying the phosphate ore prior to classification and flotation or by transporting it to the flotation plant out of contact with water.

Abstract: A source of fluid and entrained particles including fines is connected to the entrance of a cyclone particle separator lying above a particle storage vessel that has an outlet near its bottom. The particle separator has a particle exit connected to the storage vessel and a fluid exit. The separator imparts angular motion to the fluid received at its entrance such that the fluid with a first percentage of the fines entrained therein flows out the fluid exit, and the particles minus such first percentage passes through the particle exit to the storage vessel. The particles in the storage vessel are fluidized to a particular level above the outlet. Fluidized particles with a second percentage of the fines entrained therein are removed from the process by withdrawal from the storage vessel at a point between the particular level and the outlet. Fluidized particles minus the first and second percentages of the fines flow from the outlet of the storage vessel to a receiver for processing.

Abstract: A process for controlled slow cooling of non-ferrous smelting slags, such as copper slags, for the recovery of the non-ferrous metals contained therein by subsequent crushing, milling and flotation operations is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of pouring the molten slag into a ladle, allowing the slag to slowly cool and solidify in the ladle at least to the point where a shell is formed which is strong enough to withstand dumping from the ladle, dumping the slag from the ladle in a single piece, allowing the dumped slag to cool until its center is substantially solidified, and breaking the dumped slag in small pieces for further cooling, crushing, milling and flotation operations. Alternatively, the top of the slag in the ladle may be water cooled while the slag is allowed to slowly cool in the ladle until its center is substantially solidified. The slag is then dumped and subsequently broken in small pieces.

Abstract: To improve the energy balance of the method, air heated to a temperature at which the mixture can be dried is brought in contact with the mixture in form of an air-stream, which also conveys the mixture through the plant during the process. This moist air giving off most of its heat during drying is vented, and the dried mixture is subsequently conveyed for exposure to a stream of hot air to effect separation of plastic and paper from each other, the resulting particles then being separated in an air classifier, or cyclone, and the heated dry air being recirculated to the entry point of the plant for reuse in the process to dry additional moist material being introduced therein.

Abstract: Shredded scrap is conveyed from a heat generating automobile shredder to one end of a horizontal tumbling drum and is caused to move in one direction through the drum as it tumbles. An air stream which has aspirated heat generated by the shredder, and carrying particulate material removed from the scrap in the shredder, is directed by ductwork to the opposite end of the tumbling drum where the air and particulate matter move in counterflow through the tumbling scrap to remove additional particulate material therefrom as the shredded particles are being showered through the air stream. The particulate material in the air stream emerging from the tumbling drum is separated out by a cyclonic separator. A bypass air stream duct with an adjustable valve bypasses some of the air stream around the tumbling drum to control the velocity of the air stream through the tumbling drum and thus to control the size of the particulate material removed from the scrap by the counterflow air stream.

Abstract: A rotary drum air classifier apparatus for separating light and heavy materials introduced into the drum by conveyor means, means for producing a flow of air at relatively high velocity through the drum for entraining light materials, heating means encircling the drum for radiatively heating the drum and drying materials therein during the separation process, and means at one end of the drum for heating air as it enters the drum for further assisting in the drying process.

Abstract: A process for separation of the components of scrap lead storage batteries including crushing, and then heating the pieces while tumbling, dry screening the paste from the residual materials which are fed to a sink-float apparatus whose fluidized pulp comprises a liquid suspension of battery paste. The pH and density of the pulp are regulated in the pH range of 7-10 by addition of sulphuric acid. After sink-float separation the drained and washed materials are recovered and the pulp and wash liquid are recycled back into the system.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of carbonaceous materials containing sulphur to an essentially sulphur-free combustible gas by gasification, comprising partially gasifying the carbonaceous material in a first circulating fluid bed by supplying to said zone adjusted streams of the carbonaceous material, finely-divided CaO-containing material and steam, separating solid materials from streams of gases and solid materials leaving said reaction zone, subjecting an adjusted fraction stream of said solid materials to separation of ashes and sulphur purification and then returning this stream to the reaction zone, transferring the rest of the solid materials to a second circulating fluid bed, wherein the solid materials by partial combustion with an adjusted stream of gases containing molecular oxygen is heated to an overtemperature which is adjusted by controlling the content of oxygen of the gas in such a way that the materials after separation from the reaction gases and recirculation to the first fluid bed satisfie

Abstract: A magnetic separator for a hot mixture has an enclosure with a bottom having means for fluidizing the mixture which travels through the enclosure from an entrance to an exit. Within the enclosure an internally water-cooled drum rotates and which is internally provided with magnetizing means so that magnetic particles in the fluidized flow, into which the drum dips, is picked up and through a suitable discharge carried out of the enclosure, other material in the mixture and which is non-magnetic, discharging from the enclosure. Internally the drum has means for maintaining a body of water in the drum's portion which dips into the fluidized flow, the flow of hot mixture causing the water to vaporize and cool that portion of the drum.

Abstract: Sorting of bicarbonate containing ore particles from oil containing ore particles in a mixture of the two types of ore particles by treating the surface of the mixture with an aqueous medium and thereafter subjecting the ore particles, while wet, to microwave energy to heat the surface of the particles sufficiently to whiten the color of the bicarbonate containing particles and thereafter optically sorting the particles according to color.

Abstract: A rotating drum type muller is described for initial conditioning of mined tar sands by the hot water method for separation of bitumen from the sands wherein ablation of mined tar sand lumps into pulp is effected through the addition of hot water, steam and caustic.

Abstract: A process for the separation of scheelite from calcite present in an ore or a concentrate formed from an ore, which process includes the steps of decomposing any flotation agent residues contained in the concentrate, and treating the ore or concentrate to condition the particle surfaces with a mono-substituted butane diamine of the formula H.sub.2 N.C.sub.4 H.sub.8.N(H)R, wherein R is a long-chain saturated or partially-unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having at least 14 carbon atoms. The treated ore or concentrate is subjected to flotation in an aqueous system, and the scheelite is recovered in the flotation froth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the sex of mammalian offspring through separation of X-chromosome female producing sperm and Y-chromosome male producing sperm. The separation is accomplished by producing a thermal convection counter stream within a sedimentation column containing a universal medium with sperm suspended therein, and subsequently allowing the two sperm populations to sediment into different fractions according to different densities. The positive and negative geotaxis thus applied to the sperm facilitate a more efficient separation than has been previously obtained. The apparatus used to accomplish this separation includes means for producing a temperature differential between axial and peripheral portions of the medium contained in the sedimentation column thus creating the necessary thermal convection counter stream, and may also comprise a laser capable of scanning the length of the column and laser detecting means to determine the distribution of sperm produced within the medium.

Abstract: A method for recovering plastic from plastic insulated wire scrap involving separating the plastic from short segments of the wire by agitating the segments in a heated dry powder medium until the metal is released from the plastic insulation, separating the metal from the plastic insulation leaving at least 0.5% by weight of the powder intermixed with the plastic insulation.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for separating different types of particulate materials selectively by subjecting a moving mixture of said materials to a combined applied direct current (D.C.) voltage and radio frequency (RF) electric field, thereby causing the particles to become differentially heated in accordance with the respective dielectric constants and loss factors of the various particles. The separation is accomplished as a result of the differential loss of electrostatic charges impressed upon the different types of materials in accordance with their respective physical and chemical characteristics. During this process, there is no permanent or irreversible alteration in the chemical and physical properties of the particulate materials.

Abstract: A rotating drum type muller is described for initial conditioning of mined tar sands by the hot water method for separation of bitumen from the sands wherein ablation of mined tar sand lumps into pulp is effected through the addition of hot water, steam and caustic.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for removal of grit from a finely dispersed solid containing gas stream serving for the pneumatic conveyance of this material, the apparatus comprising a closed separator housing having a funnel shaped lower portion, a supply tube for the conveying gas stream opening laterally in the upper part of the housing, an outlet tube (in a given case connected to a vacuum source) for purified finely dispersed solid disposed opposite the supply tube in the upper part of the housing, a vertically disposed connecting piece between the lower end of the funnel shaped lower portion and a discharge valve, an axially disposed cap shaped displacement member open at its lower end in said connecting piece and of lesser diameter whereby an annular gap is formed between the displacement member and the connecting piece and a supply tube for furnishing a secondary gas stream to the interior of said displacement member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing oversized, unentrained char particles from a two-stage coal gasification process so as to prevent clogging or plugging of the communicating passage between the two gasification stages. In the first stage of the process, recycled process char passes upwardly while reacting with steam and oxygen to yield a first stage synthesis gas containing hydrogen and oxides of carbon. In the second stage, the synthesis gas passes upwardly with coal and steam which react to yield partially gasified char entrained in a second stage product gas containing methane, hydrogen, and oxides of carbon. Agglomerated char particles, which result from caking coal particles in the second stage and are too heavy to be entrained in the second stage product gas, are removed through an outlet in the bottom of the second stage, the particles being separated from smaller char particles by a counter-current of steam injected into the outlet.

Abstract: A method for beneficiation of magnesite ore wherein the ore is subjected to calcination to decrease the bulk density of the magnesite relative to the gangue. Accordingly, after such calcination, conventional gravimetric separations can be conducted with greatly increased efficiency. When the calcination is conducted in a reducing atmosphere, initially non-magnetic gangue material is converted to a magnetic form and conventional magnetic separation procedures are conducted with enhanced efficiency.